page2 (1/2)

Many people were put off by her security detail She ended up refraining fro security protocol and having people send her strange looks, not to ht have a chance with quietly backed off afterBerto The ones that persisted, she’d learned the hard ere trouble, one way or the other And so her dating life was sporadic at best

“I’ down, Poppa I’m twenty-four now I deserve to have my own life—”

“You have a life”

“No, I don’t My every move is analyzed before I do it And then it is reported back to you That is not a life”

Her father sighed “I’ what I must to protect you and your brother I don’t hear hi”

“That’s because Luca doesn’t care what you or anyone says He does exactly what he wants”

Her father ran a hand over his clean-shaven jaw “I know I know”

“Is that what you want me to do?”

“No!” Her father’s raised voice reverberated off the walls

“Then maybe you need to back off I’m not wild like Luca, but if that’s what you want—”

“Don’t you dare I have enough proble to come to an end If he wants to inherit my title, he has to earn it”

She couldn’t help her brother, not that Luca would want or accept her help, but they were getting sidetracked “My brother can fight his own battles This is about you and me I need you to back off or”

Her father’s gaze narrowed “Or what?”

She didn’t have an answer to that question Or did she? There was so that had come to mind more than once when she’d felt smothered

“Or else you’ll leave me no choice I’ll leave Halencia and Mirraccino” She saw the surprise reflected in her father’s eyes She hated to do this to hiet her father to understand that she meant business