Page 23 of His Deadly Devotion

I think about how to answer him. “It’s not you. It’s not anything you’ve done, Connor. It’s my own fear. I’ve just got to learn to deal with it. I’m sorry for being clingy.”

“You can be as clingy as you want, babe. I just don’t want you worrying that I’m going to leave every time you’re not right next to me.”

“When I thought you were dead, I was scared. I’m not usually scared of anything, but it seems I’m shit scared of losing you. It’s not you, Connor. It’s me,” I tell him.

And itisme. Connor has always shown up for me. He followed me up to the church bell tower the day of Kenny’s funeral. I think he thought I was going to jump. He pulled me away from the window. I wasn’t contemplating jumping, but he didn’t know that.

He also took care of that douche who drugged me. Anyone could have seen him do it at school. He could have been caught.

And when I texted him, telling him that I needed oxygen, he didn’t hesitate to come. The guy took a bullet for me. There is no doubt in my mind that Connor loves me. I do wonder if he’s only here because of the threat to my life, though. Will he still want to be with me once it’s over? Will he hate me more for making him choose betweenusand his family?

“I know that you will always show up for me, Connor. I don’t doubt that. You have nothing to prove.” I choose not to voice the doubts in my mind again. They’re my issue, not his.

Connor’s fingers brush against my cheek. “You’re holding something back. I know you. But I’ll drop it for now. Just know that I’m all in, Aurora. There is no going back for us. You told me I was your oxygen. Guess what? You’re mine too.”

“I love you.” I lean in and press my lips to his.

Connor’s hands cup my cheeks. His tongue pushes into my mouth. I’m about to climb his body like a monkey when a throat clears behind us.

I drag myself away with a groan. “Seriously, Levi?” I growl.

“I don’t get how you’re still breathing, mate,” Levi says to Connor.

“Shut up.” I swear I want to wring his neck. “Actually, I need something, or a few somethings. And you’re going to get them for me.” I smile at him sweetly.

“What do you need, cupcake?” Levi asks, opening the fridge.

“Her name is Aurora, not fucking cupcake,” Connor tells him.

“Right, sorry, what do you need,Aurora?” Levi repeats dramatically.

“Knives, knuckle dusters, preferably pretty ones. I need a gun—no, make it two. Nothing too big. I need to be able to conceal them. I need a taser, and pretty much any other weapon you have in your arsenal.” I smile, then add, “Oh, and a cyanide pill.”

Levi closes the fridge, holding what looks like leftover pasta in his hand. “That’s quite a list, Little Valentino. What do you plan on doing with a cyanide pill?”

“My dad confiscated the one I had in Italy. I want to replace it.”

“That didn’t answer my question,” he says.

“I’m curious too. What are you planning on doing with a cyanide pill, princess?” Connor asks me.

“Poison someone, obviously,” I state, leaving out the fact that I’d use it on myself if I ever got caught by the people hunting me down.

“You okay with her having all that shit?” Levi looks to Connor.

“She’s a big girl. She can make up her own mind. Besides, I know she’s not using them on me.” Connor smirks.

“She didn’t tell youwhoshe’d poison, did she?” This comes from Lorenzo.

I grumble under my breath.Why does my brother always walk in at the worst moment?

11

“Who?” I ask Aurora, already knowing I’m not going to like the answer. She looks away from me and directs a lethal glare at her brother.

“It’ll be you if you don’t stay out of my business, Lorenzo,” she seethes.

“Cute.” He pats the top of her head and laughs. “Tell him, Aurora. Tell him what you said you were gonna do with the cyanide when the oldies found it on you in Italy.”