Princess

Chapter 15: Aphrodisiac

"So, if we didn't speak, how would you know I wasn't nice?"

She bit her lip in defeat and I shook my head triumphantly.

Since I was a benevolent soul, I gave her an out and told her, "I saw Bella."

Her grin was enough to light up the room. "Oh?"

"We got coffee."

"How often do you guys hang out?"

"Whenever she has time for me," I drawled. "First she was too busy being the queen of the corporate world and now she has a husband."

She laughed. "Busy little butterfly."

I shook my head with a smile as the next words came out softer than I thought they would. "She's happy."

"That's all I want," she said back.

"Me too." I nodded, my throat tight just thinking about my favorite little diva in the entire world. So I changed the subject and asked, "Did my sister tell you Dean is taking her out?"

"She did," Ariadne grinned. "I'm surprised you're okay with it. Have you retracted your claws against him?"

I shrugged. "I know I'm very protective of her, but I practically raised her. My dad was great, and he still is. But when we were young, the Hales weren't where we are now."

Ariadne listened silently, nodding and urging me to go on. I stood by her now, letting the sauce simmer. I crossed my arms on my chest, leaning against the counter.

"He was trying to conquer everything, so he was almost always too busy for us. As much as my dad loves us, I just took it upon myself to watch out for her too."

"Of course," she nodded understandingly. "She's your sister."

"Matteo Giovanni–there's rumors. That he's had some obsession with my sister. I don't know how much of it is true but I'm not sticking around to figure it out."

Matteo Giovanni would see the barrel of my gun quicker than he saw my sister. I'd make sure of it.

I cleared my throat. "I know she resented and maybe even still resents me for how over-protective I was when she was younger. And I know her crazy phase in college was just her reaction to having so much freedom. But I can't see her get hurt. That would, without a doubt, kill me. I wouldn't let anything happen to her. She's my everything."

She smiled back warmly. What the fuck was this? Therapy?

"I saw her hurt once," I said quietly and with finality. "I won't–I can't do it again."

"When Christian left?" Ariadne asked softly. Nodding, I flicked my gaze to the closed door that Robyn was behind, making sure she couldn't hear anything.

Ariadne and Bella didn't know that my sister had been in love with Christian pretty much her entire life. Just that those two had lost each other somewhere along the way.

"Do you resent my brother for hurting her?"

"No," I frowned. "Of course not."

"It's okay if you do," she insisted. "You can be honest. I hated that he left and I hated the way he changed too. I hated that she was so sad after he was gone—like nothing would make her happy again, as much as she tried to hide it."

I shook my head wistfully. "I don't resent your brother. He's my best friend and more than that, I know he goes through physical pain practically every time he sees my sister."

"I've noticed that," she mused, biting her lip. "Do you think they'll ever be friends again?"

Tension rolled through me as I ran a hand through my hair. I wanted them to be friends again. I wanted my sister to be happy.