20. Enzo
Enzo
20
Albert’s word is as good as law. So, when he decides that Christina will be returning to Millerton University and we will be accompanying her, that’s all there is to it. Her safety is our utmost importance.
Not that either of us needs the direction. We’ll be her fucking attack dogs.
I’d rather pick out my own eyeballs than willingly let Christina go somewhere unprotected.
It’s not that Millerton is particularly dangerous. It probably has enough security to keep her safe.
But as long as I’m still breathing, her safety will be my number one priority.
“I think you’ll like it here,” I say to her.
“I hope so,” she mumbles beneath her breath.
“I know it’s not what you imagined,” I say, acknowledging her sad expression. “But you’ll be okay.”
I know that she feels as if she doesn’t have friends anymore. I glance over at her. She hasn’t said anything, but it would make sense that she’s missing her friend Julie or Julia or whatever it was.
I want to take her hand in mine and squeeze it, but I’m trying to give her space to adjust.
I walk with Christina to the registrar’s office. Nico carries her bag, striding along right next to me.
“You think I’ll be safe here?” She asks.
“Of course.” I smile down at her.
Albert pulled us aside this morning and emphasized the importance of keeping her safe. I don’t know what has him worried. Someone would have to have a hefty set of balls to pick on her while she’s under our protection.
Still.
“You let us know if you need anything, okay?” I say, gripping her by the arms outside the office.
She nods her head, giving us a tight smile as she holds out her hand for her bag.
Nico narrows his eyes, and she responds by putting her hands on her hips.
I grin. I love when she gets an attitude.
And goddamn, she looks edible in her little schoolgirl uniform.
“You can’t babysit me, Nico,” she says. “Hand it over.”
He looks like he might argue the point, but luckily one of the student aides steps outside and she quickly darts forward and catches the door. She snatches her bag’s strap from Nico’s hand and turns away from us.
“If you need us, we’re only a text away,” I say to her, winking, before turning away.
I relax a little when I hear the door close.
“She’ll be all right,” I say to Nico. She will, I think. She’s safe here, within the school.
“I know, but it doesn’t change the fact that I don’t like to be away from her.”
We turn the corner to the student lounge; the room is already full by the time we step inside.
Albert’s influence and our connections with various members of the faculty make it easy for us to move around campus. It shouldn’t be a problem at all for us to follow Christina around and audit all of her classes.
“I get it,” I say, quietly. No one is paying attention to us, but I still speak quietly enough to prevent people from looking in our direction. Just because everyone knows who we are, does not mean I want an audience.
“I think Albert’s got a point. She just needs some space, some time to adjust. To feel like herself.”
“I guess.” Nico stares at his phone.
The minutes drag by and I can’t stop thinking about Christina. Is she settling in okay? Does she like her professor? Is she going to be happy here?
By the time her morning classes are over, I’m desperate to see her. She texts us like a good girl and lets us know that she’s headed to the cafeteria. We both get up and hurry towards her.
As soon as we make it to the cafeteria, I’m scanning the room – looking for her.
I finally find her near the drink station… talking to fucking Jimmy. The predatory asshole.
“Why is he always fucking talking to her?” I growl.
“I don’t know, but we need to break that shit up,” Nico says.
As we walk over to her, I can start to make out what she’s saying. Something about Antonia being rude to her.
“I just don’t get it, why does she hate me so much?” Christina asks Jimmy.
Jimmy’s mouth opens as he’s about to respond but closes when he sees us. He frowns.
“Need us to save you, princess?” I ask, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and kissing her head.
She grins up at me, eyes shining.
“Hi,” she says, leaning into my lips.
I squeeze her tighter, kissing the top of her head again. She smells so good. If I didn’t think Albert would find out, I’d force her to skip the rest of her classes and take her back home to bed.
“You can go now,” Nico says to Jimmy.
Jimmy leaves, but not before rolling his eyes.
“I’ll catch you later, Christina,” he says as he turns around.
The fuck he will.
“How’s your first day back going?” Nico asks.
“Ugh,” she groans. “I have so much to make up – it’s overwhelming. I’m going to need to do extra tutoring just to have a chance at passing my finals.”
“That good, huh?”
“It was until you guys left me.” She looks over her shoulder, frowning at the group of girls that walk past, their laughter carrying after them. Several of them look at her and point, laughing harder. What the fuck is that about?
“So, Antonia goes here too, I guess,” she says, mournfully. “She’s been hard at work spreading rumors about me and I guess people believe her.”
“They’re just jealous,” Nico says.
“Oh yeah? Jealous of what?”
“Of this.” Nico leans in and kisses her deeply.
She freezes for a second before leaning into him, throwing her arms around him and kissing him back.
This is a big deal. It’s a public claiming of her. I feel a surge of protectiveness fill me.
“What are you doing?” She asks, breathlessly, when Nico pulls back.
“Claiming you,” Nico responds, huskily.
Christina’s face is so expressive. I watch as she looks unsure, before her eyes light up and a smile breaks across her face.
Those little words have made all the difference in the way she presents herself. She’s visibly less tense. I can feel the warmth that spreads between us.
I hate the thought that anyone made her feel as if she doesn’t belong, or like she doesn’t fit in.
Her eyes are still shining as she pulls away and looks from Nico to me. I can’t stand another minute of having the world not know that she belongs to me too.
I pull her by the hand and bring her body against mine, kissing her deeply.
Her legs give out beneath her so I hold her tighter against me. I can hear the hum of the other students whispering about us.
“We’re making things official,” I say.
She flushes as I hear people walk past us.
“You’re our girlfriend,” I say, loud enough for anyone to hear. “It’s time everyone knows how we feel about you.”
When it’s time for her to go to her next class, I see the flash of disappointment cross her face.
I wrap my arm around her waist, and Nico does the same around her shoulder.
“Come on,” he says, “We’ll walk you to class so you don’t have to be without us too long.”
She gives us a cute little wave when she disappears into the lecture hall and I turn to Enzo.
This is a 2-hour class for her and we need to catch up on some of our work duties. I spy an empty table at the end of the hall and head towards it, texting Alec where to meet us.
It takes him about ten minutes, but soon he’s ambling towards us.
“Where have you been?” I ask.
“Researching an answer to our little problem,” he says.
Nico nods. “You find anything?”
Alec frowns. “Not really.” He shoves his hands into his pockets. “Giovanni told me to stay out of it.” The wrinkle between his brows deepens. “Says to focus on our own business.”
Well, that’s irritating as fuck. Everything this family does is our business. Fuck Giovanni.
We sit at the little table and lean in, mindful of any lurking passersby that could hear us.
“What do you make of that?” Nico asks, crossing his arms against his chest.
“I don’t know,” Alec says. “But I don’t like it. I don’t like it one bit.”
We both nod.
There’s something going on and I need answers. Especially if it concerns Christina. This is getting insane.