Page 77 of Brutal Queen

That seems to satisfy Katerina. She’s about to take her leave when her pager erupts in a flurry of loud beeps and I hear her muttering under her breath. “About fucking time, stubborn asshole.” She doesn’t say anything more, just turns on her heel and storms out of the room and down the corridor.

I poke my head out after her and chuckle at her balled up fists and the way her surgical coat flaps behind her as she marches off in search of who I assume is Stefano Tiero. Popping back into the room, Enzo has sunk down on the cot in the corner. Rubbing his face, he reaches for Aurora’s hand andpulls her down with him, spooning her in front of him and propping both their heads up with a disappointedly flat pillow.

I open the adjoining room and get another one for them. “Sleep. I’ll wake you in a few hours.” Aurora is nodding while yawning, and they’re asleep in minutes.

I grab a chair for Nico, and he shuffles it to one side of the bed. He practically folds in on himself in a heap, crossing his arms on the mattress, and lays his chin on top of them as he stares at a restful Benny. It must be killing him not being able to wrap him up in his arms. I’ve seen firsthand the way he tangles himself around Benedict at night.

“He’s going to be fine,” I say softly, as I pull up a chair on the other side.

“I know. I just can’t stand seeing him like this. Any of us like this, really.” I nod along, letting his words take him wherever they lead him. Nico doesn’t often open up to me and the last thing I want to do is interrupt his flow. “I felt the same when we found Enzo. I’d never been so scared. I know that he’ll be okay, but that doesn’t make it any easier seeing someone you love in pain. And I swear I’m going to tan his hide raw for pulling that cauterising shit in the field. Here’s hoping you won’t have to pull me off him again when I administer that punishment,” he adds with a little smirk.

“We may need to dominate someone else as a safety precaution because I’m just as likely to lose my shit over that. I love the guy, but who the fuck does he think he is, pulling that type of action hero bullshit?” I bite out.

Nico quirks his head to the side, his expression softening. My choice of words not lost on him. He chooses to ignore them, simply saying, “He thinks he’s twenty-three and immortal.”

“You’re only twenty-four. I don’t think you get to play the age card as an excuse.”

“Perhaps, but I’m an old soul,” he says with a smile I don’t often have the privilege of seeing. It’s soft and light-hearted and usually reserved only for Benny and Aurora.

“Perhaps,” I mumble, feeling my cheeks heat. “Anyway, you sleep. I’ll keep watch until I can sort a security detail out. I’ve got him for the time being.” I’m already flipping through my contacts calling in the people I want on rotation when he responds in between yawns.

“Only because it’s you.” I look up from my screen to see he’s laid his head down flat and has already lost the battle with his eyelids.

He’s dead to the world.

As I glance around the room at my family, it’s not lost on me how lucky we are. I don’t mean tonight. Tonight wasn’t luck. It was carefully researched, expertly planned, and executed with precision. But, I mean how lucky Enzo, Nico, Benny, and I are to have not only found Aurora, but that she’s brought us closer than I ever thought possible.

We were always a team. But now we’re so much more. For a time I thought it was a case of her being ours, and us being hers, but it’s so much more than that and as I let out a deep breath, I realise something.

They’re all mine. Each in different ways.

There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to protect them.

To keep them.

To love them.

That thought plays on my mind for hours, bringing me solace and comfort. When the security detail arrives, I mirror Nico and fold my arms at Benny’s side, loathed to pull myself away from him. I rest my head on them and drift off to sleep.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

AURORA

TWO WEEKS LATER…

It’s still early—first cup of coffee early. Not my favourite part of the day unless I’m in bed, naked and waking up wrapped in the arms of the men I love. I snuck out of Sinclair’s bed early to take this meeting with Stefano. I’m trying to free up the rest of the day to spend with Benny. He’s struggling with the recuperation part of his recovery and at this rate, we’re going to have to chain him to the sofa just to get him to stay still for more than five minutes.

“So, what’s the update on the girls?” I say, folding my legs underneath me in my desk chair and gripping my coffee mug with two hands, savouring my first sip of caffeinated heaven.

Stefano is taking advantage of the sofa I’ve added to my office and reclined on one end, arm outstretched along the back cushions. He looks more relaxed thanI’ve ever seen him. He’s recovered well, his bruises mostly faded now to a mottling of yellow and green hues.

He’s not in a suit and it’s throwing me because smart casual looks alien on him. I’ve known him my whole life, and I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen him wear anything other than black or charcoal grey dress pants. But jeans? Who is this man and what the fuck has he done to Stefano?

“Vittoria has that in hand. She’s been able to return some girls to their families, but not all of the ones we found were sourced by the frat boys. Many were runaways or trafficked from out of state, so we still have a fair few being housed across the safe houses.”

“What was the final amount Dante was able to syphon from The Knights’ accounts?” I ask.

“Close to one and a half million,” he says, canting his head from side to side.

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