Page 59 of His Son's Ex

I blink. “Meaning?”

Her brow lifts, a slight smirk on her lips. “I saw the way you clung to Eva at dinner. And how fiercely you defended her when they all tried to undermine her. I may be old, but I’m not blind.”

My chest warms at the mention of Eva. “It’s different this time, Mother.She’sdifferent. You saw for yourself. She’s nothing like Linda.”

She raises a palm. “Oh, I know that. Linda was a conniving, gold-digging nightmare from the start, as I recall. What surprises me is how suspicious you become whenever I mention Eva.”

“Suspicious? I just don’t like having her under a microscope.”

“Mmm-hmm. That’s precisely why I’m suspicious,” she says. “But suspicious in a curious way. She’s bright, she’s composed, and she clearly cares for you. I admire that. Yet she’s very evasive about who she really is.”

I press my lips together. “She’s told me some things. She’s an orphan, her parents were killed when she was young. She’s been working in cybersecurity since she was a teenager—freelancing, hacking, breaking up phishing scams, you name it. But she hasn’t opened up much about anything else.”

My mother’s expression is unreadable. “I defended Eva at the table because I like what I see so far. But something about her still sets off my intuition. You may recall I had a similar intuition with Linda. I warned you, and you ignored me.”

“Because Linda wasn’t half as genuine as Eva.”

She shrugs. “Still, I’m your mother. I reserve the right to be wary. Any woman who enters into this family should do so with eyes wide open and a clear conscience. No secrets.”

I straighten my shoulders. “I won’t let you chase Eva off because of rumors or if she doesn’t pass your tests. She’s not Linda.”

Her gaze holds mine, unwavering. “You sound awfully certain.”

“Iamcertain. She’s smart, kind, determined, and she doesn’t want the spotlight or the money. She’s with me because…” I trail off, not wanting to bare my soul in front of my mother, no matter how close we are.

“Because you fascinate her? Because she wants a piece of your power?”

I scowl. “No. Because we make sense together, in ways I can’t fully explain. She sees the version of me I want to become.”

A brief silence follows. “All right. I believe you. Just remember—even Linda managed to fool you for a time. Don’t be too trusting until that trust is earned.”

Annoyance prickles at the back of my neck. “You were fierce in defending Eva earlier. Now your questioning her motives?”

She waves her hand dismissively. “I can do both, Dante. I defended her because Linda and Sarah were making insipid comments about her body, and I won’t tolerate that. But that doesn’t mean I won’t keep an eye on her until I’m satisfied she is who she claims to be.”

I grind my teeth but hold my tongue.

She rises gracefully, signaling the conversation is nearing an end. “Now, trust me about the Lombardis. Let me talk to them. If that fails, we’ll do it your way. Understood?”

I stand as well, giving a curt nod. “Understood.”

She steps around the desk, stopping in front of me, affection in her eyes. “I want you to succeed, Dante. This is a new age, like you said. I want you to reign over a peaceful kingdom, if that’s even possible.”

Grief rises in my chest as I recall the father and brothers I lost, the nights I spent cleaning blood from my hands. “Thank you.”

She gives me a small smile then turns toward the door. “I suspect you want to get back to your Eva before Linda eats her alive.”

The corners of my mouth twitch in a wry smile. “She can handle Linda. But I’d better get back to keep them from clawing each other’s eyes out.”

“See that you do.” She reaches for the doorknob, pausing to glance back at me. “And Dante… trust your instincts, but don’t let them blind you. Sometimes we see only what we want, not what is.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

CHAPTER 16

EVA

“You must have been so surprised to be invited tonight, Eva,” Linda says smoothly, lifting her wine glass. “I mean, family dinners like these are usually reserved for family only.”