Be My Princess (FanFiction): Summer in Altaria

Chapter 28

"We'll speak later," My brother said in a harsh tone as Roberto and I got into the limousine.

Roberto looked at me and mouthed, "I'm sorry."

All I did was shrug.

There really wasn't anything that I could do. I mean, I knew my brother would be mad for Roberto and I disappearing for a couple of hours. This was to be expected.

Except for my brother waiting to lecture me. Usually, he would love to lecture me in front of other people-- to get the point across.

Also, it terrified me even more. I would rather have him lecture me in front of everyone rather than alone.

When we reached Villa Altaria, I was almost scared to leave the limousine. Almost, but not quite. I wasn't that afraid of my brother.

I probably should be, but I wasn't.

Not entirely.

"We'll be inside in a second," Joshua said to Roberto as he stopped me from entering Villa Altaria.

I gulped as my heart pounded in my chest.

Roberto was about to say something, but the look Joshua had on his face-- it shut him up before he could say anything.

When Roberto and Alberto went inside, my brother and I stood in silence. Jan was a few feet away, out of earshot but still in view.

My brother didn't look at me when he began to question me.

"Whose idea was to leave the Villa, Katerina?" He demanded in a strict tone.

"R-Roberto's," I answered immediately in a small voice.

"Did you dare try to stop him from bringing you along?"

I nodded stiffly.

Barely. "Yes."

Joshua sighed as he scratched the back of his head irritably.

"Where did you two go exactly?"

"Why does it matter--"

"It just does!" He cut me off as he finally looked at me. "There could have been paparazzi following you two. Knowing Roberto, he wouldn't have had noticed them until they began to take pictures."

Nervously, I squirmed uncomfortably where I stood.

Goodness, I felt like I was five-years-old rather than twenty-years-old.

"Did paparazzi follow you two?" He asked when I hadn't said anything.

I looked down at my feet then, still not saying anything.

My brother took that as a "yes".

"Did they take pictures?" He said in a cautious tone.

Again, I didn't answer.

"Damn it, Katerina!" My brother yelled ferociously.

"I'm sorry!" I yelled back as tears welled in my eyes.

"Are you?" He took hold of my chin roughly in his hand, forcing me to look at him. "When those pictures get out-- you will never see the light of day! Father will keep you inside the Manor until you're married."

"I think you're being just a little melodramatic now," I said as I blinked back tears. "Father would never do that."

He just wouldn't.

Not with Roberto, at least. Since, he might-- sort of-- think that I like Roberto, which is true. In a way.

I mean, we almost had our first kiss just a half hour ago.