Under His Protection (The Constella Family Book 1) by Leona White

Author:Leona White [White, Leona]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-08-28T00:00:00+00:00

17

DANTE

Dante

Ireturned to the house in the evening. The excitement to see Nina again kept me distracted all day, but it was my niece who I found finishing dinner in the kitchen, not Nina, as I'd hoped. After that lie about kissing her for practice, my fake girlfriend had consumed my every thought.

Eva kept to herself most of the time, but I knew she’d followed my instruction to help Nina settle in here. Whenever we spoke, she badgered me with questions about her.

Now was no exception.

“Are you going to the Sarround Gala?” she asked after she wiped her mouth.

I nodded.

“With Nina.”

It could’ve been a question but she said it like an affirmation.

“Yes.”

She set the napkin down. “Is that smart?”

I paused for longer than I wanted to. I’d already eaten, and I guessed that Nina had too. Nothing should delay me from taking her out to get a dress, something I had been looking forward to all day. Last time, I foisted her onto that sales clerk. This time, I wanted to participate in the selection of her gown. I’d take any and every opportunity to “practice” anything with the woman who was consuming me, body and soul. Something about her just drew me in, and it felt like I was playing with fire to resist her.

“What do you mean?” Eva had been resistant to the idea of having another woman in the house since the first day. Initially, I'd assumed it was a threat to her. That somehow, having another woman challenged her importance here. My niece had always been protective of me and Romeo, and I appreciated it. Loyalty was important in the family, but she took it to another level.

“She was hurt the last time you took her out.”

I shook my head, guessing where she was going with this. That parading Nina as my girlfriend would endanger her. “Those servers were not connected to any of our rivals.”

“Still.” She shrugged and stood. After she put her dish and glass in the sink, she faced me again. “Everyone will be at the gala. Everyone will see you with her.”

I nodded. That was the whole point, the purpose of throwing them all off.

“I can’t shake the suspicion that she’s keeping something from us. From you.” Her arms folded over her chest, but her haughty stance wouldn’t sway me.

“I applaud you for maintaining a high guard, Eva.” I stepped closer to press a kiss to the top of her hair. She was such a ball buster as a child, and she’d grown into a fierce woman—if a little too much sometimes with her attitude. “But Nina isn’t up to anything nefarious.”

I found her in her room, and I took a moment to appreciate her napping on the lounger near the windows. Like this, she looked so peaceful and content, at ease without any rules about pretending anything or remembering to call me a formal name when no one was around. I preferred her easygoing and relaxed, like she was this morning after her workout.

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