I'm her uncle

Dave

The engagement party was in full swing, but I barely noticed the celebration around me. Music filled the grand hall, glasses clinked, and people laughed as they congratulated us.

Sabrina kept getting close, making me feel antsy throughout the night. Just for a little longer, to tolerate her.

As I stood, my mind drifted somewhere else.

Celine.

There were so many things I had kept hidden from her. And so many lies I had told her.

When I told her that I had taken care of the man responsible for her parents’ deaths, I hadn’t been telling her the truth.

I hadn’t found him.

The truth was, I had been searching for him for years.

Joseph Castillo.

Just thinking about that name made my jaw tighten. He wasn’t merely a rival.

He was the man who trained me.

The man who taught me everything I knew about the underworld.

He took a young boy and turned him into a weapon. He taught me how to fight, how to survive, and how to never trust anyone.

But he also ruined me.

I eventually realized I wasn’t his soldier. I was his prisoner.

So, I broke away.

I built my own organization from nothing and created a family of my own.

Joseph didn’t take that well.

We became enemies.

In retaliation, he killed the people who had become like family to me. Although I hunted him down and killed fifty of his men and destroyed a large part of his organization.

But Joseph escaped.

He disappeared before I could find him. And that was the part that kept me awake at night.

I had known Joseph for years.

He was probably planning, waiting for the right time to attack.

Before that happened, I needed Celine safe and away.

She didn’t need to know.

I didn’t want her carrying the weight of my world.

Every lead to find her brother had ended in another dead end. But I refused to stop looking.

Sabrina’s arm clutched mine again, looking up at me with a smile as though tonight was the happiest night of her life.

The engagement between us was simple.

Business.

Once I married Sabrina, the Marino family would become mine through alliance. Their connections, territory, and resources.

It was a calculated move.

Nothing more. I had no intention of pretending it was love.

“You’re trying too hard,” I let out in a quick, hard voice.

She immediately withdrew her arm, her expression dropping as her smile disappeared.

My eyes drifted through the crowd again. And inevitably, they searched for Celine.

Thoughts of her filled my head before I could stop them again.

She had been furious when she found out about my engagement to Sabrina, and even tonight.

Celine had always been stubborn. Always finding some mischievous way to get under my skin. Always ready to challenge me.

That’s what I told myself her attitude these past few days had been.

My mind suddenly flashed back to that moment when she had stumbled and fallen against me, still wrapped in a towel.

I had to force myself not to look.

Not only did I realize that she wasn’t just a little girl anymore, but that she was beautiful.

And I'm her uncle.

Nothing else.

After searching for a moment, I walked up to her two friends who were busy stuffing their faces.

“Where is Celine?”

They both froze when they saw me.

The girl pointed toward the balcony.

I didn’t wait and moved at once to find her. I heard the boy choke on his food as I walked away.

I pushed through the balcony doors, my eyes immediately searching for Celine.

There, she stood near the railing, her back turned toward me.

I took a step forward.

“Celine…”

A figure suddenly emerged from the shadows.

A man dressed entirely in black. A hood covered his head, and a mask concealed most of his face.

Before I could react, he shoved Celine hard.

My blood ran cold.

“Celine!”

She lost her balance.

I lunged forward.

My arms caught hers as she stretched them forward, screaming for help. Her body crashed against my chest as I instantly pulled her back.

She clung to me instinctively, her breaths coming out in short, frightened gasps.

My heart slammed against my ribs.

For one terrifying second, I couldn’t breathe. I had almost lost her.

The thought sent a wave of fear through me so sharp that it quickly turned into rage. I tightened my arms around her.

“Celine.”

She didn’t answer. Her body trembled against mine.

I lifted my head and glared at the man. He had stopped several feet away.

For a moment, he simply stared at us.

Even from where I stood, I could see the panic in his eyes. Then he turned and ran.

“Get him!”

I carefully kept one arm around Celine while shouting toward the entrance. Two of my men appeared almost immediately.

“Don’t let him escape,” I ordered.

They took off after the man.

Jeff appeared almost immediately and bowed his head low.

“Should I call an ambulance?” he asked in a panicked, urgent voice.

I pointed toward the balcony.

“I want him alive. Find out who he is.” My eyes burned murderously.

“Yes, boss!”

He disappeared after him.

I finally looked down at Celine. She was still trembling. Her lips were slightly parted, but no words came out.

“Celine.”

Nothing. I touched her shoulder.

“Look at me, Celine,” I called again.

Her eyes slowly lifted to mine. They were wide with fear. She tried to speak, but only a shaky breath escaped her.

My anger returned. Who the hell had dared to touch her?

I didn’t want to think about what would have happened if I hadn’t reached her in time.

I slid one arm beneath her knees and the other around her back. Before she could react, I lifted her into my arms.

“Dave…”

Her voice finally came out, barely a whisper.

“I’ve got you.”

I pulled her closer against my chest, holding her securely.

She immediately wrapped her arms around my neck, and I pressed her against me as though I were afraid to let go.

I carried her toward the doors.

My jaw remained clenched as I scanned the surroundings, making sure no one else was near her. As soon as we entered the hall, several people turned toward us.

The music seemed to fade beneath the sudden murmurs.

“Dave?”

Sabrina approached quickly, her eyes widening when she saw Celine in my arms.

“What happened?”

I didn’t answer. I kept walking.

She tried to grab me, but I shoved her off, ignoring her again.

My only concern was getting Celine somewhere safe. Her friends rushed to me, their eyes filled with worry.

“Is she hurt?”

“I will send someone to take you home,” I said to them instead and continued walking out with Celine in my arms.

Behind me, Sabrina remained standing in the middle of the hall. I could feel her furious stare burning into my back.

I didn’t care.

Nothing mattered right now except the little girl trembling against my chest.

I looked down at Celine. Her fingers were tightly curled into my jacket.

“Hold on,” I whispered desperately to her.

My heart beat a little too fast as I hurried to the car.