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“Mum would fucking kill me if anything happened to you.”

Antoni elbowed me in the ribs and I finally softened, rolling my eyes.

It was true.

Mum had never been subtle about her favourite children, which just so happened to be me and Antoni.

I was the Princess and he was the Golden Boy.

Well, Toni kind of lost his position as Mum’s favourite child when he decided to marry the stripper-assassin who tried to kill him—but can you blame her?

“So, even though I know you’re going to bitch and complain, just know that I’m doing this for your own good, okay?”

I raised an eyebrow and pursed my lips.

“What?”

“Theo,” Toni called, and the rookie opened the door and stuck his eager head inside.

“Yes, boss?” he stepped closer as Toni waved him forward.

“Zarina, this is Theo. He’s going to be… looking after you for a while.”

I closed my eyes. “A fucking bodyguard, Tone?”

“Just until everything settles down a bit. This whole encounter could be harmless. Who knows? But I need to make sure before I just let you run around Melbourne unprotected.”

“So, I only need to take him when I go out, right?”

No answer from Toni.

“Here too? Are you fucking kidding?” I snapped.

“This is where they know you will be most of the time. This is your predictable touch point for them. Here, especially, Theo will be hanging around.”

“You won’t even know that I’m here,” Theo smiled down at me.

I tilted my head to the side and regarded him for a moment. He was handsome, I supposed. Probably my age, maybe a tad older.

Typically tall, dark, and handsome.

Definitely Italian.

“I think I will,” I smirked, softening a little.

He narrowed his eyes at me slightly, the boyish smile fading as he caught on to my tone change. At least he was okay to look at if he was going to be around constantly.

“Stop it,” Toni snapped at both of us.

Theo straightened and turned his attention back to Antoni, but I didn’t. I kept looking at him, and I knew he could feel my gaze on him.

“Zarina.”

“What?” I said like an annoyed teenager.

I hated when he said my name like he was my father. Like he was chastising his child who was acting out.

“You know exactlywhat,” he said flatly, gesturing with his chin that Theo was now dismissed.