That stubborn?—
I head down the hall to the guest room and try the handle. Locked.
Of course, it is.
I could break it down. Could force the issue right now.
But something stops me. Maybe it's the lateness of the hour. Maybe it's knowing I need her cooperative for the party, not terrified.
Or maybe it's just that I'm curious what game she thinks she's playing.
I head back to my room, strip off my jacket and shirt, and lie down on top of the covers.
Tomorrow, she'll learn that defying me has consequences.
Tonight, she can have her small rebellion.
I wake at six-thirty out of habit, shower, dress, and head downstairs for coffee.
Maria's in the kitchen, preparing breakfast. "Good morning, Mr. Vitale. Miss Mancini already left for school."
"What time?"
"Around six. She called for a car service."
Not Tony. A civilian car. Avoiding my drivers.
Smart.
Also defiant.
I drink my coffee standing at the counter, planning. Tonight, when she comes home, we're settling this. No more grace periods. No more allowing her to dictate terms.
The day drags. Every meeting feels longer than it should, every phone call an interruption. By the time evening rolls around, I'm in a mood that has Rafe asking if I need to hit something.
"I'm fine," I tell him.
"You're wound tighter than I've seen you in months." He leans against my office doorframe. "This about the girl?"
"It's about maintaining control of my own household."
"So yes, it's about the girl." He grins. "What'd she do? Refuse to wear one of those dresses you bought?"
"She's sleeping in the guest room."
His grin widens. "And that bothers you because...?"
"Because appearances matter. Because my staff is already talking. Because she agreed to follow my instructions and she's blatantly ignoring them."
"Uh-huh. Sure. That's why you've been checking your watch every ten minutes waiting for her to get home."
"Get out of my office, Rafe."
He leaves, still grinning, and I resist the urge to throw something at his head.
At six-forty-five, I get the alert that Tony's brought her back from school. I give her twenty minutes to settle in, then head upstairs.
The guest room door is closed. I don't knock.
