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Chapter 0315
Chapter 0315
"You were shocked?" Jesse asks, stepping forward, wanting more details.
"Yes!" Luca says, almost shouting in his need to be believed. "She was asking me about the match, and life at the Academy, and then she just dropped the question about my mate in there casual as hell! I think she knew I was going to be shocked - wanted to surprise me! And if you read the way it's written in the article - that I blushed, and stumbled over my words - that was all me having no idea that this was coming!"
Rafe and Jesse just glare, not buying it not yet.
"Do you think I don't know how much this fucks things up for her!?" Luca says, gesturing towards me now and then looking into my face, ignoring my brother and my cousin now, knowing that this is - deep down - about us. "Ariel," he says, stepping forward, though Rafe puts out a hand to stop him from getting to me knowing that my judgment is compromised by physical touch with my mates.
Luca glares at Rafe for a second but then gives in, dropping his hand and looking at me again. "Ariel, I would never do that to you," he says, pressing his hands to his heart and willing me to believe him. "I know that this is not my story alone - that you have a right to hold your secrets, and that you live a very private life on purpose! You have to believe me."
And as Luca stares at me with his big brown eyes, passing all his love and carnestness and truth down the bond to me - I believe him. I do, instantly. There's just...no room for deception here - he's too raw, too open.
"Okay," I say, my voice breaking a little as I step forward, reaching for him. Rafe drops his hand and Luca groans aloud as I dart to him, wrapping my arms around his waist as he gathers me close. "Okay, Luca," I whisper. "I believe you."
Jesse sighs, believing my belief in Luca, but still not finished here. "Why didn't you deny it, Luca?" he snaps, still mad. "That would have fixed a lot -"
"You can't lie to the press, Jesse," Luca says, frowning at him. I loosen my arms around him a little so that I can look to see Jesse's expression, but I don't let Luca go. "The best you can say is no comment, but you can't lie - if it ever comes out one day that Ariel is my mate then they have me on record as a liar, and you can't get away from that "
"Well then why didn't you say no comment?" Rafe asks, folding his arms and still frowning at my mate, I think pleased to know that our friend didn't betray us but still unhappy with the whole situation.Content © copyrighted by NôvelDrama.Org.
"I basically did!" Luca says, his voice raising again in self-defense. "I just said a lot of noncommittal things about how Ariel's a lovely girl and how my love life is private - I thought that was all better than a cheeky, blushy 'no comment,' which just sounds staged!"
"It makes sense, Rafe," I say softly, wanting to come to my mate's defense. Because if he didn't do this, then he's on our side and doesn't deserve to be interrogated anymore. But if he didn't do it...
I see the same question forming on Rafe's tongue, but before he can ask it, there's a soft cry from the kitchen and then the door bursts open, a blur of grey and blue dashing through it.
"Principe!"
The tiny figure dashes immediately for Rafe, shouting his name in desperate tones, sounding almost as if she's crying. And then suddenly Luca's Gran has her arms around Rafe's waist, squeezing him tight as she shouts his name and his title over and over, her eyes pressed shut with little tears at the corners.
Rafe stumbles back, a little shocked, and Luca groans, reaching for her, but I hold him back, letting her have her hug. Jesse grins, a little delighted, and Rafe glances around at us for a second before lowering his arms and patting Gran warmly on the back.
"Principe Rafe!" Gran cries, clearly having the best moment of her life. "Mio preferito!"
I have a very, very hard time keeping the smile from my face as I watch her meet her idol.
But my smile falls immediately as Luca's mom comes back into the room with a tray of iced tea, followed closely by his uncle. And Luca's uncle looks stern as hell, and ready for battle.
Which can only mean...one thing.