My Stepbrother's Dirty Little Secret novel Chapter 696

Chapter 696

My chest tightened, “Raphael…”

He pulled away from me and quietly fixed himself. I immediately turned onto my back, sitting up against the headboard as I straightened my dress with unsteady hands.

That was when I noticed he hadn’t even taken off his tie. It hung loosely around his collar, slightly undone, like he had been too lost in everything happening between us to even think about it.

He pointed toward the bedroom door, “Leave.”

I stared at him, “Please…”

“Leave,” his voice echoed through the room.

“I don’t want to.”

“I wasn’t asking,” he snapped and then claimed himself, “You said you loved me.”

“I do.”

“Then prove it.”

“I am.”

“No,” he shook his head, “If you loved me, you wouldn’t ask me to stand there and watch you protect the man who, I believe, stole your childhood.”

“L…”

“You would fight beside me.”

My lips trembled, “I can’t.”

His face twisted with heartbreak, “Then I can’t do this.”

The words barely reached me, “What?”

His breathing grew uneven, “I can’t love someone who keeps choosing the man who broke her over the people trying to save her.”

I felt something inside me shatter, “I never chose him.”

“You just did,” he looked toward the door instead of at me, “Get out.”

“Raphael…”

“Get.”

His voice hardened.

“Out.”

I had never seen him cry. He still wasn’t but his eyes were red, his hands were shaking. He looked so close to breaking. So close to finally letting the pain out.

“Please.”

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The word left my mouth before I could stop it.

He kept his back turned toward me, his shoulders stiff, his hands clenched at his sides as if he was holding himself back from saying something worse.

“Raph…” I got off the bed and stepped closer, “Please, don’t do this to me, not you. I love you so much

For a moment, something flickered across his face but then it disappeared, “Don’t.”

My heart sank, “Don’t what?”

“Don’t make this about our love because this isn’t just about us anymore.”

I frowned, “What?”

He looked toward the door, “You’re not only walking away from me. You’re walking away from them too. Jules and Hazel. Jules is a Capone now. She’s part of this family. She has a claim on you. She has people who will protect her, who will stand beside her. And Hazel. She spent years trying to protect you.”

Tears filled my eyes, “Don’t use them against me.”

He continued, “She wanted you safe.”

“I know.”

“Do you? Because right now, it looks like you’re willing to stand alone again.”

“I am not alone.”

“Then stop acting like you are!” he almost shouted.

I flinched. His expression changed immediately, regret flashing across his face but he forced it down.

“I don’t want to say something I’ll regret and I don’t want you to hear something from me that you can never forget.”

I swallowed, “Raph…”

“Leave.”

My heart broke, “No.”

His eyes closed, “Gianna.”

“Please,” I moved closer, “Please don’t do this.”

His hands curled into fists, “Leave my room before I say something cruel.”

I shook my head, “I don’t care if you’re angry.”

“I do,” the answer came instantly, “I care. I care too much and I don’t know if I’m fighting for you or fighting against you right now. And I need you to understand something. I can fight enemies…I can fight the Council. I can fight Giovanni but I can’t fight the person I love while she’s standing on the other side.”

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