Chapter 33

Travis has been texting me nonstop. I’ve replied to some of his messages. But others, I choose not to. It’s hard. Every fiber of my being wants to be with him. But my need to keep him out of my family’s business is just as strong.

My heart and mind are at war with each other, and at this point, I don’t know which one is going to win. Aurora made me write a pro-and-con list. The pro side was long, while there was only one con I could think of. The risk to his safety.

My whole family seems to be on Team Travis at the moment too. Even my father, who is acting like he’s got a new best friend. It’s weird. I don’t know how to begin to unpack that relationship. My father has been vehemently against me dating anyone. And now, all of a sudden, he’s Travis’s biggest cheerleader. Telling me that I should talk to him. That I should listen to him.

I wish it were that simple. If it were, I’d be with Travis right now instead of lying awake in this bed. My own thoughts making me crazy and an overwhelming need to go and see him eating at me. I roll over. Aurora is next to me. We both fell asleep in here last night while watching a rom-com I can’t even remember the name of.

“Aurora, are you awake?” I whisper.

“Argh, if you’re not dead or dying, you’re about to be,” she mumbles back.

“Wanna sneak out?”

Her eyes pop open and a devious smirk curls her lips. “I thought you’d never ask,” she says. “Where we going?”

“The rink. I know they have practice soon, and I want to see Travis,” I tell her.

“About damn time. Okay, let’s do this.” She’s out of bed and getting dressed before I can come up with a reason to change my mind. This is why I love my cousin so much. She’s prepared to do anything for me.

I shove the blankets aside and get out of bed. Digging through my bag, I pull out a pair of jeans and a sweater. I quickly apply the smallest bit of makeup on my face. Because, well, I’m about to see Travis. I have no idea what I’m going to say to him, or if I’ll say anything at all. Right now, I just want to see him.

“Okay, I clocked eight out front, four on the right, and three on the left. Then there’s ten more at the back,” Aurora says. “It seems excessive, even for Zio Theo.”

She’s right. There are a lot of my father’s men keeping watch, double what was here two days ago. “Something is going on… Something they’re not telling us about,” I say.

“Isn’t there always?”

“We’re not going to be able to sneak out.” I sigh.

“Where there’s a will, there’s always a way.” Aurora smirks.

“I’m going to wake my brother up. He’ll take us out, and the guards won’t even question it,” I tell her.

“That would be the easy way to do things—although I’m all for the sneaking past them too.”

“Come on.” I open the bedroom door, and sure enough, there are two guards in the hallway. They immediately look up when we walk out. I smile as I pass them and enter my brother’s room. The minute I lean on his bed, Alessandro rolls over and points a pistol at me.

“What the fuck, Liliana? Are you trying to get yourself killed?” he grunts as he drops the gun back down on the mattress.

My head tips to the side as I look at him. “Do you always sleep with a gun in your hand? That cannot be safe, Alessandro.”

“It’s fine. And it wasn’t in my hand. It was under my pillow.”

I actually hate that he feels like he has to sleep like this. Maybe me going to see Travis is a horrible idea.

“What’s wrong?” Alessandro asks.

“I… ah…”

“She wants to go see lover boy, and obviously we can’t break out of Fort Knox without you,” Aurora says.

My brother looks at me as he takes hold of my hand. “You want to go see Travis?”

I nod my head. “I think so.”

“You think or you know. Because I gotta be honest, Lil, you can’t go there and see him and then walk away again. The dude has more patience than Mother Teresa when it comes to you, but even he has a breaking point.”

My mouth drops into a frown. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”

“I am always on your side, Lil. You’re my sister, but I’m telling you Travis is struggling with the fact that you’re not talking to him.”

“I know.” I can admit that I’ve done this to us, even if my intentions were to keep him safe.

“Okay, I’ll take you. But you might want to wait in the hall so I can get up. Unless you want to get an eyeful of my junk.”

“Ew, that’s disgusting.” I jump off my brother’s bed quicker than I’ve ever moved in my life.

My hands shake with nerves as we follow Grayson into the rink. I messaged him when we were in the car, telling him I was stopping by and to open the door for me.

“You owe me twenty K, Valentino,” Gray says to my brother.

“You don’t know that yet,” Alessandro argues. His hand finds mine and he grips it tight to stop it from shaking. I look up and he gives me the slightest reassuring smile.

“She’s here. I win.” Gray crosses his arms over his large chest.

“You win what?” I ask, my eyes bouncing between him and my brother.

“Nothing,” Alessandro and Gray say at the same time.

“Bullshit.” Aurora glares at them. “You guys were betting on her? What was it? And don’t think I’ll spare you just because you’re blood.” She points a finger at Alessandro, who winces.

“Like I said, it’s nothing. We just had a discussion about how long it was going to take Lil to come to her senses.” Alessandro shrugs. I try to slip my hand out of his grip, but he holds it tighter. “Come on, let’s go find this boyfriend/not boyfriend of yours,” he says.

“Wait! I need to use the restroom first,” I mutter as I tug my arm free.

“There, just down the hall.” Gray points behind us.

“I’ll be right back,” I tell them.

“I’ll come with you.” Aurora starts walking next to me.

“I’ll be right back. I just need a minute,” I tell her.

“Okay, I’ll wait here then.”

I rush inside the bathroom, turn on the faucet, pull the sleeves of my sweater up, and splash the water on my forearms. I don’t know why I’m so nervous. It’s Travis. I can see him, talk to him without feeling so out of sorts.

The door to the restroom opens behind me.

“Aurora, I’m fine,” I call out. There’s no answer, but there is the sound of heavy footsteps echoing off the walls. I look up into the mirror and jump out of my skin before turning around. “What are you doing in here?”

“I’ve been waiting for you, Liliana.”

“Why?” I flick my eyes to the doorway. I’d have to get around him to make it there. If I scream, will Alessandro or Gray be able to hear me?

“I wouldn’t.” Lou Monroe takes a step closer and then another.

“What do you want?” I ask while trying to keep my voice calm. I’ve never liked the guy. On the few occasions when I’ve interacted with Gray’s uncle, he’s always creeped me out. But right now, my fight-or-flight instincts are at an all-time high.

I don’t see his hand swipe out, or the needle he stabs into my skin before he closes his arms around my waist. “Sorry, but it’s going to be easier this way,” he says, holding me upright.

“What?” I can hear my words slurring as my limbs start to go numb. Then the room is spinning, my bag drops to the ground, and everything goes black.