intrepidity

Aurora never liked crowded places. The noise, the people brushing past her, the feeling of being watched-it was all too much. But she didn't want to disappoint her brothers, especially after Elias had so sweetly convinced her to come out today.

So here she was, walking through the mall with Atlas, Antonio, and Roman.

"Are you sure you don't want anything else, bambina?" Roman asked, his tone calm and gentle as they passed by another store.

Aurora clutched her bag close and shook her head, a soft smile on her lips. "I'm okay," she mumbled.

Antonio huffed. "You say that now, but I bet the second we get home, you'll be wishing you got something else."

Atlas chuckled, ruffling her hair. "Don't worry, baby. We can always come back."

She smiled, leaning slightly into him for warmth. It was a nice moment. A normal moment. Until it wasn't.

The feeling of eyes on her made her stomach twist. Aurora stiffened slightly, fingers gripping the strap of her bag. She tried to ignore it, but the discomfort only grew.

Someone was watching her.

Atlas immediately noticed the shift. "What's wrong, Rory?"

Aurora hesitated, biting her lip. "Nothing," she whispered.

Roman narrowed his eyes. "You sure?"

She nodded, but Antonio didn't buy it. He followed her gaze, and when he found the source of her unease, his entire demeanor shifted. His jaw clenched, and his eyes darkened.

"Who the hell is that?" he muttered under his breath.

Atlas followed his line of sight and felt his stomach drop. There, sitting on a bench near the food court, was a man-staring. His gaze never wavered from Aurora; eyes filled with something that made Atlas' blood run cold.

Roman exhaled slowly, forcing himself to stay calm. "Atlas, take her to the car."

Atlas didn't hesitate. He wrapped an arm around Aurora's shoulders, steering her away. "Come on, love. Let's get you home."

Aurora didn't argue, but she kept glancing back, confused and anxious. "What's happening?"

"Nothing you need to worry about, baby. Just stay with me, okay?"

Roman pulled out his phone and sent a single text.

Aiden.

That was all it took.

Aiden arrived in record time, Elias and Marcus at his sides. His presence was suffocating. He didn't need to yell. He didn't need to bark orders. The sheer weight of his cold, unreadable stare was enough to make even the most hardened men hesitate.

"Where?" Aiden asked, voice low and controlled.

Roman nodded toward the man, who was still sitting there, oblivious to the hell about to rain down on him.

"That's him?" Aiden's tone was eerily calm.

"Yeah," Antonio confirmed, cracking his knuckles.

Aiden sighed, adjusting his cuffs. "You'd think people would learn not to stare at what's mine."

With a simple nod from Aiden, his men-who had been lingering in the background-moved. Two of them flanked the man before he even realized he was being watched.

"What the-"

"Come with us," one of them said.

The man stiffened, his eyes darting around. He tried to stand, but a heavy hand on his shoulder forced him back down.