THE ART OF DISOBEYING DAMIEN LUCA.

ANASTASIA. 

Sebastian is quite attractive in a model-like way, with his piercing turquoise eyes, light hair, and fit physique. It’s one of the reasons why magazines love putting him on their covers. That and his shrewd ways in the law “circuit. 

“Ana! Did you bring us some of your cookies?”

      

“Yeah.” I grin, waving my bribes box. “I stayed up all night making them.”

      

“You’re such a sweetheart.” Sebastian takes the box, opens it, but pauses before eating. “Sorry about your Dad. That must be hard.”

      

“I’m fine.” Totally. Like I’m not on the verge of mentally collapsing or anything. Like I’m not on the verge of breaking down. 

      

But I’ve always thought saying I’m fine, even when I’m not, works. At least people will leave me alone, and I don’t have to be the subject of their pity.

      

“What are you doing here?” Sebastian asks. “For Damien?”

      

“Nope.”

      

“Then?” It’s Christian who asks, staring at me over the rim of his cup. I don’t know if it has something to do with the fact that he deals with many dangerous criminals, but he has a gaze that could make a sinner confess his deepest, darkest secrets.

      

Which contradicts his Prince Charming image. But then again, Dad always said Christian was never the Prince Charming type. He just gives off those vibes.

      

“I want to intern here this summer.”

      

There’s a brief silence, and I’m tempted to fill it, but I don’t. I shouldn’t ramble in a professional setting. These men aren’t Dad’s colleagues anymore. They’re lawyers I need to impress.

      

“What did Damien say?” Liam asks. I know he didn’t tell them about the wedding, but he knows, and that means he’ll constantly refer back to him. Damien is his uncle, after all.

     

“He doesn’t know.” I pause. “Technically, he refused.”

      

“Technically?” Sebastian grins, and that causes his cheeks to crease with gorgeous dimples. “Tell us more.”

      

“Damien doesn’t think I should intern, but that doesn’t make sense, right? I’m taking pre-law and need the experience to apply for law school, so I can’t just do nothing during the summer.”

      

“You can.” Christian grabs a cookie and rotates it between his fingers, but doesn’t take a bite. “Seb and I didn’t do any pre-law internships, and we’re doing just fine.”

      

“That’s because you guys are geniuses. I’m not. But I’m a super hard worker and a fast learner, and I’m definitely not lazy, so I can get all sorts of things done.”

      

“Nice.” Liam raises his mug in my direction. “Continue selling yourself that way and it’ll work.”

      

“Listen to our Luca Prince here. He’s worked with enough corporations to know what marketing is,” Christian says, referring to Liam, my husband’s nephew—that’s what they call him, prince, because Damien is his uncle and he’s the king.

      

They called me King Princess, too, when they first met me, but I told them it’s just Ana. Sometimes, it’s hard to live in the shadow of an otherworldly man such as my dad and to be seen as just an extension of him.

      

“Does that mean I’m in?” I ask hopefully.

      

“We don’t personally approve interns, love.” Sebastian snatches his third cookie. “HR does, and we just pick.”

      

“I can’t submit to HR.”

“Why not?”

     

“Damien, right?” Liam asks.

      

“Yeah.” I click my nails. “He’ll know I went against his order, and I’d rather he doesn’t find out until I’m in.”

      

“Now that you mention it, I want to see the look on his face, so we should make this happen. This is so exciting.” Liam grins.

      

“My, Luca Prince. Is this a rebellion?” Sebastian smirks.

      

“You both love it.”

      

“I’m a good fucking citizen.” Sebastian chews his cupcake. “Christian, however…”

      

The latter sips from his coffee, a gleam shining in his eyes. “If we do this, will there be some fun, Liam?”

      

“I can assure you of that.” He gives me a knowing look, and I try my hardest not to blush. “I can’t take you in, though, Ana. I have enough interns for a lifetime. How about you, Seb?”

      “Me, too, I’m afraid. Penelope, however, doesn’t have any interns.”

      

“Not her.” I twist my lips.

      

“Why not?” Christian pushes his mug away and focuses on me. Well, shit. I can’t badmouth a senior partner in front of the lawyer I want to work with the most.

      

“She’s Damien’s friend and she doesn’t like Dad.” I step toward Christian. “So you’re all I’ve got.”

      

“You’re telling me to go against Damien for you, and you know that’s such a bad idea, Ana.”

      

“I know, but I promise to make it up to you with hard work. Criminal law is my passion.”

      

Sebastian grins, shaking his head. “You’re not listening to him, love.”

      

“Huh?”

      

“He said it’s a bad idea.”

      

“Yeah…I know.”

      

Christian stands and smiles down at me, his features becoming hard with the motion. “What you don’t know is that I love bad ideas.”

      

“Does that mean you’re taking me in?”

      

I’m waiting for a nod or a yes to do my happy dance, but Christian goes quiet, and the atmosphere changes from light and playful to completely suffocating.

      

I recognize it so well, as this is what my life has been like for the past couple of weeks. Breathing is a chore, and everything in between is too charged and asphyxiating.

      

My heart thunders as I slowly turn around and catch a glimpse of the man who’s been torturing my days and nights—the man who has been appearing in my dreams without permission. 

      

The man I wasn’t supposed to see now.

      

He has a hand in his pocket as he strides to us in the midst of onlookers. That’s what Damien does—he steals attention.

      

He’s a thief.

      

Because every time he’s in sight, I’m robbed of breath and other things I don’t want to put a name to.

      

And now, I feel like he’ll rob me of something else. Something I really don’t want to give away.

      

So I won’t.

      

Because I’m taking things into my own hands now.

And there’s nothing Greek God Husband can do about it.