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I hold out my pinkie finger. “I promise,” I tell her.

“Thank you. And don’t go MIA again,” she adds before pushing up from the bed.

“I love you, Mom.”

“Love you too, sweetheart. Just try to stay out of trouble,” she says.

“Always.” I smile. We both know I won’t.

I’m about to pick up my phone and check if I have any more messages from Connor when my door opens again. This time, my dad walks in.

“You doing okay?” he asks.

“I am. Are you?”

“I’d be better if you didn’t make me worry about you every second you’re out of my sight.”

“You taught me everything I know so you didn’t have to worry, remember?”

“I taught you too well. You can’t go around stabbing guys in the balls, Aurora,” he says.

“Why not?”

“Because you just can’t. What if he hit back? What if he had a knife too?”

“I’d still come out on top. Don’t worry, Papa, I will always come out on top.”

“That’s what everyone says before they end up at the bottom of a hole, Aurora. You need to be more careful.”

“Okay. I will.” I nod my head. I have no idea what to say to my dad to put his mind at ease right now. So I climb up on my knees and wrap my arms around his neck. “I’m really lucky you’re my dad.”

“You are,” he agrees.

“And I’m sorry I made you worry. But I really did just want to have fun. We’re teenagers. You can’t tell me you didn’t go to parties as a teenager.”

“I…” He starts and then stops. “I get it. I do. And I’m not trying to suffocate you, princess. I’m just trying to keep you in one piece.”

I lower my arms and rest my back against my headboard. “I know.”

“You are my greatest achievement, Aurora. I am so fucking proud of you.”

“Even if I’m stabbing jerks in the balls?” I ask.

“Especially when your stabbing jerks in the balls. But don’t do that again.” He points a finger at me.

“Got it.” I really don’t, but I’ll pretend I do. “You know, one day soon, Lorenzo and Kyla will give you a grandchild to worryabout and you won’t need to spend all your time worrying about me.”

“A grandchild?” My father shakes his head. “No, nope, I’m too young for that, and I will worry about you until I take my last breath.”

“Thank you. I love you, Papa.”

“Love you too, sweetheart.” He turns to leave. “No more parties with Mabilia, though.”

“Why not?”

“Because you two together are bad news. Take Dante… or Orlando.”

“You do know Orlando spends all night chasing girls and Dante is Josie-obsessed. They’re literally the world’s worst chaperones. But sure, I’ll go to parties with those two from now on.”