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“I have a few places in mind. I’ll send you a list and let you and Papa decide which is the best.”
That she wasn’t being picky only further convinced me that she was in desperate need of some time away.
The deli was crowded with people on their lunch breaks, but the staff was efficient and the line moved quickly. Once I ordered for the four of us, Pietro found us two tables in the back so the two guards could sit close, but we could have a little privacy while we ate.
“Are we going to talk about the fact that you are stalking Nova?” she finally asked, halfway through our meal.
“Nope,” I answered, taking another bite of my sandwich.
My cousin’s lips twitched as she fought not to laugh. “Okay, then.”
“There’s nothing to talk about. I need to see her whenever I want. To know that she’s safe.”
“Right,” Ciana agreed, her nose wrinkling adorably as she continued to fight her amusement. “It’s just for her safety. I get it.”
“What do you want me to say, C? That I’m obsessed?”
She snickered. “Everyone already knows that.”
“Then what’s the big deal?”
She rested her chin in her palm as she studied me for a moment. “I thought once you two got together, you would finally calm down. Even if just a little.”
I shrugged, trying to get some of the growing tension out of my shoulders. “I’ll calm down once she’s my wife.”
Ciana threw her head back and burst out laughing. Several heads turned in our direction, but she didn’t notice them, too lost in the hilarity that she considered my words. Tears of mirth spilled down her cheeks, and she dashed them away with her fingertips as she tried to control herself. “That is the funniest thing I’ve heard in forever. Ryan, you grow more and more extreme with each year that passes. By the time you two get married, poor Nova will be chained to your wrist because you won’t be able to handle her being out of your sight for even a second.”
“What’s wrong with that?” I asked, confused. “I love her, Ciana. Her being safe and happy is all I can think about when she isn’t right in front of me.”
“No, I understand that. We all do. And I’m sure she does as well.” She wiped her mouth with her napkin before dropping it back onto her lap. “It’s just… You can be a little extreme. It’s sweet, in a weird, obsessed kind of way.”
“There’s a fine line between love and obsession.”
She frowned. “And what is that?”
“Both have the potential of consuming a person. But love is selfless. All you care about is the person you can’t live without being happy and whole. You worry about their well-being and helping them fulfill their dreams. Your only goal for any given day is to ensure they smile more than they cry.” I leaned back in my chair, watching my cousin closely as she frowned while she listened. “Obsession is selfish. You only think about yourself. It’s about your needs, your happiness. You want the person you’re obsessed with to be safe and happy, but only because of yourself, not them. Their wants, needs, and dreams are meaningless in the face of what you want.”
She dropped her fork into her salad bowl. “I can’t tell the difference where you and your feelings for Nova are concerned.”
“You’re right. I am in love with her and beyond obsessed with her,” I admitted. “But when it comes down to it, my love outweighs my obsession. Because her happiness is more important to me than my own.”
Ciana’s face softened. “I want that,” she said in a dreamy voice. But it only lasted for a moment before her face tightened. “But that’s not ever going to happen. I live in a bubble. I’ll never find a guy who loves me like you love Nova.”
“How do you know? You don’t even date. Every time Zariah has mentioned setting you up with someone, you turn up your nose and make fun of her choices in men.”
“Have you met the guys she dates?”
I grimaced. “Yeah, she has a type.” And that type left a lot to be desired. Mostly, they were the kind of guy a girl like Zariah could walk all over without even blinking. They gave in to her, no matter what she wanted, and she ate that up like it was candy. They were…boring. Or so Nova had told me when she’d described one particular boyfriend Zariah had brought home to introduce to the family.
Boring and Ciana, however, didn’t go hand in hand. That was like trying to mix oil and water—while the oil was on fire.
Whoever my beautiful cousin fell in love with would be a lucky motherfucker. Yet at the same time, I pitied him because she was definitely a handful. Mostly in a good way, but damn, there were times I just wanted to lock her in a room for a few days to have a little peace.
Although she might drive me crazy on occasion, she was special to me. And if she was now a target, I would destroy anyone who tried to hurt her.
30
Nova
