CHAPTER 17 - Aurora - The Dinner

Song to listen to when reading :

Earned it - The Weeknd

"Ahh". I groan waking up with a pounding headache, what was I  thinking when I drank that much, I have never drank that much ever.

My eyes widen as I begin to remember last night. Leo wanting to kiss me, me wanting him to kiss me, him undressing me and him going hard against me.

Shit.

I have to go to dinner with him this evening and knowing what he's like when we do anything remotely such  as talking.. Or even flirting, he always acts like nothing happend and wears that infuriating smirk on his face.

I lay back and hit my pillow with a soft thud, I close my eyes and glide my fingers through my hair. "Fuck" I whisper to myself as I realize how much I fucked up last night.But I was drunk.. So I can't be that mad at myself, I was wasted, I wasn't in my right mind.

I groan at myself mentally as I reach over to get my phone from my nightstand. The time is 12:42. Okay I should still have a while to get ready.

I get up from my bed which was a real  struggle and head to my bathroom. I look at myself in the mirror and I see the visable bags under my eyes, my hair looks like I haven't brushed in a decade and I look like I woke up from the dead.. Great.

My mind goes back to last night and I remember Leo took my makeup off. A smile appears on my face as I look at myself in the mirror.

I shake away the thoughts from last night and get my towels from my basket and get undressed and get into the shower. After a while I decide to get out because I need to find out about  tonight and me and Leo might have to pretend date for the day in preparation for tonight.

I'm certainly not looking forward to having dinner with Damon and his son, or whoever the hell he is,  but I remind myself it's for Dad and this mafia. I will do whatever it takes to protect my family.

When I get changed into the first outfit I see, I make my way downstairs to the kitchen. Mom,dad and the others must be in the office because no one was in the kitchen except for our maid Audrey.

Audrey has been here for years, she's like family. She was mom's maid when dad took mom to fake marry him but now Audrey just does whatever. We have other maids but I never really see them.

"Good morning Audrey". I say going to one of the presses in the kitchen.

"Good morning Aurora, how are you today?" Audrey asks.

"I'm good thanks, I have a dinner with Leo tonight with Damon and his son."

I say as I make myself some coffee.

"Oh yeah, Victoria was saying that to me earlier." She says.

"Do you know where everyone is? It's never usually this quiet especially when the whole family is here". I ask before taking a sip of my coffee.

"Everyone's in your father's office, except for Raquel and Sofia, there still sleeping I believe."Audrey says smiling at the end of the sentance.

I nod "Thank you Audrey, yeah we had a late one last night and maybe a bit too much to drink."I say chuckling at the end. I tell her about last night, obviously not the Leo part, for a few minutes before leaving to go to the office.

When I get there everyone Is talking, from what I can see Dad is stressed and angry at the same time, mom looks nervous, Chiara is stressed and scared, Luca looks angry, Elijah looks excited and so does Felix, Nik looked angry and was ready to get down to Buissness and Leo, he was sitting on the couch with his head leaning down against his hands so I couldn't see his face, but he seems distracted. I looked at him for the next second before everyone noticed me.

"Good morning sweetheart". Mom said coming over and hugging me tightly. Leo was now looking towards me. We make eye contact for a second before Dad comes over.

"I'm sure Leo told you about this evening". Dad assured with his hands in his suit pockets.

"Yeah he did, we're having dinner with Damon and his son."I said.

"Okay good, the dinner is at 5:00 and it's going to be held at one of Damon's hotels, Damon called and there is a change of plans, you and Leo will be staying the night at the hotel,but if your not comfortable with it I can cancel, I want you to know you have the choice in this not us."

"Thanks dad, but it will be fine, one of us can sleep on the couch for the night." I say.

"Okay that's fine, thanks love" Dad said relieved.

"Okay you guys need to get ready soon because its a long drive to thr hotel." Elijah says looking between me and Leo. We both reply with a nod and leave the room. I turn around to Leo who is following me. I get up thr courage and turn around to face him.

"Thank you Leo for helping me last night I was pretty wasted." I say grateful for whay he did.

"It's fine Aurora". Leo says not able to look me in the eyes all of a sudden. I smile before turning around and going towards the stairs.

"Aurora". Leo says which makes me freeze.

"Yeah?" I say as I turn around slowly waiting for what he's going to say.

"Do you remember anything else from last night?"

I think back to last night when he wanted to kiss me and I wanted him to, I thought for a second about saying "Yes" and telling him that I remember everything but I go against it and instead I say the words that I regretted the second it came out of my mouth.

"Umm no I don't, why what happened?" I say lying. Leo looks into my eyes for the next few seconds to see if I'm lying. He looks away before figuring it out.

"Nothing happend Aurora, accept you almost falling on your face". Leo says chuckling at the end trying to cool it off.

"Really?"I say laughing even though I remember it very vividly. I remember him catching me and holding me tight and our faces being inches apart.

"Yeah". Leo chuckled. "We should get ready we have to leave soon". He says staring at me intensely.

"Yeah". I whisper still staring at him.

"Okay" He says walking up the rest of the stairs and into his room. I let out I breath I didn't realise I was holding. I head towards my room and close the door. I put on some music to distract myself. I do my makeup and get ready.

When I'm ready I make my way downstairs, and Sofia and Raquel are in the kitchen with Mom and Dad. "Hey girls". I say going up to hug them.

"Oh my god Aurora you look.. Gorgeous." Sofia says eyes widened in shock.

"Yeah you do". Raquel agrees.

"Yeah you look amazing sweetheart". Mom says smiling.

"Thanks mom". Dad compliments my outfit aswell, for the next few minutes we talk about tonight and what should be expected, me and Leo know everything so I'm not too worried. A few minutes later Leo comes down the stairs in a black dress suit. I gulp in response and stare at him. Leo notices me and he stares at my dress. His eyes land on my cleavage and then up to my eyes then back down and then he looks away when dad speaks.

"Are you guys ready to go?"Dad asks looking between me and Leo.

Leo and I look at each other before turning to Dad." Yeah". We both said in unison.

"Okay Massimo and and a few other guards are going with you so you'll be safe." Dad said getting up from the chair.

"Okay thats good". Leo says.

"We'll see you guys tomorrow". Mom says hugging both Leo and me.

"See you tomorrow, love you guys."I say hugging her and dad.

"Love you too". They both say. Luca and Chiara came to say goodbye to Leo and me, and so did Nik. A few minutes later we had said our goodbyes to everyone and Leo and I left.

"It's going to be fine Aurora, I'll always protect you". Leo says in the car beside me on the way to the hotel.

"I know Leo". I say with a small smile "Thank you."Leo smiles and puts his hand on mine.