AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Relax, I’ll follow orders. I always do. But I’m going to grumble about it first.” He gives me an annoyed look and shakes his head before leaving my office.
I watch him go. Lycus is the most loyal friend I have, and I shouldn’t push my weight around with him like that, but I also have to be careful. If there are cracks forming between me and him over Camille then things with the rest of the family will be worse.
I’m thinking about how I’ll break the news when someone knocks at my door. Before I have a chance to call out, the door slams open, and my sister storms in.
“Tell me it’s true,” she says, eyes shining with excitement.
I grimace, look at my empty glass, and sigh. So much for breaking the news myself. “Tell you what’s true? Also, wait until I let you enter before storming in here, please.”
She ignores me. “You brought a girl home. Tell me you didn’t.”
“Helen—”
“Oh my god.” She laughs, shaking her head. My sister’s tall for a woman, with thick dark hair, dark Kazan eyes, and high cheekbones. She takes after our mother in so many ways, but she has our father’s harsh intensity. “You’ve been like a celibate little monk ever since you took over the family, and now there’s some girl in the house. Who is she? How much are you paying her?”
“Helen,” I say sharply. “Please don’t insinuate that I brought home a hooker.”
“You have to be paying her. Who else would want to get involved with you?” She grins at me and slumps down into the chair. “Okay, okay, I know, I can’t talk to the lord of the family like that.” She rolls her eyes, cutting me off before I can admonish her. “Just tell me her name.”
“Camille,” I say.
She doesn’t laugh, only looks at me curiously. “Does anyone else know she’s here yet?”
I shrug and gesture at the walls. “You know, which means others probably do as well.”
“And you left her alone?” Helen’s eyebrows raise.
“She’s in my room. Not even Sophia or Anissa would stoop so low.”
“Our cousin would stoopmuchlower than you think,” Helen says, scowling back at the door. She dislikes Sophia even more than I do. “But you’re right, at least Aunt Anissa has some shred of respect left for the family.”
I run a hand across my face and push my chair back. “Do me a favor and run interference. I want to give Camille more time to settle in before the onslaught.”
Helen looks confused. “What are you talking about? Just put her in a car and send her away. The others don’t need to meet her.”
“That’s not what this is,” I say and lean forward. “Please, Helen. Keep an open mind.”
Her eyebrows shoot up. “What is it then? I figured you were just having an affair, but—” She sits up straight. “Is this serious? Like an actual girlfriend? My god, I thought you were a heartless monster, but do you have emotions? Or wait, this is probably some arranged political thing, isn’t it?”
“Helen.”
“Oh my god, are you in love with her? Jenny said she looked Italian but I didn’t believe her, could she actually be—”
I grimace and stand. Jenny was one of the maids we passed on our way inside. “Yes, she is Italian, and no, it’s not only an affair, and no, I don’t love her. This is closer to an arrangement, as you said. Now, can you please go?”
Her jaw drops to the floor and for a moment, my sister is speechless.
Which is a feat in itself.
“Evander, what the hell is going on?” she finally manages.
I tighten my jaw and stand to my full height.
“I am marrying Camille. You’re going to have a new sister-in-law very soon.”
Helen releases a string of curses in Greek, and I wonder if the rest of the family is going to take the news even half as well.
Chapter19
