My Stepbrother's Dirty Little Secret novel Chapter 19

Raphael

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She didn’t look at Vincenzo when she said it.

She looked straight at me. Her chin lifted just enough to make the point clear.

“I’m not a charity case.”

For a second nobody spoke.

Gianna stood there barefoot in the middle of Vincenzo’s study and every inch of her posture screamed the same thing.

I don’t need any of you.

Interesting.

Vincenzo let out a slow breath, the sound somewhere between tired and amused.

“We never said you were,” he replied calmly.

His tone stayed even, patient in that way men get when they’re explaining something obvious to a stubborn child.

“If it makes you feel any better,” he continued, “every woman in this house has the same arrangements,” he gestured lazily toward the sitting area, “My wife Claire. My sister-in-law Madeleine. Every woman under my roof. It is my responsibility to take care of the women and children in my family,” he said. “You’re not some special exception, Gianna.”

Her jaw tightened.

Vincenzo continued like the matter was already settled.

“Your mother’s accounts are already arranged,” he added, “Jules as well.”

That finally made Gianna blink in surprise.

“A trust has been set aside for her,” he said. “She’ll be leaving that public school soon and transferring to a proper private one. It’s the least I can do after your mother married my father.”

To anyone with sense, the conversation would have ended there.

But Gianna wasn’t anyone with sense.

I could see it in the way her fingers curled tighter at her sides. In the stubborn set of her shoulders. In the way her spine straightened instead of bending.

She didn’t look grateful.

She looked angry like someone had just insulted her.

The pride on that girl was unbelievable.

I leaned back slightly against the edge of the desk, crossing my arms while I watched her.

God.

Women like her were exhausting.

The irony almost made me laugh.

She lived in our house, walked on our floors and somehow still believed she was standing on her own two feet.

The arrogance of it was almost impressive.

She had that kind of pride that hadn’t been broken yet. The kind that thought it never would be. A slow, quiet thought slid through my head.

That spine would snap beautifully.

Not today, not in this room but eventually.

Everyone bent eventually.

People always did.

Especially people who were foolish enough to think they didn’t need anyone.

And Gianna looked exactly like the kind of woman who would fight it the whole way down.

Which, unfortunately for her…

…only made the process more entertaining.

Gianna’s reaction came fast. The moment Vincenzo mentioned Jewel, something sharp flashed across her face. The anger that had been simmering in her eyes hardened into something colder.

Her head turned toward him immediately, “No.”

Vincenzo’s brows lifted slightly. Gianna took a step forward.

“You don’t need to do anything for Jules,” she added, “She’s my little sister, not yours. You can set up whatever accounts you want for my mother,” she added, her eyes flashing to her mother now, glaring at her, “She married into this family. She has the Capone name now. But Jules and I don’t. She’s not a Capone and neither am I.”

My jaw tightened slightly where I leaned against the desk. Most people in this city would have killed for that name. She was pushing it away like it was something dirty.

“So don’t make plans for her,” she said. “Don’t move her school. Don’t set up a trust fund. That’s my responsibility.”

For a second Vincenzo studied her quietly, his fingers resting on the desk as he considered her words.

Dad rubbed his temple again like this entire conversation was giving him a migraine.

Adriano let out a slow, annoyed breath through his nose but I couldn’t stop watching Gianna. She was ridiculous, irritating and strangely fascinating all at once.

“Gianna,” he said slowly, “that girl lives under my roof.”

“She lives with me,” Gianna shot back instantly, “And I’ve been taking care of Jules long before we stepped foot in this house.”

I pushed myself off the desk before I even realized I was moving. The room was quiet enough that the sound of my shoes against the floor echoed slightly as I stepped closer.

No one talks to my older brother like that.

Gianna’s eyes flicked toward me immediately. I stopped a few feet away from her, sliding one hand into my pocket as I studied her face.

“You really enjoy making things harder for yourself, don’t you?” I said lazily.

Her eyes narrowed, “That’s not what I’m doing.”

I tilted my head slightly, “No?” my gaze flicked briefly toward Vincenzo before returning to her, “A man offers to secure your future,” I continued calmly, “and instead of using the opportunity, you decide to start a speech about independence. Very dramatic.”

Her jaw clenched, “I’m not interested in living off someone else’s money.”

“That’s a charming fantasy,” I said, “But reality tends to be less sentimental.”

The color in her cheeks deepened, “I didn’t ask for any of this,” she snapped.

“No,” I agreed smoothly, “You didn’t but you’re here anyway.”

She glared at me like she wanted to throw something.

“Let me give you some advice,” I said quietly, “Pride is only useful when you can afford it. And you,” I finished coolly, “are in absolutely no position to be turning down help.”

I held her gaze, unimpressed.

While her eyes were burning with the kind of anger that usually made people say things they regretted. Then her jaw loosened slightly and the tension in her shoulders shifted into something colder.

“I know you think this is about pride,” she continued, “But it’s not. Maybe you’re used to people bending the moment you snap your fingers,” she added calmly, “But I’m not one of them and don't worry, I’ll take care of my sister.”

Then Gianna gave a small, stiff nod toward Vincenzo.

“Thank you for the offer,” she said evenly, “But I’m not taking it.”

And just like that, she turned on her heel and walked out of the study.

Then Hazel shot up from the couch so quickly the movement startled even Dad beside her, “I’m so sorry,” she rushed out, her voice tight with embarrassment, “Vincenzo... everyone, I’m really sorry.”

Her hands twisted together in front of her, fingers knotting and unknotting like she didn’t know what to do with them.

Christ.

That right there was exactly why I could never stand her family. She never had the spine to step into the place our mother left behind, and the daughters she raised weren’t built for this world either. None of them were meant to carry the weight that came with this name.

“Gianna is… she’s always been stubborn,” Hazel continued, “She doesn’t always understand when people are trying to help. She thinks she has to do everything herself. You’ve done so much for us already,” she said quickly, “More than enough. Jules and I, we’re incredibly grateful. Truly.”

She glanced toward the door Gianna had just walked through as if she expected her to come storming back any second.

“I’m very sorry for her behavior,” she finished quietly.

By then her hands were shaking badly, not the small nervous kind of shaking. It was so violent that Dad immediately reached for them, gently wrapping his hands around hers.

“Hey,” he murmured softly, squeezing her fingers, “It’s alright.”

The sight made something dark twist in my chest.

That same man had watched our mother slowly break under the weight of this family and never once held her hands like that. Never once spoke to her with that softness. Now suddenly he had all the patience in the world for the woman who came after her.

Vincenzo sighed softly, “Hazel, you don’t need to apologize for your daughter. She spoke her mind,” he continued. “I’ve heard worse.”

A small, uneasy breath left Hazel’s chest, but she still looked uncomfortable, “She didn’t mean any disrespect,” she said quickly. “She just… she’s always been like this.”

Dad’s thumb rubbed slowly across the back of her shaking hand. Hazel looked down at their hands for a moment before continuing more quietly.

“Gianna has spent most of her life taking care of herself,” she said, “And Jules. She learned very early that if she wanted something done, she had to do it herself. She doesn’t like depending on anyone,” Hazel added, “She’s not ungrateful. She’s just… proud.”

Vincenzo nodded slowly, “I can see that. And for what it’s worth,” he added, “a young woman who is determined to stand on her own feet is not something I consider a problem.”

Hazel’s shoulders relaxed slightly at that.

Vincenzo glanced briefly toward the closed study door where Gianna had left, “She’ll find her place here in her own time,” he said.

“I hope you won’t think badly of her,” Hazel added gently. “She’s been through a lot, and sometimes she forgets that not everyone is trying to take something from her. Thank you for everything you are doing for us. I’ll go check on Gianna.”

Then she turned and walked toward the door. Dad followed close behind her, one hand resting lightly against the middle of her back as if guiding her out.

My jaw tightened.

Where the hell had that man been when our mother needed it?

Once we were alone, Adriano pushed himself off the bookshelf with a quiet scoff, “That girl has a mouth on her.”

Dante chuckled faintly under his breath, “Jesus,” he muttered, “You try to give someone a free education and they act like you insulted their bloodline.”

I leaned back against the desk, crossing my arms.

The image of her replayed in my head. That chin lifted. Those eyes locked on mine.

“I’m not a charity case.”

My teeth pressed together slightly.

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