Dad touched my cheek. 揑抣l protect you at any cost.?
揑 know, but I抣l be safe.?
揈ven if I let you attend the program for a while, you can抰 begin this fall. We agreed to have your engagement party right after your birthday. The program will already have started then.?
I bit my lip. My engagement party?I kept forgetting about it. Only three months. 揑 could come over from Paris for it.?
Dad shook his head. 揗any social gatherings will require your presence around the time of your engagement. You can start in the Spring.?
揙kay,?I said quietly, trying not to be too disappointed. Dad even considering Paris at all was already a major win. 揃ut I was accepted for the Fall semester. I don抰 know if they let me start later.?
揑抣l handle it. We have a few contacts in France. I抦 sure there抯 something we can do. Three months is too little time to find you a safe apartment in Paris anyway. It requires plenty of planning so spring is more feasible.?
揝o I can go, after your birthday??I asked, trying to put Dad on the spot. He raised a blond brow, seeing right through me.
揑抣l talk to Santino. If he thinks he can keep you safe in Paris, I might consider letting you go in February until next summer. After that, I抣l have to decide again.?
I stood on my tiptoes and threw my arms around Dad抯 neck then kissed his cheek, which was as usually impeccably shaved. I抎 never seen Dad with stubble. 揟hank you so much, Dad!?
揑 haven抰 said yes yet.?
I grinned and darted out. The moment I was in the hallway, determination filled me. Santino would never tell Dad that he could protect me in Paris. Not because he doubted his abilities, but because he didn抰 want to go to Paris with me. He抎 kept his distance since our kiss a few days ago.
I had to talk to him before he talked to Dad. I headed toward the guardhouse and Santino crossed my way, already on his way to talk to Dad.
I grabbed his arm. He looked down at my fingers with disdain. 揥hat are you doing??
揧ou have to tell my father that you抣l protect me in Paris and that you抮e confident you can protect me.?
His eyes reflected his confusion. 揥hat are you talking about??
I explained the situation to him in a rush. We didn抰 have any time to waste.
揝o let me get this straight,?he drawled. 揧ou want me to go to France and protect you there, 24/7. For three fucking years.?
揑t抯 probably only going to be until the summer. Six months tops. Dad won抰 allow me to stay abroad for longer.?
Santino gave me a look that suggested I was full of shit. 揊rance. And babysitting you 24/7. That抯 a big fat no.?
揧ou have to say yes.?
揘o.?
He shook off my grip and strode away. I hurried after him and caught him in the hallway to Dad抯 office. 揇o you want Dad to find out about Mrs. Alfera and the kiss we just shared??
Santino抯 eyes flashed with disbelief, then fury. 揂re you trying to blackmail me??
揑 wouldn抰 have to blackmail you if you抎 care about my feelings.?
揑 protect your body, not your feelings.?
揗aybe you should do both.?
His jaw flexed. He was majorly pissed. 揝o let me get this straight, you抣l snitch on me if I don抰 tell your daddy that I抣l gladly keep your ass safe in Paris??
揂nd that you抮e very confident you抣l be able to keep my safe.?
If looks could kill, I抎 be ashes. I抎 managed to piss Santino off before, but I don抰 think I抎 ever seen him look this angry.
Santino stalked toward Dad抯 office without another word and knocked before I could say more. I quickly hurried away so Dad wouldn抰 see me. Now I had to hope that Santino would do as I asked. Any sane person would lie to save their life. But Santino sometimes acted like a lunatic.
I waited anxiously in my room. I didn抰 want to barge into Dad抯 office too soon. But the longer the wait took, the harder it got to stay put.
A knock sounded and I practically flew toward the door and ripped it open.
Mom stood in the hallway. 揅an I come in??
Her face was unreadable, which made my heart sink. I would probably cry if Paris didn抰 work out. It seemed my only chance to live my dreams until marriage would crush them.
I stepped back. 揙f course.?
Mom walked in and sank down on my sofa. I sat beside her. 揂nd??I asked, unable to hold back any longer.
揧our dad had a long conversation with Santino.?
I nodded, ready to burst.
揝antino convinced your dad that he can protect you in Paris, so your father and I will allow you to start your fashion design studies棓
I screeched and threw my arms around Mom抯 neck. Mom laughed and patted my arm.
揕et me finish,?she pressed out, obviously struggling to breathe because of my tight hug.