Page 59 of Incognito

He leaned forward and peered at the screen. “I beg your pardon?”

Gina smiled, the same cheeky smile he’d seen a thousand times while growing up; when she’d put snails in his bed, when she’d snatched the last sweet cannelloni off his plate, and when she’d fed his algebra to a goat.

“Since you had trouble hearing me the first time, I’ll say it again.” She paused for emphasis. “I’ve seen Natasha, yourfriend, twice.”

His heart flipped at hearing Natasha’s name, his mind a kaleidoscope of images; of her, and the special time they spent together in a city far away.

“Why would you do something like that? You don’t even know her.”

“So she keeps telling me.” Gina rolled her eyes. “She’s as stubborn as you, that one. You’re a match made in heaven.”

“You didn’t answer my question,” he said, ignoring the stab of pain lancing his soul.

Perhaps they could’ve been a good match, if only Natasha had been honest with him and he was a different man; a man without a royal title, who wasn’t heir to a throne.

“I’m doing this because I want you to be happy,” she said, her voice lowering unexpectedly as she huffed out a breath. “And also, because I don’t want you making the same mistakes I did.”

Damn it, they should be having this talk face to face, not via a screen. He’d screwed up with his sister, again.

“Are you sure you want to talk about this?”

Gina nodded, her dark curls bouncing around her face. “Don’t you think we’ve avoided it for too long?”

They had, but Dante wasn’t in a good headspace, what with still missing Natasha, his vacillating moods, and coming to terms with impending royal duties that would escalate once crowned.

After a long moment, he finally nodded. “You know I love you, right?”

Her bittersweet smile spoke volumes. “Yes, but you also resent me. You always have.”

An instant rebuttal sprung to his lips and he swallowed it. As much as it pained him to admit it, she was right, and he’d fostered this latent animosity long enough.

“I envy your freedom, and your ability to take charge of your destiny,” he said, hating how petty he sounded, but feeling like a weight had slipped off his shoulders for admitting it.

“Even when I made a mess of things?”

“At least it was your choice to make.” He shrugged. “I may have come across as the disapproving brother, but that’s only because of my inadequacies for not protecting you better. Besides, you’re happy now?”

Gina’s genuine smile warmed his heart better than any confession. “I love Melbourne. Don’t tell Mother, but I’m proud to be Calidian, and I miss home at times, though I wouldn’t trade my current life for the world.” She paused. “Or a crown.”

“Don’t get carried away. I may envy you your freedom, but my duty is important to me. It’s what I’ve grown up with, it’s what I know, and I’d never let my country down.”

“But what about you?”

Her whisper slammed into his conscience, resurrecting similar questions he’d asked himself but successfully buried when he put his interlude with Natasha behind him.

“I am content,” he said, hating how hollow his forced statement sounded.

His sister finally sounded at peace and they’d broached their feelings; the last thing he wanted to do was laden her with his problems.

“Content is not happy,” she murmured, pity in her eyes. “Content does not recognise love. Content does not keep you warm at night or stand by your side while you rule.”

“Leave it alone, Gina.”

He had, leaving his brief taste of true happiness behind when he closed his heart to the one woman who made him dream about possibilities and a future.

Gina smiled and waggled her finger at him. “What sort of a caring sister would I be if I left you to your own devices?”

She chuckled. “What I wanted to say before we got all sentimental? Natasha is in love with you, so whatever is keeping you apart, get over it and make yourself happy for once. Calida will always be there, the crown will always be yours, but you’re one shot at true love may not wait around, so don’t screw it up.”

---