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“It’s always a pleasure to see you, Aurora. I would like to know why you’ve been holed up in here all weekend, though? And if you plan on staying? I can have Zia Livvy make a room up for you in the house, you know.”

“Thanks. I just… I’m going home today,” I tell him.

“You haven’t answered my question.” Zio Romeo is smart. Nothing ever gets past him. But I can’t tell him that I’m here hiding from reality.

“I was hanging out with Dante and Orlando. I fell asleep.”

“Try again. Who is he? Give me a name and I’ll break his kneecaps before I remove his head from his body,” my uncle grunts.

And that is exactly why I can’t tell the oldies in the family what happened. I can’t risk them going after Connor to avenge my heart.

“There is no boy.” I sigh. “And if there were, I’d never tell you.”

“Aurora, whoever he is, don’t ever forget your worth. Not every douchebag you encounter is going to be able to see it, so it’s up to you to remember.” Zio Romeo walks over to me, kissesmy forehead, and then walks back to the door. “You can stay for as long as you want, but expect a visit from your father within the hour.”

“Thanks. I’m just going to have a shower,” I tell him. I knew I couldn’t hide out here forever. I just need to wash off. I need to figure out a way to pretend that I’m not falling apart on the inside.

“Good, 'cause you really do smell like a brewery.” Zio Romeo chuckles as he closes the door.

After showering and changing into some sweats I borrowed from Dante, I run a brush through my hair. My reflection stares back at me. I don’t have makeup here, and Zio Romeo was right. I do look like shit.Tired. My eyes are red and puffy from crying. Dark circles are starting to form too.

When I walk into my aunt and uncle’s house, my dad is there. In the kitchen. “Princess, didn’t know you’d be here,” he says.

“Yes, you did.” I roll my eyes.

“You’re right. I did. Come on, I’ll give you a ride home so you can get ready for school.” It’s not a question or an option. It’s aget in the fucking car, you’re coming homekind of statement.

“Okay,” I say before turning to my Zio Romeo. “Thanks for letting me stay.”

“Anytime,” my uncle replies.

My dad is quiet. He doesn’t say a single word for the first ten minutes of the drive. Then it’s like the floodgates open. I’m honestly impressed he lasted as long as he did. “Okay, spill it. What happened?”

“Nothing happened. Can’t I just hang out with my cousins because I like them?”

“You can, but I know you. Something is wrong. I want to know what it is.”

When I don’t answer him, he sighs, running a hand over his face. “You can tell me anything, Aurora. I meananything.”

“You won’t understand this, Papa.”

“Try me,” he says. “There is nothing I wouldn’t do for you. You know that.”

“I know. But I really messed up,” I whisper.

“Messed uphow? I can fix whatever it is if you tell me.”

“I was… seeing someone, and I did something bad. Really bad, and now he hates me.”Okay, that’s a watered-down version of what actually happened.

“You were seeing someone? What the fuck? Who?”

I knew that would be the thing he focused on. “No one you know. And it doesn’t matter. He’s never going to talk to me again after what I did.” I’m fighting hard to not let the tears fall again.

“Then he’s a fucking idiot and not worth your time. You are perfect in every fucking way, Aurora,” my dad tells me.

“You have a very biased opinion of me.” I laugh.

“Maybe, but that doesn’t make it not true. Tell me who he is and I’ll sort it out.”