His three rules

Chapter 15

"Okay, that was fun, but we can't let Dante see us getting along or he'll never forgive me," I said drying off as we walked inside for dinner.

"Deal. I'll dislike you all night." George answered with a wink as I internally sighed a breath of relief.

It wasn't that I purposefully wanted to hide things from Dante. But I also wanted to make my own judgements about a person and George really wasn't that bad. I knew Dante wouldn't see it that way so I wanted to keep business and pleasure separate.

"Did you swim together?" Dante asked from the table as I sat down next to him quickly giving George a worried look.

"Uh...not exactly." I started, trying to think of something to say.

"I pushed her in," George interjected.

"You what!?" Dante exclaimed jumping to his feet ready to hit George, as I placed my hand on Dante's elbow trying to get him to sit back down.

"It was nothing. I'm fine." I added trying to ease the tension.

When I said I didn't want Dante to know we were trying to be friends, I didn't mean that I wanted Dante to kill George before we could even try.

"It's not fine Sophia, he pushed you in !" I could tell Dante was growing upset by the minute as I had to think quickly on my feet about how to resolve it.

"Well, I handled it. Okay?"

"How ?" Dante asked almost in disbelief as he raised his left brow at me waiting for an explanation.

"She hit me. And I fell backwards hitting my head on the potted plant. See, here's the mark." George explained, showing Dante the mark with dried blood at the nape of his neck.

"Well, then I'm glad you can hold your own," Dante replied more calmly sitting back down.

It wasn't a total lie, I mean, George did fall and hit his head on the potted plant causing the cut. But he slipped on the water, I didn't hit him.

The rest of the dinner was pretty awkward after that. No one said a word or even dared to try. It was like Dante cast this heavy shadowing presence over everything he touched and everywhere he went. How he and George came from the same bloodline, was a mystery to me.

After dinner, I watched as Dante pushed his chair out and started walking up the stairs before stopping midway.

"You coming ?" He asked as he looked at me making me display a confused look.

"Uhm, yeah," I answered reluctantly as I followed him up the stairs and further away from George's hearing.

"We have to maintain a united front. No one except you, me, and the staff can know we live separate lives. " Dante clarified as I only listened. "As far as my father and the rest of the family and company know, we have a completely normal marriage. Do you understand Sophia?"

I nod my head acknowledging that I understood as I couldn't help but ask one question. "But you barely display any affection towards me in front of George. How is that normal?"

I watched as he sighed and turned to face me. "That's because, in our family, that is considered normal. You don't show affection in front of family. It indicates that you are substandard and wanting."

I had never heard such a thing before. To me, it sounded absurd and quite frankly, a little stupid. But, I also knew better by now than to question Dante so I agreed. "So what do you need me to do then?" I asked as we continued walking down the hall.

"While George is here, I need you to sleep in my bedroom?"

My jaw nearly dropped.

"But, what about rule number 1?" I asked as he stopped in front of his bedroom door.

"Don't be daft Sophia. You'll be sleeping in my bed and I'll take the couch. We'll still be living separate lives. This doesn't change anything. Consider this merely an...extension to rule number 1. "

"An extension? I don't think I understand." I replied as I watched him pinch the bridge of his nose clearly growing frustrated.

"I just explained to you that no one can know that we live separate lives lives. And that means sleeping in the same room. Sleeping being the disingenuous word in that sentence. So, against my wishes and better judgment, I am allowing the temporary suspension of rule number 1 for the duration of my cousin's stay."

I nod my head indicating that I understood, although I still found it to be an absurd agreement. But then again, this whole marriage was an absurd agreement so it was nothing new.

I watched as he lifted his hand towards the doorknob, slowly turning it almost seemingly in slow motion before he turned to me one last time saying;

"Don't get any ideas."