Stardust

Twenty Three

*Aly*

"So?" Stefan pulled out of the long drive, breaking the comfortable silence we'd been in for the past 5 minutes whilst he got sorted and comfortable and started driving.

"So what?"

"What do you think?"

"You want to know what I think? Of your family?"

"Yes."

"I thought tonight was about your family deciding if I was acceptable to be spending time with their son."

"They love you, back to my question."

"They love me?" He grabbed a tighter hold on my thigh, slowly tickling his fingers on my inner thigh until I giggled and he leaned forward. Stefan grabbed my other leg and pulled them over his, gently running his hand up my bare legs softly. "I think your brother and your father and you all share the same giant ego."

"Excuse me, you trashed my ego last month."

"Eh, it's still there a little." He rolled his eyes and I settled my back against the door, watching him closely. "They really like me Stefan? You're not lying or hiding something from me?"

"My dad was about to start planning the wedding."

"Wha-"

"Don't worry. I told him we're not even close to that." I let out a quick breath, calming myself down. "Although-"

"Oh, you're hilarious." Stefan chuckled. "Sadie's nice."

"Sadie hasn't been herself in a while. You're the first person she's spoken to with anything more than a grunt."

"Really?" He nodded. "Well, I'm glad it worked out for you."

"You too."

"I mean I didn't get any-"

"My dad's giving you you're own security team." I blinked. "I'm also having him write up a contract that says you're protected for 200 years, even if it doesn't work out with us. If this whole life isn't what you want Aly, you'll still have the security team keeping you safe."

"You don't think we would work out?"

"No Al, that's not what I'm-"

"That's literally what you just said."

"Aly." He gripped my knee. "Listen, deep breath Darling. Let me explain before you go off okay?"

"Hmph."

"Being with me isn't like being with some normal guy. The media is constantly watching, waiting to rip you to shreds. You've got to remain polite and smile and shake people's hands even if you hate them more than life itself. You are constantly under scrutiny, have to fly all over the place to meet with people to talk about things you don't care about but the family is supposed to so you're supposed to. It's charity work every day of your life and still being told you don't give a damn about anyone else. Most importantly for you, it's giving up the farm."

"Giving up the farm?"

"Yes." He nodded slowly. "You couldn't be seen doing all of the stuff you do there."

"But you were doing it."

"I was causing problems because a girl I liked worked there. I wouldn't be able to do it anymore." I sighed, laying my head back. "So yeah, even if we don't work out and I have to let you go soon, I've made sure you will have a team whose only job is to make sure they don't have a chance at getting close to you and no one else ever threatens your life again."