My Stepbrother's Dirty Little Secret novel Chapter 37

Halfway to the front door, he cleared his throat, "That bag looks heavy. You want me to carry it for you? Give your shoulder a break?"

My grip on the strap tightened until my knuckles turned white. My head snapped toward him, my eyes flashing.

"I don't need a man to carry my things!" I barked. "I have two arms and a spine. I can handle my own weight. I’ve been handling it my whole life without anyone's help, and I'm certainly not going to start falling apart over a laptop bag."

Ciro stopped walking immediately, "Okay," he said simply, "You got it."

I squeezed my eyes shut. He wasn't trying to prove he was stronger than me. He was just being... nice. And I had bitten his head off for it. I thought of Tasha's voice, telling me I was drinking poison. My anger was starting to leak out onto people who didn't deserve it.

I stopped and let out a long, shaky sigh. My head dropped forward.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, "I did it again. I'm... I'm really sorry, Ciro. You’re just trying to be helpful and I’m being a jerk. It’s not you. It’s just... everything else."

"Don't worry about it," Ciro said, stepping a little closer but still keeping a polite distance. "You’ve got a lot on your plate. I can take a few hits. I’m tough."

We reached the massive front doors of the mansion. I didn't go inside right away. I turned to face him, "Thank you."

"You never texted," he said softly, "I stayed by my phone for two nights."

I felt a tiny flush of heat in my cheeks, "I lost your number," I lied.

The truth was, I had thrown it the second I got into my room that night. I had told myself I didn't need any more men in my life, especially not a Capone-adjacent one. But standing here now, looking at his messy hair and his kind face, that choice felt a bit silly.

"Lost it, huh?" he chuckled, not sounding like he believed me for a second, but he didn't call me out. "Well, since we’re being honest... I don't think I ever actually got your name. I've been calling you 'the girl from the hallway' in my head."

"It's Gianna," I said.

"Gianna," he repeated, and smiled, and this time, it didn't make me want to run, "It suits you. It sounds strong."

"It's just a name," I said, though I felt a small spark of something that wasn't hate in my chest.

"See you around, Gianna," he said, giving a small wave before turning to head back toward the gate house.

A slow, bright smile spread across Ciro's face. It wasn't a mean smile or a proud one. It was just happy. He stepped forward, taking the phone from my hand. His fingers brushed against mine for a second.

He tapped on the screen, his thumbs moving fast. The light from the phone made his face look soft.

"There," he said, handing it back, "Saved. I guess, I'll wait for your call now."

He gave me a smile and then started walking away again, his steps lighter this time.

I walked into my room and slammed the door. I didn't just close it, I turned the lock until I heard that sharp click. It was the only sound that made me feel like I could finally stop pretending.

I stood there in the dark for a second. I had passed. I had the job but it didn't feel like a win. It felt like I had just climbed onto a higher ledge, and the fall was going to be much worse when I finally slipped.

How long until Raphael realized the truth?

I threw my bag onto the floor and walked to the closet. I again reached to the very back, under a pile of thick sweaters I never wore. My fingers found it. The wooden stick.