Page 38 of Incognito

Natasha’s heart melted as she stepped forward and gently ruffled the little boy’s hair. “Yes, sweetheart, happy birthday. Are you having fun?”

Paolo nodded, a hint of a grin tugging at his mouth. “Fun!”

“Can I see the animals? Will you show me?”

“Yeah!”

Paolo wriggled in Dante’s arms and they laughed as he placed the strapping boy on his feet and he promptly ran towards the backyard, stopping for a brief second to see if they were following.

“You coming, Gina?” Dante called over his shoulder, while Natasha wondered if she could bolt after Paolo and escape spending more time with Gina.

“I’ve got some things to take care of inside.” Gina waved them away. “You go ahead.”

Natasha’s sigh of relief must’ve been audible as Dante fell into step beside her. “Did Gina say something to upset you?”

“No, why?”

The little white lie popped out. She had no intention of letting him know how badly his sister had rattled her. Bad enough she’d come to the stunning realisation how much he meant to her, closely followed by Gina’s revelations demonstrating how little she must mean to him.

“My sister has a habit of saying the wrong thing and you had a strange look on your face when you walked up to Paolo.”

“Gina didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know,” she said, managing to keep the sadness out of her voice with difficulty.

She’d never been a crier. Sure, she’d cried buckets when her mother died and when Clay showed his true colours, but she’d grown stronger since then. She had no choice.

Then why the sudden, dreadful urge to sink onto the nearest stone bench in the shade of a huge maple and bawl?

“What did she say?” Dante laid a hand on her arm but she didn’t stop.

Instead, she shrugged him off and fixed the best smile she could muster in place.

“Nothing important. Now, we’ve got a party to go to.”

Even if celebrating was the last thing she felt like doing.

20

After Paolo’s birthday party, Natasha would’ve liked nothing better than to go to her room, sink into a warm bath, and listen to a relaxation playlist.

Faking a bubbly party persona under the watchful eye of Gina had shredded her nerves, then riding up close and personal behind Dante on the way home undid her completely.

However, as they pulled up outside Telford Towers and Dante cut the motorbike’s engine, she caught sight of Clay waiting for her in the Lobby bar and knew her wish for solitude would have to wait.

She had business to conduct, and in her current mood, her ex better not annoy her.

Dante helped her dismount, holding onto her hand a tad longer than necessary. “Thank you for accompanying me to Paolo’s party.”

If he’d bowed to go along with his formal little speech she wouldn’t have been surprised. Somehow, he’d picked up on her reticent vibes and reacted accordingly.

Good. Only a few more days and his visit here would become public knowledge, and soon after, he could return to hisresponsibilitiesback in Calidathat Gina had kindly elaborated on.

Thankfully, Dante would none the wiser that she’d almost made a fool of herself in falling for a prince.

“No problem.” She forced a smile. “Thanks for asking me.”

He didn’t move, his steady gaze searching her face as if looking for clues to her sudden turnaround in behaviour. Well, he could keep looking. She’d mastered the art of the poker face a long time ago, around the first time Clay had demanded payment and she’d been forced to go along with it for the sake of her family.

“Would you like a nightcap? A cocoa perhaps?”

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