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“I know,” he says quietly. “So what now? Putting aside the Russian psychopath. Your father now knows the truth, what do you plan to do about that?”
“It’s different now,” I tell him. “I’m Don. I’m in charge.”
“You’re hiding out in my home currently, princess. I’m having a hard time believing you’re in charge.”
Well that certainly cuts deep.
“I’m not hiding,” I grit out. “I’m trying to figure out the course of action. I have no way of predicting how my father will react in this situation. I don’t know what he’s going to do.”
“Would he hurt Nate?” Xander asks.
“No. He would never. Nate is his grandson. Family’s the most important thing to us. I’m more worried he’ll insist on seeing him. I’m not ready for Nate to meet my Papa. He can be a proud man, brash as well. And right now, I’m sure he’s very angry. I don’t want Nate anywhere near him.”
“Damn right,” Xander mutters. “I’d rather my son stays far away from him if I’m being honest.”
That gives me pause. “Xander, he’s still Nates’ grandfather. Eventually, maybe not soon, but eventually, he’s going to meet his grandson.”
“Your father’s a criminal and murderer.”
“So am I,” I counter. “In case you’ve forgotten, I come from a family of those. I’ve also killed people. I run a crime syndicate.”
He looks away. “You’re different.”
It hits me then, something I’ve never truly realized. Xander looks at me through rose tinted glasses, he has no idea, how deep the darkness goes. How much it consumes me every day. He might think he does, but he doesn’t.
“No, I’m not,” I say softly. “I’m a product of my upbringing, Xander. That’s never going to change.”
We both fall silent for several seconds. Until he breaks it.
“You think the articles out by now?” he questions.
“Probably. I left my phone in my room.”
“Same. But we should go check it out. I’m sure mine is already blowing up by now.”
I’m sure that’s just an excuse to get away from me. I let him have it.
“Yeah, okay. I need to make some calls too.”
I watch him leave as he walks away, heading up the stairs. Once he’s gone from my sight, I head inside as well. As soon as I open the door to the room, my phone is buzzing. It’s a call from my father, which I immediately ignore, instead choosing to check out the article. The headline jumps out, making my jaw clench.
Heir to Steele Industries and his Sordid Affair with a Mafia Princess.
How unoriginal, I think with distaste. And I’m not a fucking princess anymore. I’m a queen. I skim through the article, my blood heating at the mention of Nate and how he’s alleged to be mine and Xander’s love child. The article is obviously written in a way that it serves as a smear campaign, against both mine and Xander’s reputation. But I never had much of a reputation in the first place. I’m just angry that they’re trying to drag his name through the mud. And I’m so fucking angry that Nate has to be involved as well.
The reports cites several sources who provided him with information on the timeline of our relationship. The names of his sources are redacted of course, but I fully plan on finding each and every person who spoke and make them pay.
I’m still going through the article when my phone buzzes once again. It’s an incoming call from Rico. I pick up immediately. He’s literally the only person I’d be happy to talk to currently.
“Hey, cugino,” I greet.
“Good morning, Katerina. Did you sleep well?” he questions.
I hate sleeping in beds apart from my own. It makes me uncomfortable. It took some tossing and turning last night but I managed to fall asleep eventually.
“I slept okay. What’s the progress report?”
“Well, your Papa has calmed down enough and is waiting for you to come home and explain yourself,” he informs me.
