Page 93 of Ruled By Wizard

“So, there’s nothing going on between you and Wizard?”

Natalia lowered her gaze beneath his perceptive stare. “No.”

“Don’t lie to me, sis.”

“There are no emotional ties between us.” She picked up a pen and began twirling it between her fingers.

“I wonder if Wizard would say the same.”

“He definitely would.”

Rocco rose and rounded the desk. Reaching out, he lifted her chin so she couldn’t avoid his gaze. “Just between us, what are your real feelings for Wizard?”

Her composure cracked. “I might be a little bit in love with him,” she admitted.

Dropping his hand, he leaned back against her desk. “I thought so. With all the backlash going on, I’ve been tracking your location on my phone. You’ve been spending a lot of time with him.”

“I should never have tried to help Marco and Lucia. I would never have become involved with Wizard if I hadn’t.”

“I’ve warned you about getting tangled up in Marco’s love life. You coddle the boy too much.”

“His father is too hard on him. I feel bad for him.”

“A man has to learn to stand on his own two feet. Hiding behind you is never going to teach him to stand up to him.”

Talking about Marco’s father brought her own to mind.

“Has Rafael said anything about what’s happening online?”

“No. He knows I won’t discuss anything concerning your life.”

“That doesn’t mean he doesn’t know.”

Rocco nodded. “It means he won’t interfere, which is what we both want.”

“Only because of you,” she said sadly.

The only reason she had gone into the restaurant business was because of Rocco. It had been his dream from the start.

“Walk away,” she begged him for the thousandth time.

Rocco straightened from the desk. “I told you, it’s too late.”

Natalia grabbed his wrist before he could move away. “Rafael doesn’t give a damn about me. He never has. He uses your fear for me to control you.”

He stared down at her, his face devoid of emotion. “Have you forgotten the beatings he let our cousins give you when we visited him? They only stopped after I agreed to become a member of the family.”

No, she hadn’t forgotten. She never would.

During her visits to her father, she was constantly sent to play games or spend time with her cousins. Inevitably, she returned bruised from the rough games they played or the strenuous activities they forced her to participate in.

“I’m not a child anymore. I can protect myself.”

“Yes, you can.” His smile of satisfaction was so brief she would have missed it if she hadn’t been staring at him. “But that doesn’t mean you would win against Rafael. We’re both useful to him. He wants me to take over when he’s ready to step down, so I’m more valuable. You’re useful because he can use you to keep me in the family organization, or marry you into another family that wants a more legitimate alliance.”

“I would never let him—”

“You wouldn’t be given a choice.” Rocco gave her a grim smile. “Relax, sis. It isn’t all bad. One day, he’ll step down, and I’ll take his place.”