Page 25 of From Princess to Queen

I watch as they jump into the car and realise that Harry and Malcolm are in the front seats. They both wave as the car starts and drives away. I step into the shop and walk back into the back room. I’m just picking up some books from the bottom when I hear the bell over the front door ring out, signalling a customer.

“I’ll be right with you,” I call out as I gather as many books as possible before standing up. I turn and bump into a broad hard chest causing all the books to fall from my arms.

“What the?”

I step back and look up at the big guy before me. “You can’t be back here,” I declare as I point towards the door.

“It’s okay; I’m not staying. I just came to collect something.”

I step back as the evil grin spreads across the guy’s face.

“What’s that?” I ask in a shaky voice.

“You’ll see.”

Chapter Twelve

Daniel

“So, I think it’s time me and you had a chat.”

I turn to Oliver and frown.

“That sounds ominous.”

Oliver nods before letting out a deep breath. “Are you serious about Gabby?”

“Did you honestly just ask me that?” I ask, amazed. How, after all these years, can he question my feelings for his sister?

“I need to know that you aren’t going to change your mind now that you have her. I never want to see her as upset as she was when you left five years ago. It was why I asked you to stay away.”

I look at my best friend, my brother, and know his heart is in the right place. But it doesn’t take away my resentment towards him for keeping me away from Gabriella.

“She wouldn’t have been as upset if you hadn’t stopped me from contacting her,” I point out. “You were the one who told me never to contact her again. It was you who told me never to let her see me.” I run my fingers through my hair as I force myself to calm my growing anger. Something that has been building all week, and I know it will boil over eventually. “I stayed away from her once by your request; I will not do so again.”

“I did it to protect my baby sister, Daniel. Let’s face it you moved on quickly enough. How many women have you been with in the last five years?” Oliver growls as his own temper starts to rise.

I stand, slam my hands on the desk, and lean towards him. “You did it to protect her? You prevented us from being together, letting me believe she had moved on. You told me she was happy. Don’t get me started on that moving-on shit. I might tell you most things, but I never told you the full truth about how I felt about your sister. I have spent the last five years in hell because I was forced to watch the woman I love from a distance. Yes, there were women, but nowhere near as many as you think. They were a means to an end; they weren’t relationships. I tried to fuck Gabriella out of my system, but it didn’t work. Not a single woman I met ever compared to her.”

The truth is out; he knows I never got over her. If I had, I wouldn’t have been forced to stalk her from the shadows for five years, and he knows it.

“I stand by what I did, Daniel. She should never be brought into this world. I never want to worry about her being taken or hurt by someone you or I piss off!” Oliver stands from the chair he is sitting in and starts to pace my office. “My baby sister is all I have left besides you. I will not stand by and watch any harm come to her.”

“And you think I will?” I ask as my brows disappear into my hairline. “I’m already hiring new security just to watch over her when she is not with me. Harry has hired someone, and they start tomorrow.” I lean forward as I stare at Oliver. “I willneverrisk Gabriella’s safety or life.”

“You are risking it every day that you are with her,” he growls as he stands in front of my desk. He places his hands on the surface and leans towards me. “You just killed a Don’s youngest son and sent his body to his father in pieces. Do you honestly believe there won’t be ramifications to that act?”

“How do you know it will be me they come after? You and Rossi have a history as well, Oliver! Don’t think I don’t know about everything you have done to piss him off. Not only did you fuck his girlfriend, but you also sent pictures to him afterwards. No wonder he tried to rape your sister as payback!”

“You fucking arsehole!”

Oliver launches himself over the desk at me, and we both hit the floor. He tries to throw a punch, but I block him as we roll on the ground. I don’t realise anyone else is in the room as we wrestle until they pull Oliver away.

“Get the fuck off me, Harry!” he curses as my lead security holds him back. Another guy stands beside me and waits for instruction as I climb to my feet and turn to my best friend.

“You need to get it into that thick head of yours that Gabriella and I are together at last, and there is nothing you can do about it. I wanted to ask your permission to marry her so she can rule beside me. I will give her everything she needs and more, and you can’t stop it.”

“I won’t make it easy for you. One slip up, and I will make sure she leaves you, and you never hear or see her again.”

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