Page 3 of Their Princess

“Rafe!” Papà’s voice boomed, but my uncle waved him off and fired up his bike.

Sighing, my father extended his hand for me, beckoning me forward, and I slipped out of the limo.

My heels sank into the dirt, and the dust painted my skirt and blouse. Not my shade, but I dealt with it for now. I didn’t very much care about being fashionable, but my mother would have afield day if she saw a hair out of place. As if my appearance was a reflection of her personally. I didn’t think a biker would really give a fuck what I wore. The question was whether they would be able to keep their paws off me.

Arranged marriage was a contract. Nothing more. Nothing less. Touching and sex weren’t about to be part of this deal. But if I could make someone squirm, it might be worth it.

When my father didn’t move, I huffed. “Should we get this over with?”

My father flashed his shark-like smile at me. “Don’t tell me you’re excited, mia figlia?”

“No. But I sure as hell don’t want to fry in the sun.” I shielded my face.

Papà didn’t give me theextremepleasure of his response, instead watching his little brother.

Rafe parked his bike at the end of the row, and the rays of light glinted on the polished chrome. He inspected everything before returning to where we waited.

Ignoring their silent exchange, I peeked over at the front of the shop. While I couldn’t see the bikers in the shadows beyond the open garage doors, they had to be watching. My skin crawled, and I leaned toward Rafe as my shield. It was the reason Papà said Rafe was joining the MC too. With his military background, Rafe would be the best positioned to ensure my safety.

His stone-like presence made him as solid as a rock. Or maybe a boulder. No one could move him, and that’s the exact reason he acted as our bodyguard when my girlfriends and I went to the clubs.

I took a step toward the shop, but my father moved faster, cutting me off. I tried not to jump back or to act like he’d gotten the better of me in front of his underlings. Papà’s speed was abnormal for a man getting so fucking old, but he used it to hisadvantage. Always, he had to be on top or the first to enter a building or the first to take a bite at dinner. Like the alpha of the pack. Why’d men like him have to put on such a front?

“Please,” I drawled, “by all means, you go first.”

He flashed me a look that said he would eat me for breakfast if I went inside first, but something darker burned in his gaze.

Rafe stepped between us. “Don, we’re in the open.”

So respectful. And by the way he preened, my father did love his new title.

My uncle shot me a look, but like usual, I couldn’t read much in it. Through my high school years, he’d been around the world. After he returned when I was about to get my undergrad degree, my sister and I had asked him where all he had gone.

He always shot us a one-word answer. “Classified.”

I was just his annoying niece, someone Papà ordered to play bodyguard to my sister, my friends, and me. Rafe was closer in age to me than he was to my father, so Papà said he should like the detail. But I would be damned if anyone could tell what Rafe liked or didn’t.

My father stalked toward the doors, leaving us to scramble after him. My father probably just wanted a dramatic entrance. Too bad there were no horns to announce his arrival, or a red carpet to be rolled out. He disappeared into the darkness beyond where the sun’s light could reach. I waited back a step in case there was gunfire or some other assault.

Nothing. Why was that kinda sad?

Rafe nudged me forward with his elbow, and I shot a look at him. Was he really going to make me do this?

I leaned up toward him and whispered, “We could hop on one of these bikes, ride off, and leave dust in our wake.”

My uncle’s lips thinned, and he slowly shook his head, and I deflated. Rafe—always the rule-follower.

True, my father would be pissed if I tried to run from my duty and this contract. He would probably hunt me down and make me go through all this again. Scratch that. He would have his goons, and maybe Rafe himself, hunt me down.

The MC would be pissed if we stole their bike.But... we would be free for a few more moments. This wasn’t just my freedom but his too.

“You said to get this over with,” said Rafe.

Was that a small smirk pulling at the corner of his lips?

What an ass.

“Give me a fucking break.” I strode forward on the balls of my feet.

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