Chapter 41

Declan

My heart beats hard in my chest.

Jasper knocks on her door, and we all wait.

This is the moment of reckoning—either Aurora will choose me, or I will have lost her forever.

Fuck. How did I get into this mess?

Thoughts and questions run through my mind, but I’m mostly intent on just seeing her.

She opens the door, and the sight of Aurora makes me feel fucking insane. I want her. I need her.

And yet I might lose her.

It’s good to see her, but at the same time, I see the distress on her face. She doesn’t want me or my brothers to see that she’s hurting right now. The door is opened just enough for her to see us—but something’s going on inside that apartment, and I’m going to find out what.

“Hi, guys,” she says as she wipes away the tears as quickly and as nonchalantly as she can. “What…what are you doing here? All of you?” she asks confused.

“Aurora, what’s wrong?” I say, disregarding her own questions.

Forget why we we’re here. We have a new purpose to serve.

“Nothing. Don’t worry about me,” she says stepping in front of the door and trying to close it slowly.

She’s going through a lot of effort to hide whatever the fuck is going on in there. While her body is an incredible distraction, it’s not enough to make me ignore her reluctance and tears. Clearly, she doesn’t want us to know what’s happening inside that apartment.

It’s funny how, for this one moment, the competition between my brothers and I cease to exist. Our anger at each other has flown out the window at the sight of Aurora’s tear-stained face.

“Step aside, Aurora,” I command.

She stares at me for a second before she hesitantly takes a step away from the door. I shove it open, and we see a man slumped on the floor.

“Who is this guy?” I ask, demandingly.

“This is Anders,” she explains. “He’s my brother.”

I get a good look at Anders. He’s an absolute mess of a man. His clothes are disheveled, his eyes sullen, and he probably hasn’t shaved in days.

“That guy. He’s your brother?” I ask.

I just can’t imagine Aurora—being who she is—living with someone so pulled apart. It’s clear to see that he’s strung out on something. Something heavy.

“Yes. Anders and I were just discussing our…financial options,” she says, trying to sweep the topic under the rug.

“Financial options?” Finn chimes in. “We each own businesses. You’re well aware. Let’s hear what you’ve got going on. Surely, we can lead you in a good direction.”

“I’m actually pretty sure we’re decided, guys. But thank you,” she answers.

“Aurora, we’re worried. Please stop avoiding talking to us. Let us help you,” I say.

I can tell she needs us. She just has to say it out loud.

Tears well up in her eyes, and it breaks my heart. She immediately starts to cry, losing all composure.

“Okay, fine. Let’s just tell them, Anders. They might be able to help,” she says to the drugged-out mess on the floor. “Our entire fortune is gone. Every fucking dollar. The earnings from the auction, the investments in our company, everything is just gone,” she says, now staring directly at Anders.

“Three billion dollars—all gone?” Jasper asks to clarify. He looks around the home. “How did it all get spent? I don’t see any big expenditures here.”

“Anders. He spent it all. I don’t even know exact amounts or what he bought, or what he fucking owed people to drain it all, but it happened,” she admits.

“Aurora —” Anders starts.

“Fucking don’t,” I interrupt. “You have no fucking room to talk here, so just don’t.”

My blood is boiling in my veins. What in the hell would make him think he had any right to embezzle her prize money and their company’s earnings? Especially to piss it all away on drugs and gambling or whatever else he’s gotten himself into.

I can tell that my face is beet red. Veins are popping as I feel myself rage. I look to my brothers and see the same.

Poor Aurora.

One thing we can seem to agree on is our care and concern for her. Right now, we don’t matter to one another. She’s the only thing that matters.

“Well, how much do you need?” Finn asks. “I’ll happily get your payroll corrected, and I can help you set up some security on your accounts, so he can’t take from you ever again,” he offers, glaring at Anders.

“Finn, it’s not that simple. You don’t understand. Anders has gotten himself into a lot of trouble, but he’s my brother. We’re all we have left of our family, and I will not give up on him. He needs me,” Aurora explains.

“And besides, that only solves half the problem,” Anders chimes in. “I fucked up. I fucked up a lot.”

“He arranged an agreement with a loan shark,” Aurora interjects, sighing.

“Okay, so how much do you need for that?” Jasper pipes up.

“Nothing. He would pay Anders in…exchange for a night with me,” Aurora reveals.

Her cheeks are rosy and hot. I’m still a foot away, and I can feel them radiating myself.

No wonder she’s so fucking upset! Her fucking drugged-out brother literally just pimped her out to get himself out of a bad spot.

I’ve never been angrier in my entire life. How can she find worth in such a hopeless person? He’s fucking used her all this time for her money and now he’s selling her body? It’s all I can do not to bash his skull in.

Looking to my brothers, I see they’re even in less control. Jasper’s getting ready for a showdown, and I think he might actually kill the guy. He’s cracking the knuckles on each of his fists and starts walking toward Anders.

“No!” shouts Aurora. “Please don’t do this! I swear I won’t forgive you if you make Anders worse off than he already is. He needs help. And he told me today he’s ready to take it. I can’t have you punish him when he’s come so far today alone,” she cries.

“If that’s what you wish, Aurora, we won’t harm him,” I say. I turn to Anders. “But make no mistake, if you fuck up like this ever again, we will not show such restraint.”

He stares at me, shaking and confused. He’s so fucking doped up that he probably doesn’t even really know what’s going on.

This guy is making me sick to my stomach. And how Aurora has such faith in him is beyond me. I have to commend her for being so strong-willed—and loyal.

“Alright. Great. So we need a plan,” says Finn. “We can’t let that loan shark just have her.”

“Right,” I reply, formulating a strategy in my head.

It’s hard to think with so much bullshit going on around us.

Aurora’s damn brother is curled up in a fetal position on the floor, crying and apologizing. He’s scared and intimidated by the three of us, and he’s being a hysterical mess. If I wasn’t certain he was high on something before, I’m damn sure now.

“We can take her to the beach house,” Jasper says.

“Perfect,” I respond. “That’ll buy us some time to figure out who this guy is and get it taken care of.”

“He was another bidder at the auction,” Aurora reveals. “He’s the gross one that was buying all the girls. I barely escaped his grasp then, and now he’s got me.”

I pull her into my side and whisper, “No, baby, it’s gonna be okay. We would never let him have you. Do you trust me?”

She nods her head yes, and I’m relieved to know that at least with me, she can feel safe.

I embrace her and kiss her forehead. Her body pressed against mine reminds me of our time together, and I feel a rush of emotion towards her. I would do anything to make sure she’s safe and happy.

“The beach house is about an hour from here. I just need to call and arrange a limo. Pack what you must, but know that if there’s anything you need, we’re happy to purchase it,” I say to her.

She looks at the three of us as her saviors. She’s practically glowing.

We’re her superheroes. After all, we do have the masks.