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“There are no girls who matter,” he says. “Which is exactly why you need to stay away from boys. We’re not good people, Aurora.”

“Well, when you do find the one, she’s going to be lucky to have you.”

“I’ll be happy not finding the one,” he mumbles. “We could just live with Mom and Pops forever and continue to drive them crazy.”

“Do you think love conquers all?” I ask him.

“It could. I guess. I mean Lorenzo is still breathing against the odds. I really thought Kyla’s dad would have fed him to the pigs by now,” he says. Our older brother’s father-in-law is known for feeding his enemies to his pet pigs.

“It didn’t for Romeo and Juliet.” I sigh as Connor’s face flashes through my mind.

“That’s fiction. It’s not real life.”

“What if it were, though? Star-crossed lovers from warring families? Do you think they’d stand a chance?”

Enzo looks at me, like really peers deep into my eyes. I’ve said too much. He knows.

Shit! Abort! Abort!I don’t know how to backpedal so I freeze.

“Why are you asking me that, Aurora?” Enzo finally says after staring into my damn soul for what feels like forever.

“No reason. We’re reading the book in English class and I was curious.” I shrug.Good save.

Judging by the look on my brother’s face, he doesn’t believe me, though. “I think history would tell us that couples from warring families getting together never ends well,” he says.

“Yeah, you’re right.” I stand and wait for my brother to do the same. “Now, I really am getting in the shower, so you need to leave.”

“Do me a favor. If you start dating someone, let me know,” he says. “I don’t care who he is. I just need to know that he’s worthy of you.”

I nod my head in agreement, looking away because I don’t want to lie to him. There is no way in hell I’m sending a firing squad in Connor’s direction.

After showering, I towel dry my hair and walk out to my bedroom, freezing on the spot when I see someone sitting on my bed. Not just someone. But someone who really shouldn’t be in this house.

“Connor?” I look to my door. It’s closed.

“It’s locked,” he says.

“How? What? Wait… What happened? Are you okay?” All sorts of things go through my head. None of them good. Something happened to him. He needs to hide out. He needs help.

“I heard about your cousin. I came to see if you were okay,” he says.

He’s here for me? Why? I mean, coming into this house is like walking straight up to the devil and signing over your soul. He’s not getting out of here alive. Well, not easily anyway. And how the hell did he even get in?

Chapter Twenty

“How did you get in here? And are you suicidal? Seriously, Connor, they’re going to kill you if they find you.” Aurora walks over to the door, checking the lock that’s already in place.

“Mabilia helped me,” I tell her. “Come here.” I hold out a hand and wait for her to walk towards me. “I had to check that you were okay.”

“You couldn’t have called?” she asks as she straddles my lap.

“I could, but it’s not the same.” My arms wrap around her waist, holding her body as close to mine as I can. “Are you okay?”

“Everyone keeps asking me that,” she replies, burying her face into the crook of my neck.

“Well, I’m not everyone and I actually want to know,” I tell her. “Are you?”

Aurora sits back. Her eyes connect with mine. “I’m… I think I’m broken.”