My Stepbrother's Dirty Little Secret novel Chapter 702

Chapter 702

It wasn’t that Leone was a bad man. It was that somewhere along the way… I’d fallen in love with Raphael Capone.

And after loving a man like him, no one else could ever compare.

Then another feeling settled over the disgust… anger. He still thought he had the right to look at me that way… as though nothing had changed.

As though I still belonged anywhere near him.

Absolutely fucking not.

Without thinking, my eyes went to Raphael again.

His head had turned, his gaze wasn’t on me. It was locked on Leone. The look on Raphael’s face made the air feel colder. His jaw was clenched so tightly I could see the muscle moving beneath his skin.

His eyes…

I’d seen storms over Lake Michigan that looked calmer.

There wasn’t a trace of jealousy in them, only something dark and cold. The kind of look that promised violence without a single word being spoken.

Leone noticed it too, his smile slipped for the smallest moment.

And then, he finally turned his head and looked in my direction, not because he wanted to see me but because someone else had.

My heart squeezed painfully.

Raphael…

Please.

I didn’t even realize I had taken half a step forward until he took a step back. Everything around me disappeared. The conversations, the footsteps, the music drifting quietly through the hall.

It all faded into nothing.

My eyebrows pulled together as I looked at him.

Please.

I didn’t need words. I only needed him to understand that I wasn’t his enemy. That I wasn’t standing here because I wanted to hurt him.

That I still loved him more than anyone here and I would do anything for him but his expression never changed.

His jaw tightened.

Claire laughed, “God, I missed you!”

Delilah rolled her eyes as she reached them next, “You own more dresses than half of Milan.”

“I still never have the right one.”

Laughter spread through the group. Lilianna stepped forward next, hugging Claire just as tightly. Viviane arrived last, elegant as always in a deep emerald dress that somehow looked effortless on her, the color making her copper-red hair stand out even more.

She smiled before embracing Claire, “It’s good to see you.”

“You too.”

For a few moments, the room felt… normal, like none of them belonged to some of the most dangerous families in the world, like they were simply women catching up after too much time apart.

Then Evangeline frowned, “What happened? Why does everyone look like they’re attending a funeral?”

Claire sighed, “It’s a long story.”

“I’ve got time.”

Claire hesitated for a moment, then she reached for my wrist, before I knew what she was doing, she gently pulled me to stand beside her, “This,” Claire said quietly, “is the reason.”