“Aurora, I’m totally fine!” he tells her. Since her arms are around his neck, not touching his injured back.
“I know!” she replies, not letting him go.
“Then why are you squeezing me like a stress ball?” Art gasps out.
“Because when your brother turned all stabby and killed my father, I thought you were going to be next.” She finally pulls back. “So, happy tears.”
That her father is dead? She turns and kicks Mario’s corpse three times before looking at Art again, turning her murdering expression into a bright grin.
“You fucking killed him. Kudos to you, my friend.”
“Luca did.” He points at me. “But I helped.”
“Oh, the kidnapper-slash-groom stealer.” She glances at me for a moment. “About the wedding,” she starts.
I drag Art against my chest, wrapping an arm around him, ready to clear the air, but Art beats me to it.
“Aurora, I can’t marry you because…I want his babies.” He pats my chest.
I snort—hearing a loud cheer and a few disgusted/confused grunts from the group still standing near the threshold.
“We are on the same page then. I have my baby father waiting for me, as well.” Aurora sighs. “What a mess.” She looks outside the room.
“Nothing you can’t help clean up, Donna Aurora.” Art smiles at her.
She seems to ponder it. “I like the sound of that.”
“Why don’t you let my men take you home, and we can meet tomorrow?” Seb asks her.
“Okay, let’s do the day after tomorrow, though.” She’s already showing her claws to Seb.
The lingering kiss she gives Art on the cheek makes me growl. “I’ll call you,” she whispers, winking at me before leaving.
He spins around to face me. “Your jealousy is hot.”
“You know what they say about close proximity to the fire and burns.” I cup his head. “You need to understand the notion that you are mine.”
He laughs happily, the little demon. “That word is profoundly foreign to me. I like hearing it from you.”
Fuck.
Before I can respond, Seb states, “It’s quite remarkable.” He’s the only one left near the door.
“What is?” I ask him.
“You have an innate candid nature that can’t be tainted no matter how much filth is thrown at you.” Pretty sure he’s talking to Art.
He clears his throat. “Oh, thank you.”
Seb tilts his head and then leaves, followed by his men.
“Does it mean he likes me?” Art whispers from the corner of his mouth.
I’m about to reply when I notice the chain around his neck. It looks just like… I hook my finger under it and gently pull out the familiar Saint Michael’s pendant. My pendant. I didn’t even realize it was gone, since I’ve been at Seb’s the last two nights.
“I would have given it back. I just wanted to fix it,” Art hastily explains, something moves behind his eyes. I’ve never seen him embarrassed before. Flushed cheeks and fumbling hands. He starts pulling it off, but I halt his fingers with mine.
“It looks good on you, just like my marks do.” I kiss the pendant, sending a prayer to my parents. One filled with love and peace.
