Page 16 of Her UnBearable Protector

The statement hung in the air and he wondered what the significance was. He didn't have to wait long.

“I,” her voice rang in the large room, “was on a press trip and talking to our suppliers. I can't possibly be expected to remember every little thing.”

“No problem,” Natale shrugged, but Salvatore could feel the tension rolling off of Natale in waves. “We didn’t expect you to come in until after the show. But, just so you know, we’re in the middle of fittings for Bellezza and everything is going well.” He saw her square her shoulders and lift her chin a fraction of an inch. Something about her cousin had her on edge. Natale’s father had given him the names of the people working for Durante and their positions in the business. Caprice was listed as a family connection, and a designer, but the elder Durante hadn’t mentioned any issues between the cousins.

Caprice took in her cousin’s words with narrowed eyes. “It better be. You know how much is riding on this.”

He saw her words hit Natale like a physical blow. She struggled to keep her chin up and her voice level. “I know.”

Salvatore moved before he could think better of it. He stepped up behind Natale and set his hand lightly on her shoulder, aware that his size and weight would buckle her knees unless he was very careful, but he wanted to lend her his support.

He felt some tension leave her shoulders and his bear nudged him in approval.

That was when Caprice noticed him. It wasn’t a large reaction, a slight shift of her gaze, but he saw the hardening of her eyes and the slight whitening of her lips.

“And who,” her voice dropped in tone, “is this?”

“Mr. Orsino,” he admired Natale for keeping her tone even, “is part of Papa’s security changes.”

Caprice’s gaze crawled over him from head to toe, a slow calculating perusal. “He’s here to keep an eye on the workroom?”

He felt frustration roll through Natale. “He,” she stepped forward and he lost touch with her shoulder as she moved closer to her cousin, “is with me.”

The room chilled around him as Caprice leaned closer to Natale, seemingly unaffected by her show of courage. “Whatever, Nat. It’s going to take more than hired muscle to keep you from ruining this company. You better keep your mind on the work and off of his ass.”

Salvatore’s bear wanted to rip her to shreds almost as much as he did.

“Then again,” she leaned back, running her tongue over her teeth beneath her blood-red lipstick, “maybe he’s just your consolation prize when this falls down around your ears.”

Caprice let her words settle over the room like a shroud before she drew in a breath that sucked every last bit of air out of the room.

“Well, I’ll leave you to your fittings,” she cast a look over her shoulder at the room and the assembled huddle of women in the far corner before she returned back to Natale, “looks like you’re going to need them.”

The bear in him begged for freedom, pushing forward with a need to sink his claws into that woman’s cold heart, but Salvatore held a tight rein on his bear as he kept his focus on Natale. She didn’t move a muscle until Caprice had left the room, the echo of her heels hanging in the charged static of the air. When Natale did move, it was only to take a single breath.

“Natale,” his voice was soft enough that the others in the room wouldn’t hear him, “look at me.”

She was still for another moment and he wanted to pull her into his embrace, but before he could move she turned her head and raised her gaze to meet his.

He saw the pain in her eyes and the indecision. It was a testament to her strength that she hadn’t burst into tears at her cousin’s harsh comments.

“Do you need a moment?” He nodded toward the hallway. “We can go to your office for a few minutes or you can-”

“I need,” he watched a kind of calm settle over her, “I need to get back to work.” Natale swept a hand over her unbound hair, drawing attention to the loose natural curls and managed another breath. “Thank you,” she gave him a tentative smile, “that wasn’t something you signed up for.” She laughed and it almost sounded natural. “You know she might just be more dangerous than the threats,” her smile dimmed a little and then brightened up again, “she doesn’t even need a weapon to cut.”

Lifting her chin, she gave him a little nod.

“You let me worry about my cousin, and you can take care of the big bad guy out there trying to get to me, and everything will be okay.” Raising her hand, she gave him a pat on the arm. He tried not to notice that her hand shook because she was making such an effort to hold it together.

As she turned back to the workroom she clasped her hands together and brightened her expression into a big grin. “Okay, ladies… let’s get things rolling again. We’ve got a ton of work to do and we’re burning daylight.”

He watched her cross the room and take the hand of a model, leading her before a bank of mirrors before he let himself move a muscle. She walked with confidence, she spoke with confidence, and as he watched Natale work with her staff, he found himself feeling a savage pride for this woman who stood on her own two feet even in the face of her family’s scorn.

He only hoped he was worthy of her.

* * *

Standing in the shower, Natale touched her forehead to the tile and felt the heat of her skin leech away. Since before her mother passed away, Natale had struggled with ways to find a release for her pent-up emotions. Being the ugly duckling in a family of strikingly gorgeous people wasn’t easy, but she wasn’t one to feel sorry for herself.

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