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“Actually, I bet he does.” I wouldn’t put it past my Zio Mikhail. He is crazy protective of his daughter. Then again, all of our fathers are. “I’m borrowing some pajamas,” I tell her.

“Fine. After you shower,” Mabilia grumbles and rolls over.

“Aurora, I didn’t know you were here,” my Zia Izzy says when I plonk myself down at the table the following morning. I’m starving, and they make good breakfast. It’s a mixture of Russian and Italian foods.

“I stayed over in Mabilia’s room.” I smile. The lie easily slips from my tongue.

“What are you girls getting up to today?” my aunt asks.

“I have to go home. Enzo is taking me sh—ah, shopping,” I tell her, quickly covering up another lie. My brothers have been taking me shooting for years. Secretly, of course. Everyone else in my family seems to be hung up on making sure I don’t have guns.

“Your brother is taking you shopping?” Zia Izzy laughs. “Why? What are you holding over his head?”

“Well, if I told you that, I wouldn’t have that carrot to dangle, now would I?” I don’t have anything. But if I did, I wouldn’t be telling anyone.

“Right.” My aunt shakes her head.

“Thanks for breakfast. My car’s here.” I get up and kiss my uncle’s cheek.

“Oh, Aurora,” my aunt calls out before I get too far.

“Yeah?”

“Next time you want to sneak into the house, try using a little more stealth. You were loud,” she says.

“Got it. I’ll keep that in mind,” I tell her.

“You’re off your game, princess.” Enzo laughs as I fire another round.

I glare at my brother over a shoulder. He’s not wrong. I am off my game. “At least I have game,” I tell him. “When was the last time you even had a date? And taking mom out to lunch doesn’t count.” I turn back towards the target and fire. Hitting it center mass.

Enzo steps up behind me and snatches the pistol from my hand. “What do you mean you have game, Aurora?” he grunts.

“Exactly what I said.” I turn on my brother and smirk, tilting my head to look up at him because all the men in my family are impossibly fucking tall.

Enzo glares down at me. “Take it back. Right now. Take it the fuck back, Aurora. You are not dating. You do not have a game of any kind,” he says.

“Who died and made you my father? Because last I checked, Papa was very much still breathing. Now, if we’re done here, I’m going home.” I shove at my brother’s chest. The bastard doesn’t move. Not an inch.

“Sure, let’s go home. Let’s see what Pops has to say about his little princess dating.” Enzo wraps an arm around my shoulder.

My elbow connects with his ribs, which has him dropping his hand.

Twenty minutes later, we’re walking into our house and Enzo is calling out, “Pops, you here?”

“What the hell are you yelling about now?” Our father comes out of the living room.

“Got a question for you. What do you think about Aurora dating?” Enzo asks.

My father looks at me. “I don’t think about it, because it’s not happening. Right, princess?” he says, almost pleadingly.

“Of course not, Papa. Why would I date? Boys are idiots,” I tell him, walking up and kissing his cheek.

“That’s what I thought.” He smiles at me.

“She told me she had game, Pops,” Enzo insists.

“And you shouldn’t be narcing on your sister. Where’s your loyalty?” Papa scolds.