My Stepbrother's Dirty Little Secret novel Chapter 707

Chapter 707

I could hear his heart beating beneath my ear.

My lips parted, “Raphael. Do you want me to lie? My dad never touched me.”

I felt him go completely still.

“The only times he ever did… were when he hugged me or when he knelt to tie my shoes because I kept doing them wrong.”

A sad smile touched my lips before disappearing.

“When we’d go out… he’d hold my hand so I wouldn’t wander off. He’d kiss my forehead before school. He never hit me, no matter how mad he was, he never hit me.”

I lifted my head to look at him, confusion spread across Raphael’s face. His brows pulled together. He searched my eyes as though trying to find the lie.

“But…”

“I know what everyone thinks. I know what it sounds like but he never raised a hand to me, not once.”

Raphael stared at me for so long that my chest began to ache, “I don’t understand,” he whispered.

“Neither do I,” my eyes burned, “I wish I did.”

He ran a hand through his hair, frustration flashing across his face.

His jaw clenched, “If you don’t tell the Council the truth-whatever that truth is-they’re going to make a decision based on whatever story they believe.”

“I know,” I whispered.

His expression didn’t soften. If anything, it hardened, “And if you walk into that chamber tomorrow and choose him over us… If you protect the man whose name alone had Hazel slapping you across the face… instead of protecting the people who’ve bled for you without asking for anything in return…”

He took a slow step back, putting space between us.

“Then we’re done, Gianna.”

My heart stopped.

“I mean it. There won’t be another conversation after that. No second chances. No fixing it later. You will

lose me.”

I stared at him, my vision beginning to blur.

“Raphael…”

“I’m done fighting for someone who won’t fight for herself.” His eyes never left mine. “So tomorrow, you

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make your choice. And you live with it. It’s him or us.”

The air left my lungs. My fingers had gone numb.

No…

No, he couldn’t say that.

Anything but that.

I felt my heart crack somewhere inside my chest. My legs carried me toward him before I even realized I

was moving.

When I reached him, my trembling hands rose to his face, cupping his cheeks as though I was terrified he’d disappear if I let go.

My thumbs brushed lightly over his skin, “Don’t…” my voice broke. “Please don’t say that.”

My eyes filled so quickly I could barely see him.

“I can’t lose you. I’ve already lost so much. I can survive anything else but not you. I can’t survive losing

you too.”

His jaw tightened, “I also want you to remember this is the last time you will see Jules Capone.”

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