My Stepbrother's Dirty Little Secret novel Chapter 713

Chapter 713

“I know everything looks horrible right now,” I continued, “but this…” I glanced toward the closed Council doors, “This wasn’t supposed to happen. I wanted to speak to my dad. Have a relationship with my little brother and stepmother again. Maybe, work on… myself. I wanted answers. I never wanted a Council. I never wanted all of you standing on opposite sides because of me.”

My eyes burned as I shook my head.

“I didn’t want anyone choosing between families, I simply wanted… both. And I never wanted Raphael to have to choose between loving me and standing with his brothers. I know what it looks like,” I whispered, “I know everyone thinks I chose my father over the Capones.”

I looked toward the doors behind which the Council was deciding all of our lives. A tear slipped down my cheek before I could stop it. I wiped it away with the back of my hand, “I swear to you…” I looked at both of them. “I’m not leaving Raphael in there to fight this by himself. And I’m not leaving this family either.”

Claire stepped forward without saying a word and wrapped her arms around me. Maddie joined us a

second later.

The doors opened and I prepared myself to go in there and say whatever Raphael wanted me to say but the deep murmur of voices stopped all at once.

My stomach dropped.

Something was wrong.

Before I could take a single step, movement exploded around me. Men closed in from every direction.

A few council guards. One appeared on my left, another on my right, then behind me. Within seconds, I couldn’t even see Maddie or Claire anymore.

I looked around, confused, “What happened?”

Daddy stepped through the circle of guards. He stopped in front of me, “We’re leaving.”

I stared at him, “What?”

“We’re done here,” his hand closed firmly around my wrist, “Come.”

I didn’t move, “Dad,” confusion turned into panic, “What happened?”

“Leone,” Daddy called, without taking his eyes off of me, “Get the convoy ready.”

Leone gave one sharp nod to my cousins, “Move.”

They immediately came alive, as they spread through the entrance hall.

The sudden urgency made my pulse race, as he started pulling me toward the doors.

“Dad…” I planted my feet, “No. What happened?”

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He pulled harder, “We’re leaving.”

“No!” I tried to pull my wrist free, “Dad, stop! What happened in there?”

He simply kept walking. Panic climbed higher into my chest. I twisted again, trying to free myself. His grip didn’t loosen. The hallway blurred as guards surrounded us on every side.

I couldn’t see anyone. I turned my head desperately, searching through the wall of black suits, then I found him, standing exactly where he’d come out of the Council chamber.

He wasn’t moving. His shoulders had dropped. His hands hung at his sides. He looked defeated.

Our eyes met across the crowded hall. I stopped fighting for one second. I had never seen Raphael look like that. It looked like someone had reached inside him and taken away the part that kept him standing.

“Raphael…”

I whispered his name, though I knew he couldn’t hear me.

He didn’t come toward me. The Council guards had already stepped between our families.

A heavy hand landed against my back, “Move.”

One of the Toricelli guards shoved me forward. I stumbled through the doorway into the Sicilian air. The massive wooden doors began to swing shut behind me.

The last thing I saw was Raphael, still standing exactly where I’d left him, watching me disappear.

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