The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy
Chapter 0302

Chapter 0302

We walk slowly to the front porch, murmuring our plans for tomorrow. His family lets me go with afew calls of goodbye, but without much fuss. I’m warmed by this – by the casual goodbye of familymembers who know they’ll see you soon, and so don’t need to make a big deal out of it. As we steponto the front porch though, Luca’s grandmother calls him back, saying something in swift Itablio.

Luca sighs, hesitating but stepping away from me. “She wants you to take a slice of cake to Rafe -is that all right? I know it’s ridiculous, but –“

“Of course I will,” I say, laughing and pushing him towards her. “I’ll call Captain Conner – you get thecake.” Luca nods, smiling his dazzling smile at me, and then he steps back into the house with hisGran. I make a quick call to Conner, who let’s me know he’s just around the corner and will bring thecar up.

I sigh happily, looking down the dark street, but I jump slightly when a shadow detaches itself fromthe corner of the porch and steps forward towards me. “Did you enjoy yourself tonight, miss Ariel?”

I press a hand to my heart, laughing a little at how skittish I am when I see that it’s just Luca’s uncle,who was out here enjoying a quiet cigarette. “Yes,” I say, nodding when I get some of myequanimity back. “Your family is lovely – thank you so much for making me feel so warm andwelcome.”

“You are very welcome here,” Bruce says, nodding evenly to me, and I can tell that he means it bythe serious way he says it. “You’re family now, and I’m glad we’ve let you know that. Even if I didn’tthink the party was a good idea.”

My face falls a little. “You didn’t?”

Bruce glances at me for a moment, perhaps takes in my crestfallen expression. “It’s nothing aboutyou, miss – you’ve been nothing but a lady tonight, and I’m grateful for it. Some of the girls that boy

brought home,” he shakes his head contemplatively here, “…they were a mess. But you did verywell. Still – I told him to hold off introducing you until after the fight – to just concentrate on whatneeded to be done. But he insisted.” Bruce shrugs, like Luca’s a problem he can’t quite solve andhas resigned himself to that fate. “And his mother and his gran indulged him, like they always do.”

“I’m sorry,” I say, shaking my head and feeling guilty – because as lovely as tonight was, perhapsBruce is right. Luca should already be in bed, he should be thinking about the fight tomorrow, notme. It is a big deal to be boxing against the Atalaxian champion and…well. This party could havewaited, couldn’t it?

“I should have thought of that,” I murmur, dropping my head to look at the wood of the porch.

“Well, perhaps you should have,” Bruce murmurs, and I raise my head to look at him, my eyebrowsraised. Because I meant it – I should have thought of Luca’s responsibilities, should haveencouraged him to delay the party. But…I didn’t really expect Bruce to agree with me.

He looks at me evenly now, assessing me, his mouth pressed to a thin line.

“Do you mind, miss?” he says quietly, seriously. “If I say something true to you, that you might notwant to hear?”

Anxious, but wanting to know, I nod.

Bruce nods quickly and then looks away into the dark. “Luca is a talented boy – ambitious,hardworking, and he’s got a left hook like I’ve never seen. But his emotions run high – and he letsthem. He’s got a temper, which I’m sure you’ve seen –“

He glances at me and I eagerly nod my confirmation, which makes him smirk fondly and shake hishead.

“The temper’s just the start of it, though. He lets his emotions run him, sometimes, gets his damnheart into something and can’t quit it even when it’s not good for him. Or he quits something goodbecause he got his feelings hurt. That’s why I say he’s been a damned fool with women – datesthem all, loves some who treat him like crap, breaks up with others over the pettiest nonsense. Buthe lets it run him, lets it wreck him. He likes the intensity of it, I think – and that love for thrill andpassion makes him a good boxer but…” he sighs, shaking his head, lost a bit in his thoughts. “It’snot always wonderful for his career.”

I turn my head to the side, suddenly confused because…

Is Luca’s uncle suggesting, right now, that him being mated to me is bad for Luca’s career!?