Emilio POV
I took a deep, centering breath. Be confident. You have patiently waited for this exact moment. She was younger than me; there was absolutely nothing to be intimidated by, even if her expression was a solid wall of pure annoyance.
"Saintilia," I responded, cutting straight to the point, unwilling to waste time on pleasantries.
Her eyes scanned me slowly, deliberately, like I was a suspicious piece of meat, actively searching for a flaw in my resolve. My nerves spiked, a cold tremor running through my spine, but I held her gaze firmly. How utterly ridiculous was this?
"What about my niece?" she cut in, her patience thin. "Did she insult you?"
"No, ma'am. She's done no such thing."
Before I could continue, she sliced across my words again. "Please, call me Tina. From the loo
