Summery -Â 10 years after their wedding, Aurora and Lucy go to finally have a family meeting with Lucy's parents, Brad and Susan Kim. Between Brad's evident dislike, Susan's desperation to impress and Aurora's remarkable ability to hold a grudge, Lucy finds herself in what might be the most awkward situation of her life. As for mixing her families, it goes about as well as expected.
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She was an intimidating silhouette against the soft cream boards of the house. In contrast, her skin seemed to gleam bronze in the afternoon sun, illuminating the shading of lightly defined arms.
Auroraâs delicately angled jaw offset the sharpness of her chin, complimenting her slender lips, which were pursed in a dangerous line. She was exotically breathtaking in her broody, seething rage. High, fleet brows furrowed over almond shaped, amber eyes, which had darkened with focused resentment. Aurora stubbornly kept her glare fixated on the homely white door before her as if by willpower alone she could burn it to cinders. Her sharp yet feminine nose was tilted upwards, allowing Aurora to give the impression of looking down. A cat sizing up the mouse it was about to devour.
â-Please donât let this be a mistake. -â Lucy silently prayed, lowering her hands to wipe her palms against the hem of her white sundress. It was elegant, lacy enough to betray her wealth yet simply cut. It was a v cut into her cleavage, offering a flirtatious view whilst preserving modesty. The dress ended at her knees, remaining light enough to be at home in suburban streets yet also worthy enough to enter any fancy restaurant.
Aurora had dressed simply too, yet Lucy knew her better than any. The Mexican born woman was ready for war. Her simple grey tank top with LSBN across it was a statement, a challenge to Brad Kimâs religious sensitivities. Her casual jean booty shorts put her long, toned legs on display, along with several faint bruises and scrapes left there. Further provocation to the manâs views on women, and the fact she could likely snap his neck should he try to enforce them on his estranged daughter. Casual sneakers completed the look. Sensible shoes that wouldnât hinder her movement. Aurora was already on the attack, waiting for a reason to unleash.
âGo five minutes before you start on them. Then go easy. Theyâre out of practice.â Lucy teased gently, her painted lips pulling into one of her show stopping smiles. Every time Aurora saw that smile she felt the world become a little lighter, as if the goodness emanating from Lucy could wash the blood from her own hands. Could soothe the lifetime of agonising wounds she had suffered emotionally. Still, it was not enough to completely ease her. Not this time. How could she allow forgiveness? Theyâd allowed Lucy to be a target over and over again. Their love of stealing from the biggest fish in the Criminal Sea of LA had been a death threat looming over Lucyâs head until the Valentine Kidnapping. The start of the little lamb learning to survive the world her parents had thrown her into.
âYou donât have to like them, Rory. Its ok to be angry. Just play nice... I have to do this.â Lucy couldnât speak further. Ten years was a long time for wounds to heal, but the cut of her parentâs numerous betrayals remained. The nerves were still raw, the gash still bleeding. Aurora was the one constantly bandaging it. Gentle words and gentler hands trying to mend the wound together even as the healer herself still bled out.
Didnât have to like them was polite. Both women knew it. Not even Lucyâs most alluring, radiant smile and the grandest promises of the world could make Aurora James LIKE the Kims. Professionally, they owed her millions, putting it lightly. Personally, they owed her blood. First, they had attacked the Valentineâs little lamb. That was a personal insult to Aurora. Theyâd gone further by bringing Skylar in, another person who had tried to take the little lamb away. Using Stella was the final straw. Theyâd used HER daughter to try and harm theirs. That was the sickly icing on a cake that Aurora wanted to dissolve in acid then toss to the bottom of the Challengerâs Deep. It was only Lucyâs word and presence that kept Aurora from revisiting her criminal days... that allowed her to lend them the very house their daughter had almost been murdered in. That was her sweet satisfaction. Her sickly revenge against the recently released pensioner criminals. That they lived under her roof, right in the nest of their worst crime.
âI know, baby girl.â Aurora sighed, offering a pained flicker of a smile at the agony in storm cloud eyes. Even after all the years, the hurt was there. She saw it flash in Lucyâs eyes often, an ache that echoed in Stella and Daisyâs eyes too. A wound that even lingered in Auroraâs own heart. Parental abandonment was probably not the healthiest bonding tool.
âThe fact they just left. When I think about what could have happened if...â Aurora trailed off, her honeyed voice lowered to almost a whisper. She knew. All too well. The Valentines had been the only gang who didnât want to harm the family. Kidnapping Lucy for her own protection sounded insane, but Rory knew better than any that the millions of stolen dollars would drive many men to further insanity. Memories of broken glass consumed her, accompanied by the panicked screams she often heard when Lucy woke from her nightmares. Even now, the very real possibility of the brutality Lucy had been abandoned to made Rory shiver. It physically hurt Auroraâs chest when she imagined a world where her brothers had been too late in saving her little lamb. Where they found the dead body of a beaten, violated young woman laying amidst the broken glass table.
Aurora ground her teeth as her arms wrapped around the little lamb, squeezing tightly. For three precious seconds, everything in Auroraâs body redirected into her embrace. Lucy was at home, encompassed in strength and warmth along with the cocktail of lotions that made up the undeniably unique scent of Aurora. Even though Aurora had lost some condition over the years and had gained more laugh lines, Lucy still felt safe. The breath left her lungs at how tightly Aurora squeezed, trembling before her entire body deflated in an exhale. The tension relaxed, shifting from crushing to firm as Auroraâs forehead fell against Lucyâs collar, nose resting snugly in Lucyâs cleavage.
âWe could buy a stress ball if you need one, Rory.â Lucy pointed out with a fond smile. These moments werenât uncommon. Where Aurora just needed to squeeze and relax. Have a place to be vulnerable. Of course, the fact she had chosen to nestle between Lucyâs tits wasnât lost on the younger blonde. A mixed sentiment of lust and love. Close to her heart, yet also somewhere often jealously claimed.
âYouâre better.â Auroraâs response was predictably muffled, allowing her lips to dance across the exposed flesh between the cut of the dress. Lucy felt Aurora nestle closer, squishing her nose in her desperation for closeness. Rory could feel the warmth of Lucyâs flesh, could smell the mix of sweat and perfume that had become home. She couldnât help but nuzzle closer, needing to express her affection less she burst. The emotional motorboat was enough to earn a soft chuckle from Lucy, who wrapped her arms around Auroraâs waist. Feeling the guns tucked into Roryâs belt was no surprise, in fact it was another familiar comfort. Lucy herself normally had one or two in her handbag. The blonde tilted her head forwards to press her lips to the crown of Auroraâs head. After planting a loving kiss, Lucy inhaled quietly. Chocolate locks and a delicious scent flooded Lucyâs senses, distracting her enough that the hands squeezing her butt were a shock. It was a playful move, lacking the heat that Aurora brought to more physically intimate encounters.
It was at that time the door swung open.
â-Just my luck-â Lucy silently lamented, her stormy eyes hardening in determination as they met her fatherâs disapproving glare.
âDad. It is not what you think-âLucy began, lifting a hand in a calming gesture.
âIt looks like this criminal is molesting my daughter on my own doorstep.â Bradâs response was harsh, the words spat through his teeth as he fixated his intense rage on Aurora. The Mexican born woman barely even shrugged at the stare, immune to the effects of a disapproving father. After all, she had faced down Franco Valentine countless times for Lucyâs sake in that same shirt. A washed-out scam-artist who had fallen victim to kicks from those comfy sneakers was hardly a fair comparison to a former crime lord. A blimp on the radar compared to the lethal men Aurora had grown up with.
âTrust me, if I were behaving indecently then you would hear. Lucy is very vocal.â Auroraâs response was delivered in her syrupy sweet tone, matching the devastating smile she offered as she lifted her face from Lucyâs chest. A small glint in her amber eyes was the only warning Lucy got before the hands around her rump tightened, earning a startled squeak. This squeeze was lust, a silent warning from Rory to Brad as she used her grip to pull Lucy closer.
âRory! Not in front of my parents!â Lucy laughed awkwardly as she swatted Auroraâs shoulder. Caramel muscles flexed under Lucyâs hand, inviting her to linger. She knew she should be cross, should ark up at the intentional wordplay she knew Aurora wouldnât stop. The disrespect. Lucy couldnât find it in herself to be mad, not yet. There was something satisfying about watching her fatherâs jaw click shut as his eyes burned with fury. He couldnât prove Aurora was deliberately revving him up, so he also couldnât respond. Aurora outclassed him in the ways of wordplay and wit. Aurora outclassed him period.
âWell, Lucy was always stubborn, even as a little girl.â Susanâs voice came from behind Brad as the woman stepped outside, opening her arms instinctively. Lucy moved without thinking, striding forwards to meet her mother with a one-armed embrace. There was a suspicious tension in their muscles, a stiffness born of years apart. The gesture was old, uncomfortable despite the natural instinct. It was warm though, a blanket around the shoulders of a young girl who fell asleep studying. The security after teenage heartbreak. The safety net after exams and pregnancy scares, or the of sleepless nights when Lucy had been sick. It held so many positive memories, moments where a motherâs embrace had been the foundation a determined, sweet young woman had dragged herself to college on.
âI know. Lucy is as smart as she is determined. Nobody could force her to do anybody she didnât want to.â Aurora preened with pride and affection, yet Lucy noted the words used. Another verbal slap. Aurora didnât try to draw Lucy from her mother, yet she did keep their hands linked. That hand was Lucyâs world. Soft delights and sleepless nights where love and intimacy had been more important. The security of waking up tangled together, of a morning kiss without a care for their breath. The warmth of a lazy few moments to appreciate each other, or arms wrapped around each other as they worked. Between their fingers was metal. A wedding band. Their promise of forever, regardless what anyone might have said. The walls torn down; foundations ripped asunder to recreate a foundation together. Something built on the best they both could be.
âMom, Dad. Iâd like to officially introduce you to my wife, Aurora. Rory, this is my mother, Susan, and my father, Brad.â Lucy kindly introduced, continuing to smile as she stepped back into Auroraâs arms. Instantly, the Hustler draped her arm around Lucyâs shoulder, pulling the blonde into her embrace. The smile Aurora offered could only be described as predatory. Sickly sweet and syrupy, the same smile she had offered when she shook hands with the criminals who had kidnapped her daughter. The same smile when she had been blackmailed into kissing Skylar for her daughterâs life, only to bite straight through her lip. The smile when she had slowly yet methodically broken the fingers of the hitman sent for their oldest.
âYou can call me AJ.â Auroraâs tone was sweet, yet it took all of Lucyâs skill not to cringe. AJ. Business associate. A brief tool. Someone fucked but never trusted. Or someone she might kill. Oh, Aurora was setting them straight. What was worse, if they had done enough homework they may be able to guess part of her evident threat. But if not, then she was disarming them already. The methodical Hustler was at work. It was enough to make Lucy shiver. Aurora could be terrifying. She could calmly break bones at a snailâs pace or grill a womanâs hand without even a blink at the smell of burnt flesh. She was devious enough to pick apart crime lords while heavily intoxicated for laughs. But oh, it was a treat to watch Aurora work. She was an artist, a master of her craft. There was something undeniably alluring about her raw power, especially when she applied it to give a clear message. When it was used to defend her family.
âWell, miss James-â
âMrs James. Aurora is legally married with two children, Dad. As am I.â Lucy corrected, tilting her head to rest against the bare shoulder beside her. Auroraâs lithe muscles seemed to relax at the touch, taking confidence in the security of Lucy in her arms. That confidence never wavered as Lucyâs hand crept up her lower back, soft fingers stroking the bare skin there for a second before lightly pulling at her shirt.
âWell Aurora, Lucy. Why donât you come inside? I have some tea ready with fresh cookies... remember we baked them when you were younger, Lucy?â Susan stepped in, her voice going a subtle octave higher. The older woman was a flutter of nervous energy, glowing with hope at the chance.
âOh! Rory they are amazing, youâll love them!â Lucy was giddy, leaning up to press her lips several times to Auroraâs cheek in delight. The kisses were chaste, mixed with little nuzzles as she worked her lips to Auroraâs ear.
âAnd youâre flashing more guns than your biceps.â Lucyâs whisper was obscured in Auroraâs hair, her lips concealed from view. The shorter woman tugged on the Ex Hustlerâs shirt, peeling the soft grey cotton over the chlorine stained denim and the contraband weapons.
âWell, you know how I love sweet things. Lucy has really
improved my diet since she came.â Aurora was calm, speaking without an ounce of shame as she tucked her hand behind her back. Lucyâs cheeks flamed as Rory grasped her hand, tugging it down until the soft cotton changed to denim beneath her touch. A hard shape lingered under the denim, firm beneath Lucyâs palm as she allowed her hand to be guided. She felt the outlines down Roryâs rump, wrapped around her hips. It was enough to daze the poor blonde, as well as concern her. Was Aurora packing more heat than the gun Lucy had already found?
â-What weapons could Rory have in shorts that ti- nevermind... I donât need to know. -â Lucy had to focus on not blushing at the thought of how and what Aurora may be smuggling. The mere knowledge Aurora was playing with her parents was enough to cause a confused flush to begin throughout her body. She enjoyed Roryâs not so subtle shows of power at her parentsâ expense. The thought of what might come next was enough to make her heart beat faster in anticipation. What kind of daughter was she to find enjoyment in her parentâs discomfort?
âOh, has Lucy cooked for you then? She is rather talented in the kitchen. University really helped her mature.â Susanâs voice lured Lucy out of her tunnel focus. Her mother seemed cheerful, even though her dark eyes often shifted to Brad. The man remained silent, glaring at Aurora as if he could banish her from existence.
âLucy has cooked for the gang; however, Iâd say Iâm the only one to have experienced her full range of talents. Her taste is impeccable.â
âStop it.â Lucy said it bashfully, her cheeks glowing as she leaned into Rory. For the casual onlooker, it may seem pleased, enjoyment at the praise. Only Aurora could feel the nails digging into her behind, the firm pressure that was silently warning her to pull her head in. Of course, Aurora didnât seem chastised. Amber eyes lit up for a split second, gleaming in their mischievous manner that left Lucy on edge. It was that same gleam Rory got when she had won, but the game was still afoot. The enjoyment of tormenting the mouse in her claws. It was a smile that promised she was only going to escalate her innuendos and barbed words as the day went on.
â-Oh dear lord.-â Lucy lamented as her parents awkwardly parted, begrudgingly allowing Lucy and Aurora to step through the open door.
â-Iâve made a horrible mistake.-â
