AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Vanna’s back went ramrod straight, and her face blanched. She shot out of her seat, her hands clenched at her side. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”
“Is this how you greet your family?”
A slight tremble went through Vanna at his words. It was barely noticeable, and I would have missed it if I hadn’t been watching her, as had become my new norm whenever I was around her.
I stood up, pulling her into my side, then held out my hand. “Aleksándr. Good to see you.”
“Gabriel. Good to see my daughter hasn’t scared you off yet.”
“Not at all. But we were just on our way out.” I held Vanna’s stiff body closer. There was more going on here than just her surprise to see her father.
Aleksándr watched my hand that was on Vanna’s waist, his look calculating. “I’ll see you for dinner.”
Without another word or acknowledgment in his daughter’s direction, he left.
Steering Vanna through the crowd, I leaned in so she could hear me over the music that was louder as we passed the dance floor. “Dinner?”
“He requested a family dinner. I would have told you, but since you don’t come to the house or answer your phone, I haven’t had a chance yet.”
She looked shaken, her tiny frame appearing even smaller. The urge to take care of her took over and I grabbed her hand. “Let’s go home.”
We left without saying goodbye to Jude, who was no doubt otherwise occupied. Instead, I sent him a text that he was on his own.
I sat next to Vanna once we were back in the limousine. She didn’t seem to notice, her attention focused on the window, her brows drawn tight.
“We’re here.”
She startled at my words, clearly not having taken anything in, lost in her thoughts. She didn’t protest when I helped her out of the car. Progress.
Once she was inside, I leaned down, placing a chaste kiss on the top of her head. It took everything in me to not press my lips to hers.
“I left the code for the alarm taped to the wall next to the keypad. Memorize it and then get rid of it. Set the alarm system as soon as I close the door behind me.”
Nodding, she followed me to the door. “Of course.”
I only left when I heard the beep of the alarm system engage.
8
VANNA
“Van,there’s someone here to see you. I let them through the gate.”
Cleo’s voice rang through the house to where I was sitting in the middle of what I thought could be the living room, reading a book. I sat in a different room each day, but so far, I hadn’t even gotten through half of them.
There was still no furniture, but I didn’t care. The floor worked for me. And I enjoyed the peace and quiet too much to worry about the fact that I was sitting on the ground instead of a couch.
Closing the paperback I’d been reading, I made my way to the front door. I’d spoken to Althea and Freya this morning, and we were going to brunch tomorrow, so it wouldn’t be them. Three days had passed since the ball, and there’d been no word from Gabriel, so I doubted it would be my husband. Which left nobody else.
My bare feet slapped against the cold tiles with each step, and I chastised myself for not putting on socks. It didn’t take me long to get to the front door, where a stranger stood.
She had a big smile on her face, showing off her pearly white teeth. Her blonde, sleek, chin-length bob had not a strand out of place. She wore a fitted black dress and sky-high heels that made her tower over me.
I stopped next to Cleo. “Hi. Can I help you?”
Her gaze was assessing,no doubt judging my rumpled clothes. But I didn’t see the point in dressing up when I knew I wasn’t going to leave the house. It was a luxury I took advantage of.
And one I refused to feel any insecurity over.
