Page 23 of Under His Control

“She never calls me spoiled.” I hated that his opinion of me mattered so much. I truly wasn’t, though. “I may wear designer and have professional stylists, but it’s because that’s the position I am in. I am expected to look the part of a Mafia princess?—”

He chuckled wryly. “Princess. Yeah, you act like one.”

“But the things and materials don’t matter.”

Looking me up and down, he studied me. “You’d be just as happy to be poor and without all the leisure?”

I sighed.With the right person, yes.“It’s never been an option. I was born into this life.”

“And it molded you into an icy bitch.”

At a red light, I glowered at him. “You’re an ass.”

He shrugged. “I’m just calling it like it is.” Shifting in his seat to face me, he crossed his arms and settled in to chat. “Does Tessa say you’re an icy bitch?”

“No.”But she did admit that I was a bratty diva once.

“Does Nina?”

“Not really.”But Uncle Dante called me out about not welcoming her at first.

“So it’s just me. I’m the lucky one to get the difficult version of you.”

“No. I—” I pressed my lips together and exhaled hard through my nose. “Maybe.”

He huffed. “Nice.”

“You inspire me to be combative.”

He shook his head. “No. It’s not just me. I overhear you arguing with everyone in that house.”

“I’m not a pushover.”

“Except in a closet. With me.”

Oh, damn you.I cleared my throat and refused to respond.

“You bicker with Romeo.”

“He’s more like a brother than a cousin. Siblings bicker.”

He smirked. “And Franco. I’ve caught you arguing with him.”

“Fine!” I flung my hand in the air. “I’m argumentative.”

“Why? Why do you ice everyone out?” When I didn’t reply, he added, “Why act like such a bitch to me but want to drive me around? Make up your mind, Eva. I’m not pursuing you. I’m not asking you for a damn thing.”

That’s the problem.He dismissed me. He was fine with cutting me out of his life while I needed more than a closet quickie. Liam Gray was simply too different, too far from what I was used to that I couldn’t be done with him yet.

“Because I’ve been raised that way.” I sighed. “I’ve only had Uncle Dante. He’s a tough man, and he’s raised me to be tough.” I also never had much of a maternal role model to soften me out. With Uncle Dante’s expectations, to raise me as a strong woman in the Mafia, I grew up knowing I’d need to be firm. And at times, that equaled being cold.

“Not that tough.” He almost smiled, looking back out the window. “He surprises me the most. Every morning, I see him inthe kitchen making breakfast. I mean, the guy is loaded. He’s got chefs, maids, housekeepers. But he’s the one in there personally making his fiancée breakfast in bed.”

“That’s what impresses you the most about Uncle Dante?” I almost laughed. It was so simple.

“It’s what makes me think he’s more than a cold-blooded Mafia boss.”

I rolled my eyes. “He goes out of his way because he’s that obsessed with taking care of Nina. It’s all her doing.”

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