âIâll drive you,â he offered.
âYou donât have to,â Aurora said, waving her hand.
âItâs safer for you if I do,â he insisted, his tone brooking no argument.
Aurora had no choice but to get into his car.
It was her first time riding in Dunnâs car, and the closeness felt different. The confined space heightened her awareness of his presence, and every small movement she made seemed to draw his attention.
Despite the uneasy fluttering of butterflies in her stomach, Aurora kept her composure. When they approached her house, she asked him to drop her before the corner.
âJust drop me off here,â she said.
Dunn didnât argue and pulled up the car.
With the complexities of their familiesâ relationship hanging heavily between them, neither wanted to risk stirring trouble that could upset their parents.
Once out of the passenger seat, Aurora spun around and faced him.
âThanks for the ride,â she said with a brief smile.
A flicker of hesitation crossed Dunnâs eyes as he looked at her. Maybe she didnât feel the same way he did. Maybe she just enjoyed spending time with him out of habit, like when they were kids.
After all, why would she see him any differently now when he hadnât really done anything to earn that kind of affection?
His efforts fell short compared to Rickeyâs.
Even if Dunn confessed his feelings now, it didnât guarantee theyâd be together.
He returned a faint smile, holding back his confession, and decided it was best to take things slowly and let time weave their story.
âText or call me when you get home.â
âIâll do that,â Aurora said with a wide grin.
Dunn returned the smile.
Auroraâs heart raced. She quickly turned around and walked away, hoping to hide the blush spreading across her face.
She kept her head straight ahead, not daring to look back, but her shoulders slumped when she heard his car drive off.
When she arrived home, she texted Dunn to let him know she got in safely.
Dunn didnât reply right away as he was driving straight to a bar. Shortly after he parked outside the entrance, a man came out of the bar.
Through the distance and dim lighting, Dunn could barely make out the strangerâs face. Before he could get a better look, a knock on his car window broke his focus.
âThatâs Addieâs boyfriend, sir. Heâs a total messâdrinks heavily at bars and harasses women, you name it. Heâs infamous. After meeting Addie, he started showing up here, pretending to be a medical student, but heâs already been expelled from school,â his bodyguard said, filling him in.
Dunnâs eyes narrowed as he watched the drunken man.
Addieâs boyfriend should count his lucky stars that Aurora didnât get into any trouble that day, for heâd be facing a far worse fate had something happened to her.
âDeal with him,â Dunn ordered, the coldness in his voice palpable.
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