Nicholas Russo had been shocked when he heard the gossip about Dimitri bringing a wife to the party. He was not there when they made their grand entrance, so he had to tail them for a while to snoop and see what she really looked like.

He thought he would never get the chance to get her alone to himself, but he knew his chance had come up when she went to the restroom. He was going to corner her when she got out, but he was sidetracked by somebody he knew, missing the opportunity. Then, it seemed that fate was in his corner because he got another chance when she decided to have a snack on the patio.

She was pretty but what interested him when he was observing her earlier was that she didn't shy away from pointed questions that the catty women threw her way and now she was proving herself to him once again. Her personality was as strong as Dimitri's.

It intrigued him to know more about her because she did not cower in fear of him even though he saw the slight shudder she made when he ordered her to sit down, instead, she took him head-on, equally as curious to know who he was.

"Are names really that important?" He said trying to get a rise out of her, but he knew his chance was up when he saw her rise. It seems like Dimitri had come looking for her after all.

"What are you doing out here?" Dimitri barked as he pulled her waist toward him.

"I had some snacks and needed some fresh air," she stated.

"Why are you here?" He said as he addressed Nicholas.

"You know him? He wouldn't tell me his name," she said.

Nicholas grinned, "Of course he knows me, we're friends."

Dimitri glared at him, "We're not, and you should stay away from my wife." He had been frantic when he checked the women's restroom, and Aurora wasn't there. He had been searching for her, afraid that someone had done her harm.

He knew that Nicholas was not to be trusted and was thinking of the worst possible outcome when Aurora disappeared. He had dispatched his men to look for her before he found her outside with none other than his nemesis.

Nicholas saw that Dimitri was very shaken by his presence. There was something in his eyes that he had never seen before, was that fear? He laughed, Dimitri never feared anything in his life, and yet here was this woman who had the capability to turn his world upside down, and she didn't even know it.

"Dimitri," Aurora whispered, he was holding her too close to his chest that she wasn't able to move. He immediately loosened his hold and held back his scowl, so as not to scare her.

Nicholas did not miss this exchange, and he just stood there, stunned. It was like Aurora had turned the faucet off, and Dimitri's anger dissipated, just like that.

Dimitri dragged Aurora away from Nicholas. He needed to surround them with people before Nicholas could think of doing her harm. And she just went with him quietly, she did not want to embarrass her husband in front of all these people by asking all her unanswered questions.

Nicholas smiled, he had found the one thing they could use to bring the Santoris family down. One could clearly see that Aurora is Dimitri's weakness, his Achilles heel to be exact. His mistake was to bring her to his world and expose her to everyone.

Dimitri was unaware that he had been holding onto her waist very tightly, practically carrying her out of there, and that without holding onto him as tight she would have tripped several times.

When she knew they were in the clear, she called out to him. "Dimitri," she whimpered softly.

"What?" he snapped at her.

"You can let go of me now," she said, and he did as soon as he saw how pale she was.

"Dimitri, who was that man?" she asked.

"Sweetheart, his name's Nicholas Russo, and I want you to stay away from him," he said as he hugged her, scanning the crowd, making sure Nicholas was nowhere in sight. He should never know how scared he was if something happened to Aurora. He would go crazy if he loses her, he knows that Nicholas has never played so far, and he will use Aurora to bring him down.

His warning held a lot of meaning, but he did not want to explain any further, but she still agreed. She will try to get to the bottom of it later. Dimitri had always been honest with her, and she knows that he would explain himself sooner or later.

"I understand. I didn't feel good about him either," she said, hugging him back. He calmed down as he breathed in her scent

-=-

Gabriel visited one of his favorite jaunts. There were certain bars and nightclubs that he frequented, and this was one of them.

Skimpily clad girls were gyrating their bodies on the poles, at the dance floor, and around their guests.

He had been eyeing one of the girls so he could get laid tonight, when he got distracted by someone else that crossed by his periphery, blinking twice, he was sure that he knew who she was.

It was Violet, that girl from the hospital, and she was talking to one of the customers.

She looked very innocent when he saw her weeping for whoever it was that was worth her tears. Her likes would never come here, but then again there she was, a few feet away from him laughing at one of them.

He chuckled, she was probably just acting to be pure and innocent, and he was a fool to think that she was anything but.

Women show their true colors once money is waved in their face, and Violet was just one of them, just like her. He shook his head to erase memories of her.

Gabriel sauntered towards her, and Violet smiled, recognizing her savior. Gabriel was wearing a scowl on his face, "It seems like you're enjoying yourself."

"I'm okay, I guess," she said, not understanding his remark.

"That man can't satisfy you," Gabriel taunted, "I can."

She frowned, "What are you saying?"

"Oh come on, don't play innocent. Is he your fuck buddy? Are you satisfied with just one partner, or do you need more than one?" He was trying to be as vulgar as possible so he could hurt her.