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“Whatcha doing, darling?” he asks, his voice low and dangerous.

“Made it into the Top 100 for Australia,” I say with a grin. The fucking pride surges through me like a drug.

“Fuck yeah,” he growls out, stepping closer and pulling me into a deep, possessive kiss. His hands find their way to my hips, gripping tightly. “Wish I could bend you over this desk right now.”

“Shame you can’t,” I tease, biting my lip as I glance at the clock. “You’ve got that job, remember?”

“Fucking hell, I do.” He lets out an exasperated sigh, his frustration palpable. But I know better than to push him. Felix is a goddamn time bomb, and I’ve learned how to defuse him just right. “Wish you could come along today, Aurora.”

“Me too.” I can’t help but feel a little thrill at the thought of joining him on another one of his bloody escapades. It took two fucking years for him to let me tag along and one more before I could join in. Now, we’re a twisted pair,feeding off each other’s madness. “But I guess I’ll pass this time.”

“Good,” he says, his lips quirking into a wicked smile. “Angel and Hannah are coming over later. She needs help with her literature essay, something aboutWuthering Heights.”

“Fine by me.” I can’t help but smirk. I do love that girl, even if she’s not my own flesh and blood. She’s been through hell, just like me. We’re survivors.

“Alright then.” Felix leans in for another quick, bruising kiss before pulling away. “Gotta go. You know the drill… stay safe.”

“Always do,” I promise as he walks out of my office with a predatory grace that sends shivers down my spine. Hannah and Angel will be here soon, so I need to get cleaned up. With a sigh, I shove myself away from the desk and walk to the bathroom.

The hot water pelting my skin feels like fucking heaven. I lather up, washing away the day’s grime and sweat, scrubbing hard enough to erase the lingering memories of past sins. As I rinse off, I can’t help but think about Hannah—the sweet, innocent girl we saved years ago. Tied up and scared shitless, she was just a kid. Matteo and Eleanor took her in for a while, but eventually, Angel became her guardian. He’d been the one to carry her out of that hellhole, after all.

Stepping out of the shower, I wrap a towel around me, cursing as steam fills the room. I need to move fast—they’ll be here any minute. Drying off quickly, I throw on some clothes, not caring if they match. This isn’t a goddamn fashion show.

Felix’s attachment to Hannah is something fierce. It’s like he sees her as his own. Hell, we all do. Angel even bought a house just a few doors down so she could crash at ours when he’s called away for work. And then there’s Niko, that poor fucker. He trails after her like a lovesick puppy, completely smitten. If Eleanor has her way, they’ll be hitched the moment Hannah turns eighteen. They’d be perfect together, no doubt about it.

“Fuck, where’s my brush?” I mutter, rummaging through the bathroom drawers. Just as I find it and start tugging it through my damp hair, the front door opens.

“Hey, Aurora!” Angel’s voice booms through the hallway. “We’re here!”

“Be right out!” I call back, giving my hair one last yank before hurrying to the living room. There they are—Angel and Hannah, two of the most important people in our fucked-up family.

“Hey, kiddo,” I greet Hannah, ruffling her hair as she grins at me. She’s blossomed into a beautiful teenager because of Angel’s hard work and dedication.

“Ready to tackle that essay?” I ask, the words feeling strange in my mouth. But this is what we do now, this broken family of ours. We help each other survive, no matter how twisted or fucked up our lives might be.

“Definitely!” Hannah replies eagerly, and together, we sit down to start working on herWuthering Heightsassignment. As I look around at the people who’ve become my family, I know one thing for certain—I wouldn’t trade them for anything in this goddamn world.

The End