Chapter 21 (Enzo)

I wake up feeling groggy, the sunlight filtering through the partially open window. The sounds of the already-bustling city drift in from outside. Glancing at the clock, I realize it's after 10 AM - much later than I usually sleep. A small smile tugs at my lips as memories of last night with Aura flood back.

My mind drifts to a conversation I had years ago with Tommaso, an old timer in the Family. We were sitting at a dingy bar, knocking back drinks, when he fixed me with a serious look.

"What's your vice, kid?" he asked gruffly.

I shrugged, not really understanding. "Don't have one, I guess."

Tommaso shook his head. "Everyone's got a vice. Something that can consume them if they're not careful. Booze, gambling, women - pick your poison. The dangerous ones are the guys who don't know their own weakness. They're the ones who self-destruct."

At the time, I was only 20 years old and too arrogant to really hear what he was saying. I figured only weak men couldn't handle their vices. I was above all that.

But over the years, I started to see the truth in Tommaso's words. I watched plenty of guys fall victim to their vices - whether it was hitting the bottle too hard, losing everything at the poker tables, or letting their need for violence spiral out of control.

The thing is, I still don't know what my own vice might be. Sure, I enjoy women, but I don't chase after them obsessively like some guys. I can take or leave alcohol - it's never been a problem for me the way it is for some in my family. But Tommaso was right that every man has his weakness. I've seen it play out time and time again during collections for the Family. Guys with gambling addictions, weird fetishes, all kinds of shit that ends up destroying their lives.

Not being able to pinpoint my own vice scares me sometimes. I've thought about Tommaso's advice a lot over the years. Could Aura be my weakness? She's gorgeous, and the physical connection between us is intense. But dismissing that idea as ridiculous is exactly the kind of thing guys do right before their vice takes them down. I need to stay alert.

A soft rustling beside me pulls me from my thoughts. Aura rolls over, blinking sleepily.

"Morning," I say with a smile.

"Morning," she mumbles, suddenly looking worried. "Oh god, did I fall asleep here? Should I have been locked back up?"

"It's fine," I assure her. "Why don't you grab a shower?"

She smiles, nodding. "That sounds amazing."

"I'll join you in a bit," I tell her as she gets out of bed. I can't help but admire the lines of her body as she stretches, giving me a tantalizing glimpse before heading to the bathroom.

I hear the bathroom door open and shut, followed by the sound of running water. Rolling to my side, I reach for my phone but find the battery is dead. Cursing under my breath, I plug it in and wait for it to power on, trying not to let my mind wander to thoughts of Aura's wet, soapy body.

When the phone finally comes to life, it buzzes with missed calls and messages. Scrolling through, I see texts from Ettore:

11 PM: "Boss wants me to check on the girl. I'll be over in the morning."

3 AM: "Actually, probably be over like ten or some shit. I'm fucked up man."

"Shit!" I mutter, jumping out of bed and rushing down the hall. I throw open the bathroom door, startling Aura.

"Couldn't wait to see me again?" she teases.

"Get out. Now," I say urgently.

Her smile fades. "What's wrong?"

"Ettore's on his way over. The guy from yesterday."

"But my hair's wet," she protests. "Can't you stall him?"

I shake my head. "No time. Come on."

Aura shuts off the water and hops out. I wrap a towel around her as she hurriedly dries off. Rushing to the bedroom, I grab her old clothes and bring them back.

"You need to put these on," I explain. "We have to keep up the act that I'm mistreating you."

She nods, frowning. "My hair won't dry without a blow dryer though."

"I know, I'm sorry. We'll have to make do."

I turn my back as she dresses, wondering why I'm even bothering with modesty at this point. Checking my phone again, I see it's 10:10. Knowing Ettore, he'll be here any minute, drunk or not.

Once Aura's dressed, I take her to the bedroom. She positions herself against the wall on the mattress.

"What if he notices my wet hair?" she asks worriedly.

"We'll say..." I pause, thinking. "I hosed you down to wake you up."

Aura shakes her head. "That won't work. Nothing else is wet. What if we say you let me shower because I smelled too bad to have sex with?"

I wince, hating this conversation, but nod reluctantly. "That could work. We'll go with that if he asks."

My insides knot at the thought of presenting myself as Aura's rapist. I hate this whole fucked up situation. I never wanted her back in this room, but I have no choice. Ettore and Giacomo are bound to demand custody of her eventually. I know Giacomo doesn't fully trust me, which is why he sent Ettore to check up on things.

A familiar rage builds inside me as I think about Giacomo. I want nothing more than to put a bullet between his eyes. The intensity of my hatred is almost painful to hold onto. Ettore may be a sick fuck, but he's just a soldier following orders. Giacomo is the real monster - smart enough to know exactly how depraved his actions are, and doing them anyway.

I crouch in front of Aura, needing her to understand my sincerity. "It's going to be okay. I'll handle the talking, alright?"

She nods. "I doubt he'll be interested in hearing me talk anyway."

My fists clench at the implication. "I won't let him touch you," I growl.

"How can you stop him without blowing our cover?" Aura asks. "Maybe we should just let him do whatever he wants. It would help sell the act so we can get out of here eventually."

White hot fury courses through me. I grab her chin, forcing her to meet my eyes. "Listen to me. I would kill him and every motherfucker in this city before I let anyone hurt you. Do you understand?"

Aura's eyes widen. She nods slowly.

"You're mine," I continue fiercely. "No one touches you without your consent. Ever."

"Okay," she whispers, conviction in her voice.

There's a knock at the door. "Pretend you hate me but have to obey," I instruct quickly. "For the act."

Aura winks, showing she understands. I try to smile, but inside I'm seething with rage and self-loathing. How did we end up here? A few days ago, Aura was terrified of me. Now she's offering to endure rape to maintain our cover. The depth of my feelings for her is overwhelming, matched only by how much I hate myself for putting her in this position.

Taking a deep breath to compose myself, I open the front door. Ettore stands there looking hungover and exhausted. It takes every ounce of self-control not to slam his head into the doorframe.

"Coffee," Ettore grunts, stumbling inside.

I go to the kitchen to start a pot, setting aside some for Aura while Ettore slumps at the table. When it's done brewing, I pour two mugs and sit across from him.

"So why'd Giacomo send you?" I ask, getting straight to the point.

Ettore shrugs. "Just checking on the girl. Making sure she's still alive and shit."

I nod, keeping my expression neutral even as anger churns inside me. "That all?"

"Well," Ettore leers, "I was hoping to see if you'd tried her out yet."

My fists clench under the table. I force myself to unclench them, fighting the urge to throw the scalding coffee in his face.

"We're getting there," I say evenly.

Ettore's eyebrows shoot up. "Seriously? If I had a hot piece like that locked up, I'd be hitting it every night."

"Giacomo wants her compliant and willing," I remind him, barely containing my fury. "Not broken."

Ettore shrugs, clearly not seeing the distinction. He stands up. "Let's go see her then."

My heart races as I lead him down the hall. I notice his usual sharp awareness seems dulled by his hangover. We stop at Aura's door and Ettore peers through the eyehole.

"Damn, she is fine," he mutters.

I tense, ready to wrap my hands around his throat if he tries anything.

"Careful," I warn. "She's mine."

Ettore snorts. "What, you gone soft? She's just a piece of ass Giacomo gave you."

I take a deep breath, acutely aware that Aura can hear every word. "I've put in a lot of work. I'm not gonna let you undo it all because you're horny."

"Fuck that," Ettore sneers, reaching for the door. "I need some relief."

I step forward, prepared to kill him if necessary. But then I see Aura through the eyehole. Her expression is calm, and she gives a slight shake of her head. She wants me to let this happen to maintain our cover.

But I can't. I won't.

Just as Ettore's about to open the door, his phone rings. He answers with a grunt.

"Yeah, I'm with Enzo now," he says. "Girl seems fine. Not all beat up or nothing."

He listens for a moment, then holds the phone out to me. "Boss wants to talk to you."

I take it, trying to keep my voice steady. "Hello?"

"How are things progressing?" Giacomo asks without preamble.

"I'm working on her," I reply vaguely.

"Is she compliant yet?"

"Almost there. Your boy here was about to mess up my hard work though."

There's a pause. "What kind of work?"

I glance at Aura's door. "Can't really get into details. We're right outside her room."

"Ah. Go somewhere private and put me on speaker."

I gesture for Ettore to follow me back to the kitchen. Once there, I set the phone on the table and hit the speaker button.

"Go ahead," I say.

"Tell me about your progress," Giacomo instructs.

I choose my words carefully. "I'm breaking her down while simultaneously gaining her trust. It's a delicate process. Slow, but effective. You did give me three weeks, remember."

"I remember," Giacomo confirms. "Ettore, you're to return immediately after this call. And keep your hands to yourself, understood? Enzo's right - we can't risk undoing his work."

"Yes sir," Ettore mutters sullenly.

"Good. Now, I have a job for you two..."

Giacomo outlines the details of an upcoming heist. I listen attentively, pushing thoughts of Aura aside for the moment. When he's finished, Giacomo instructs us to meet at the usual spot in an hour to go over specifics with the rest of the crew.

"Got it," I confirm. "We'll be there."

Giacomo ends the call. Ettore smirks at me.

"Guess the little bitch got lucky today," he remarks. "Next time though..."

"There won't be a next time," I snap. "Now get the fuck out. I need to tie her up before we leave."

Ettore holds up his hands. "Alright, alright. Damn, you're moody today. Sure you're up for this job?"

"I said get out," I repeat through gritted teeth.

He leaves with a final grin and a "See ya soon, partner."