My Stepbrother's Dirty Little Secret novel Chapter 455

Chapter 455

Gianna

A speaker sat near one of the flower beds, filling the warm afternoon air with soft piano music. The sun was beginning to dip lower in the sky, painting everything gold.

And for the first time in what felt like forever, I wasn’t thinking about college.

Or work.

Or Raphael.

Or Leone.

I was thinking about ballet.

Just ballet.

My feet were bare against the floor. My hair was twisted into a tight bun. My muscles burned pleasantly from the last hour of training.

And I couldn’t stop smiling.

The instructor Maddie had somehow managed to fly in from another continent was everything I could have hoped

for.

He was strict, blunt, terrifyingly talented and completely obsessed with technique.

Which meant he spent most of his time correcting every tiny thing I did.

Again.

And again.

And again.

“Shoulders.”

I immediately lowered them.

“Better.”

He circled me slowly, studying every movement, every adjustment, every tiny mistake. The focused look on his face reminded me of someone else.

A certain irritating, impossible man who stared at computer screens like they personally owed him money.

I immediately shook my head.

No.

Absolutely not.

I was having a good day.

Raphael Capone was not invited into my thoughts, not after he had acted like I was personally trying to bring down the entire family’s security by answering one phone call.

Prick.

“Again.”

I repeated the movement.

“Stop thinking.”

“I am not thinking.”

“You are.”

“I promise I’m not.”

“You are literally arguing while dancing.”

I adjusted my position.

His smile softened, “Absolutely.”

Hope hit me so hard it almost hurt, “You mean I still have a chance?”

I hated how young I sounded, how desperate but I couldn’t help it. For years I had buried this dream so deep 1 convinced myself it wasn’t there anymore.

The instructor looked at me for a long moment then he nodded, “You have much more than a chance.”

Then-

“What the fuck is going on here?”

I nearly jumped out of my skin. Every head on the terrace turned. Two of the Capone brothers were standing ne the entrance.

Vincenzo looked deeply pissed and Raphael looked even worse.

Vincenzo pointed directly at my instructor, “Anyone want to explain why some random guy is touching my sister?

Claire immediately groaned, “It’s ballet.”

Vincenzo stared, “Ballet? And that requires all that touching?”

The instructor folded his arms, “Actually, yes.”

Neither Vincenzo nor Raphael looked convinced. The instructor looked between them.

Then sighed dramatically, “Oh dear.”

Vincenzo narrowed his eyes, “What?”

The instructor slowly looked him up and down, “I assure you, darling, your sister is safe with me. I’m gay,” the instructor continued smiling, “If anything, you’re significantly more my type.”

I choked, actually choked. Vincenzo looked like someone had slapped him across the face with a fish.

“I’m married,” he grumbled.