Narrowing my gaze, I say, “I’ll invite you in after you tell me why you ran away for two days.”
His dark eyes meet and hold mine. “I didn’t run away, Aurora. I went to make amends.” He slips a hand into his pocketand pulls out his phone, then taps something on it before giving it to me. “Atonement number one.”
My brow furrows as I accept his device and read the announcement on the screen. It appears to be a company memo informing everyone of a recent addition to the organization.
“Security Information Consultant,” I read aloud, noting the formal title. “You’re hiring me as an employee?”
“No, I’m taking you on as aconsultant. But if you would like a different title or position, name it, and I’ll make it happen.”
“I don’t understand,” I say, setting his phone down. “Why are you hiring me?”
“Because you’re amazing with technology,” he replies, his nimble fingers working the buttons of his dark dress shirt.
I try not to watch. I do. But his tan skin peeks at me more and more with each unfastened layer, and all I want to do is lick him.
“I wanted to give you a permanent position in the organization,” he goes on, “but Johan suggested the consultant role, as he thought you might be more comfortable helping in that capacity since it allows you freedom to pursue other avenues, if that’s your wish.”
Johan was right, I think, swallowing. Except… “What makes you think I want to help your organization?”
He shrugs. “If you don’t want the role, you don’t have to accept it. It’s more of an invitation than a mandate. We want to include you in pack business, and this seemed like the best way to do that, as it’ll give you unfettered access to everything Ferraro related.” His eyes capture mine. “And I do meaneverything.”
“Even the dark sides of the business?”
“Especially the dark sides of the business,” he replies, and I don’t miss the innuendo in his tone. It’s clearly meant as a double entendre. “We don’t want to hide anything from you, Aurora. You’re pack.”
“Am I?” I demand. “Because you left without telling me where you went.Again.”
He nods. “Yes, I did. And I’m sorry if that felt counterproductive to us building trust. But I was having something done that required secrecy.”
“I see.” I fold my arms. “I assume Noah and Johan were aware of this ‘secret,’ though, yes?”
Rather than answer me, he finishes unbuttoning his shirt and pulls it from his shoulders.
I’m about to tell him that sculpted abs won’t distract me from my mission.
But I’m wrong.
Verywrong.
However, it’s not just the abs that grab my attention, but the bandage across his chest.
I gape at him. “What the fuck happened?” I hurry toward him on the bed, awkwardly moving over the walls of my nest to the bench so I can kneel there and investigate his wound. “Lazarus.” My eyes widen even more. “Oh, please tell me you didn’t attack Gio…”
He grunts. “If I had, I wouldn’t be the one with gauze on my chest, Aurora.” He grabs my wrists as I try to reach for him, his touch gentle yet firm. “I also don’t intend on hurting Giovanni unless harm is warranted.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means he would need to do something horrific to earn my brand of justice.”
“Johan being attacked doesn’t qualify?” I hedge, confused by his assessment. Noah went into a blood rage afterward. It’s safe to assume my brother has more than earned the pack’s wrath for his involvement in the situation.
It doesn’t matter that it was meant to be a kidnapping.
The issue is that the Bianchis, who are under my brother’s rule as don, put Johan in jeopardy. That has to be addressed.
“I didn’t say I forgive your brother or that I’m not displeased. I’m furious. And if Johan had been injured, I might feel differently. But I understand that Giovanni wanted to set up a trade. Bastian is the one who chose to alter the course of the assignment. He paid the ultimate price for that mistake.”
I swallow. “But the Bianchi advisors set it all up…”
