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Chapter One

Aurora Henry

The plane’s wheels hit the tarmac hard, jolting me awake from my half-sleep. I’m in Sydney now—there’s no turning back. My heart races as the weight of the upcoming book signing event bears down on me like a ton of bricks. This isn’t going to be a walk in the park—it never is when you’ve got a past like mine.

“Welcome to Sydney,” announces the flight attendant as I exit the aircraft. The air here is different—electrifying. It makes my skin crawl, but not in a bad way. I step out of the terminal and breathe, trying to steady myself. I feel the energy pulsating through the city, the hum of traffic, and the chatter of people.

It’s been an eternity since I last stepped foot in this place, and I never found myself pining to return. The memories that haunt these grounds are too painful to revisit. Each step is a reminder of my past. As I gaze around at the familiar surroundings, my heart remains heavy with regret and sadness. This is a place of bittersweet nostalgia, where theghosts of my past still linger, but it holds no allure for me now.

As I exit the terminal, I see a gruff-looking man holding a sign that reads, ‘Aurora Henry.’ Clearly, this is my taxi driver.

“That’s me,” I say to the man, forcing a smile.

“Got a big day ahead?” he asks as he takes my luggage and hauls it into the boot.

“You could say that,” I mutter, my mind racing with anticipation and nerves.

“Good luck then,” he says, slamming the boot shut. “Jump in.”

As we drive through Sydney, I can’t help but feel the city closing in around me. The towering skyscrapers loom like giants, casting long shadows over the bustling streets. The smell of grease and exhaust fumes fills the air, mingling with the salty tang of the nearby harbour. Horns blare, people shout, and laughter echoes through the alleys. It’s a wild symphony of chaos, alive and kicking.

“What you here for?” he asks.

“A book signing.” I sigh.

“Excited for it?” the driver asks in return.

“Sure,” I lie, the anxiety gnawing at my insides like a starving dog. I can’t let him know how much this event is messing with my head.

“What book did you write?” he asks, his curiosity piqued.

“Dancing with Masked Men,” I reply. “Today is mainly for that particular book.”

“I’ve heard about that one over the radio… heard it’s a real page-turner,” he continues, obviously trying to make small talk. I appreciate the effort, but right now, I need silence.

“Thanks,” I mutter, gazing out the window at the vibrant cityscape—so different from the darkness lurking within me. Sydney may be alive and thriving, but inside, I’m constantly fighting off demons from my past.

“Alrighty then, here we are,” announces the driver as we pull up to the hotel. “Have a good one, Aurora.”

“Thanks,” I say, shoving a wad of cash into his hand before stepping onto the busy sidewalk.

It isn’t until I’m halfway inside the hotel that I realise he dropped me off at the wrong one.Shit. I’m going to have to walk a few blocks to get to the correct hotel.

“Damn, Sydney’s a maze,” I mutter under my breath. The twisted streets and towering skyscrapers threaten to swallow me whole, but I refuse to let this city break me.

“Excuse me, miss.” A middle-aged bloke with greying hair approaches me. “Are you lost?”

“Something like that,” I reply, trying to keep the edge out of my voice. “Just need to find my way to the Hilton Hotel.”

“Ah, right around the corner there.” He points, his eyes lingering on my tattoos.

“Thanks,” I snarl, leaving him in the dust as I round the corner and see the hotel.

Thankfully, the bookshop where I am scheduled to sign is only one block from here. As I walk through the sliding doors, a young man stands before me—tall and blond with piercing blue eyes. If he were just ten years older, I might attempt to pursue him. “Can I take your bags, miss?” he asks charmingly.

“Yes, thank you,” I reply, taking note of his name tag—Matt. Well, Matt, you handsome devil. You’ll be getting a tip today.

I follow Matt to the front desk to retrieve my room check-in and grab my room key. As we walk, I admire his strong stature and confident demeanour and wonder if he is a dancer—his body looks suited for the role. Once inside my room, I quickly change into my signing attire and head back out in search of the bookshop. My event starts in thirty minutes, so I must arrive on time.