My Stepbrother's Dirty Little Secret novel Chapter 702

Chapter 702

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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.

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His jaw tightened.

Then, almost too slowly to notice, he gave one small shake of his head.

No.

The single movement hit harder than if he had shouted at me. He turned away, just like that. As though looking at me for one second had already been too much.

The tightness in my chest spread until it felt difficult to breathe.

“Cindy!” the bright unfamiliar voice echoed through the hall.

Claire’s face lit up immediately. She laughed as several women crossed the room together. Evangeline reached Claire first. We’d met once before at Claire’s gallery opening, so although we weren’t close, none

of us were strangers anymore.

I grew up attending Cosa Nostra gatherings, but I hadn’t been to one since Don Nikolai married Evangeline. She wrapped Claire in a warm hug before they kissed each other’s cheeks.

“It’s about time we saw your face again,” Evangeline said warmly.

Claire smiled, “I could say the same.”

Behind her came Allegra, wrapping Claire in another hug.

Then Bianca Costello swept Claire into such an enthusiastic hug that she nearly lifted her off the floor.

“If I’d known this Council meeting was actually happening,” she groaned dramatically, smoothing a hand over her dress, “I would’ve packed better outfits. I seriously thought everyone was joking about some surprise family vacation.”

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.”

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