Page 58 of Incognito

Natasha stared at Gina as if she’d lost her mind. “I can’t. I put myself on the line with your brother once, he didn’t want me. End of story.”

“That’s what you think,” Gina said, leaping up from the chair as if she’d sat on an anthill. “I was wrong about you. You weren’t a last fling for my brother, you’re the only woman he wants.”

Natasha shook her head, formulating another argument to convince Gina that she’d lost her mind. However, she never had a chance, as Gina bent to give her a quick hug, muttered “I’ll be in touch” and stormed away before she could say another word.

This can’t be happening, Natasha thought, while a glimmer of an idea flickered in the far recesses of her brain.

The news she had to tell her dad involved a break. A much needed break from the hotel, a little R and R, a chance to regroup her thoughts, heal her heart.

She planned on taking a vacation. Somewhere warm, remote, secluded, with little interference from the outside world, a small island perhaps?

An island like Calida?

No. Gina had messed with her head. She had no intention of visiting Calida now or ever.

If her self esteem had taken a battering with Clay, it had fractured forever with Dante. She didn’t need him reinforcing how he didn’t find her appealing, how much she’d misinterpreted their situation. She may be many things, a masochist wasn’t one of them.

Her plan was simple. Now that her dad had returned, she could take a well-earned break and figure out where her life was heading. She’d invested most of her life in the hotel and recently, the dazzle had worn off.

Whether the lure of the unobtainable fairytale or meeting an incredible guy like Dante had tainted her view, she knew it was time to take stock.

And banish thoughts of a blue-eyed sexy prince from her mind forever.

31

“You’ve been avoiding me.” Gina jabbed her finger at the computer screen and scowled, her brows drawn together in a deep frown.

Dante sat behind his desk, accustomed to facing pushy dignitaries and demanding world leaders via video calls, but he rarely faced an irate Gina.

His sister looked mad enough to jump on a plane and return to Calida, something he’d considered an impossibility until now.

“I haven’t been avoiding you,” he said. “I didn’t have time to say goodbye in Melbourne due to urgent business, and I’ve been extremely busy since I returned home.”

“Liar,” she said, her black eyes flashing with disgust. “You were never adept at telling lies.”

“A good thing, I would suggest.” He sat back and folded his arms, wishing he didn’t react so defensively around her.

He’d always been like this with his younger sister: vacillating between condescending and superior, firm and in charge. He couldn’t help it. Once his father died, he’d become the man of the family; his mother had seen to that.

In a way, he felt like he’d failed Gina in not protecting her better from her disastrous marriage, in not inducting her tothe beauties of their homeland. Maybe if he’d done a better job looking after his sister, she wouldn’t have done absolutely anything—including marrying the wrong man—to escape Calida.

“Cut the smug act, big brother. I need to discuss something important with you.”

He sat forward, concerned. “Are you all right? Is Paolo all right?”

Had he been so wrapped up in his misery he’d missed the signs that his sister could be in trouble?

“We’re fine, though we’re both hurting from you running out on us without saying goodbye.”

Dante flinched as if she’d reached through the screen and struck him. He’d hated leaving without farewelling his family, especially when he specifically travelled to Melbourne to rebuild bridges with his sister.

But he couldn’t face her after the debacle with Natasha, couldn’t face her inevitable probing, her bossy brand of curiosity, so he’d taken the easy way out and withdrawn into official duties.

For Gina to talk about emotions, he must’ve hurt her beyond belief. His super confident sister never mentioned feelings, let alone hers.

“I’m sorry. I had a lot on my mind.”

“I know.” Gina pursed her lips in disapproval. “I visited her. Twice.”

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