Aurora's Point Of View

"I hear you are applying to university. What major will you be choosing?" Elise said as she laid out her towel on the grass.

She was elegantly clad in a simple, white halter-neck swimsuit, her wild ginger curls in a bun. I laid my fluffy white towel next to Elise's so we could wrap themselves in warmth after their swim, clad in a cheeky little blue bikini.

"Animal studies, I hope, or something in Veterinarianism, if it's possible. How did you hear I was applying?"

"When I put Nate's laundry in his room, he was researching it, probably per Arlan's request. We have small talk, sometimes, so he mentioned it to me."

I frowned. Nate didn't like me, why did he like her?

But I decided not to focus on him, because I was going to have a fantastic day with Elise outside. I shrugged the thought of him off, shivering slightly. It must have been in the low 50's and I definitely had goosebumps, but nonetheless I wanted to swim.

"Are you cold?" I inquired.

Elise shrugged. "I'm sure once we get in it'll warm us up. Come on," She extended her hand. I grinned, placing mine in hers and she led me to the dock.

Our bare feet pad against the wood as I take in my surroundings, peering all around me. Divine Autumnal foliage panned around the perimeter of the forest, beautiful like a watercolor painting. The creek was burbling and babbling, with lovely little lilypads scattered. The occasional bird whistled a tune. I greedily breathed in the refreshing Autumn air. As we reached the edge, she smirked at me and undid her bun, orange curls falling down her back.

"Are you a slide or jump kind of girl?"

I was a bit taken aback at the daring, exciting nature of her grin. Elise was usually timid, robotic. It made me think she used to be like this before she was kidnapped, and suddenly I ached for the fact that she lost who she used to be.

"Um.." I laughed. "What?"

"You know, do you slide into a pool or jump?" She wiggled her eyebrows. I shrugged sheepishly, giggling nervously under my breath.

"Well, decide!"

With that, she leaped off the dock and screeched giddily, before splashing into the water. I braced my arms in front of my face and laughed heartily, cold water droplets from her splash hitting my skin. When I dropped my arms, Elise emerged from the sparkling water, her wet hair sleek behind her shoulders. She splashed the water up repeatedly her hands and squealed.

Biting my lip, my feet padded backwards to give me a head start before I sprinted forward, plugged my nose and launching off the dock. Feeling the free fall, I squealed with a rush of adrenaline before breaking through the water, shutting my eyes. For a few moments, it was fully silent, so calming to be enveloped in the water. When I swam to the surface and breathed in air, I shook my wet hair from my eyes, moving my arms to keep me afloat.

"That was INCREDIBLE!" I exclaimed, Elise chuckling joyfully.

With the adrenaline I felt, I definitely didn't mind the icy, coldness of the salt water. She free-style stroked and I followed, moving through the lily pads that came in my way.

"Did you play mermaids as a kid?" Elise asked, lightly kicking her feet.

I chortled. "Not really...I told you, I never swam that much. I mean, I know this is California, but I never lived near the beaches. Did you?"

"I would force my brother to do it with me," She giggled.

"Seriously?!" I laughed profusely. "Would he?"

"Uh-huh!" She confirmed. "I was the mermaid princess and he was the ugly mermaid prince, I would make him bring me shells to the water that were "gems" but I would stick my nose up and go 'Not good enough, squire'! And he was all like, 'ughhhh, why did mom have a girrlll'," She groaned in a fake-dude voice that had me rolling in laughter.

"That's amazing. Were you ever in high school or anything?"

"Yeah, an all girls private school, and I did ballet, so I had some friends there," She gracefully moved her arm upwards like a ballerina and then downwards, softly brushing it under the water as the sun sparkled in the water under her fingertips. I was in awe, a bit jealous of someone so effortlessly coordinated and confident. I had never joined activities or made friends like that...I wish I had, now.

"I never liked high school," I sighed, swishing my hair softly in the water. "Everyone trying to be something they're not...no one accepting you for who you really are. Feeling like you have to make yourself what other people want you to be. It's like, who are other people to determine who I'm supposed to be? I don't even know who I'm supposed to be. But instead, it's almost like I refused to make anything of myself, I was nothing, so it would be easier. Easier because no one would notice me, so no one would ask me questions. I wouldn't have to talk or introduce myself or make an identity for myself, and if I have no identity, I have nothing for people to judge me off of. It was easier to merely float around."

"That's a shame, Aurora," Elise looked at me. "Because you shouldn't water yourself down like that," She leaned up now, swimming to my side. She gently touched my shoulder.

"You shouldn't conceal yourself, you shouldn't hide," She gave me a soft, sincere smile.

"I hope you go to college and find who you are. I hope you find who you are and you never hide it. Because I know deep down, you know who you are, Aurora. You're all the thoughts in your head, you're what makes you laugh, you're what you're passionate about...you're what makes your head turn with intrigue, what puzzles you, what brings you joy. You know who you are, Aurora, even if you think you don't. And she's wonderful."

My eyes uneasily fell from hers as I felt a little emotional at her words. For so long, I felt quite directionless and didn't know who I was. But with Elise's encouragement, maybe I should stand up for myself and figure out who that was. Maybe I was worth more.

"Obviously, Arlan likes who you are."

I sighed dejectedly, looking up to the clouds.

"I don't know why he's so fascinated with me, why he kidnaped me...I don't know why he cares so much, or at least pretends to. He's sleeping with other women. I even noticed perfume he left for one of them on his bedroom counter."

Elise's face seemed to pale a bit and she immediately looked down at the water. My brows pulled together in confusion. What was wrong? Right as I was about to ask about her mood shift, she spoke.

"Aurora...that's his mother's."

I felt my heart sink.

"He keeps it on his shelf, but is very private about it. They were close, his mother and him, but his father would not let her stop drinking, he enabled her addiction, and they both died when Arlan was eight. He entered the mafia soon thereafter."

Fuck.

"His mother's?" I whispered, feeling cruel, suddenly. No wonder he had gotten so upset when I accused him of the perfume being one of his "bitches"...

"Yes, he told me when I first arrived that it was his mother's, and never to move it. And my father has been in the mafia business long before Arlan entered, so when Arlan arrived so young, he knew of his family's situation."

I bit my lip, my mind suddenly swirling with distress. I almost felt bad for Arlan, the man who kidnapped me. I felt empathy for the cruelest man I'd ever met, how was that possible!?

And yet...I did. He was abandoned just like me, and who knows who forced him into this mafia business. He had a soft spot for his mother, whom he was close with, who he no longer had, and kept her perfume everpresently in his room. I felt like I now knew him slightly better, more intimately. Even the hardest, most dominant, and coldest of men had secrets and pain, Arlan now one of them...

(Arlan POV)

Glancing at my watch, it was 10 PM and my body ached with rigid exhaustion. It had been a tremendously productive and joyous first meeting with Santiago being dead, no longer having to think about his sick face or name. We spent hours planning our agenda to crack down on the Eckerberry Cocaine Adminstration.

"Boss, did you say you wanted the files of the lab geographical coordinates by Friday, or Monday?" Nate asks.

"Monday," I clarified, typing in my excel spreadsheet. "Make sure you cover your VPN address so it can't be traced back here."

"Boss, did you clarify that Blake himself won't be there at the time of our attack?" Damien, to my left, inquires.

"Affirmative," I send a wink his way. "He'll be good as gone."

"And...what if Silvercrest seeks revenge? Our plan to execute Santiago was done last-minute...they could be a threat."

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head.

"With Santiago gone, they're nonthreatening. Little pussies, nothing to worry about. Silvercrest is as good as done at this point, Santiago operated everything. Watch them fall apart like scared little dominoes without him, it'll be comical," I laugh while bringing my cigarette to my mouth, my men thunderously laugh with me, pounding their fists in the air rowdily and clinking alcohol glasses in triumph. Feeling giddy, I shut my laptop and stood.

"Men, you're early dismissed for the night," I impulsively, but happily, grant to them. "You've worked extraordinarily hard, go home to your house, to your families...get laid, some of you fucking need it," I wink and my men holler and laugh, slapping palms with each other. I smirk and shake my head. Pigs.

Gathering my belongings to head out to my lamboghorni, I felt good. Like a weight was off my shoulders. A 170 pound (or whatever-Santiago-weighed) weight off my shoulders, and life was damn good.

Emerging into my bedroom, Aurora is sat in the middle of our bed in one of my t shirts, she peers up at me timidly. She's so obedient now, such a good girl. I smirk at her meek presence. She knew my guards were gone and easily could've tried to take advantage of the maids, yet she did not leave.

"Hi baby love," I started taking off my shoes and rings, when I caught a better look of her appearance. I hesitated, and then sniffed. Walking straight up to her, I softly grasp under her chin, lifting her head as she blinks nervously.

"Why are you soaking wet? You smell like salt water."

Aurora's face paled before she pushed hair behind her ear.

"Elise gave me a bath, i-it must be the new bath bomb she used. It was called "Beach."

I shrugged, releasing her face. "Whatever you girls like."

I was just glad she was comfortable with Elise bathing her, but I'd have to ask Elise to use a sweeter scent next time. After a long day, I craved to come home to Aurora's sugary sweet natural smell.

"H-how was your day?" Aurora tried.

Shocked, I pause from unbuttoning my shirt. Usually she was quiet when I came home, reserved.

"It was good," I replied, stripping to become shirtless.

"Good," she softly said.

She then looked as though she wanted to say something more, some sort of apology, but then her mouth closed. I didn't think twice of it.

"Do you want some cocoa? I offered, leaning over to kiss her cheek, rubbing her arms. "You must be so cold, little one."

"N-no, I-I'm okay..." She cowered from my touch just slightly, "I shouldn't have sugar before bed."

I laughed and kissed her little bunny sloped nose. She was so cute.

"Okay, Dove. Let's sleep then. You have a big day ahead of you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" I repeated.

"Yes, baby. Tomorrow," I leaned down to my briefcase and pulled out a paper. She looked closer; it dawned on her it was an acceptance letter and she softly gasped. "You're officially a college student."