My Stepbrother's Dirty Little Secret novel Chapter 714

Chapter 714

Gianna

The moment the car doors slammed shut, the convoy moved. One vehicle after another. The gates disappeared behind us.

I twisted in my seat, trying to look through the rear window. The estate was already growing smaller, the doors, the courtyard. The place where I’d left Jules, Raphael and the rest of my family.

“Dad…” my voice came out small, “What happened?”

Dad sat beside me in the back seat. His eyes never left my face. His hand reached up slowly. His fingers brushed a loose strand of hair behind my ear like nothing ever happened. Then he leaned down and kissed my forehead three times.

Long, lingering kisses.

His hand cupped the side of my face as though he couldn’t quite believe I was real.

A shaky breath left him, “I finally got you back,” he whispered, followed by another kiss rested against my hair, “I finally brought you home.”

I stared at him.

He looked… happy. And it wasn’t even the polite smile he wore in front of other people, nor the small, approving nod he gave when I managed to do something right.

He looked genuinely happy.

The sight caught me off guard because for as long as I could remember, most of my memories of him were filled with disappointment, lectures, impossible expectations, or the quiet look that told me I’d failed him again.

I’d spent years chasing a version of this moment and now that it was finally here, seeing him look at me like simply having me beside him was enough.

It reached into a place inside my chest I hadn’t realized was still broken and, for one fragile moment, made it feel a little healed.

“Dad, what happened in there?” I asked.

He smiled, “You don’t have to think about that anymore.”

“I do,” my heartbeat sped up, “What did they decide?”

He didn’t answer. Instead, he wrapped one arm around my shoulders and gently pulled me against his side.

I stiffened, “Dad…”

I tried looking past him toward the rear window. The Capones were out of my sight, the estate was out of my sight.

“Where are we going?”

His hand stroked my hair, “You’ve had a difficult few days.”

“Dad…” I managed to say as my tongue started getting heavier instantly, panic climbed into my throat,” What did you do?”

He caught me before I could lean away. His arms folded around me, holding me carefully against his chest. I struggled or at least, I tried to. My body wasn’t listening the way it should. My eyelids felt heavier with every passing second.

“No…” I forced myself to stay awake, “Dad… don’t…”

He rested his cheek lightly against my hair, “It’s alright. Soften those shoulders, principessa,” his hand continued stroking my hair, “I know you’re frightened.”

I tried lifting my head, the movement felt impossible. The world blurred around the edges.

Leone’s voice sounded far away, “We’re almost at the private airstrip.”

Dad nodded without looking up, “Good.”

I forced my eyes open again, “I… don’t…”

The words slurred together.

He kissed the top of my head again. His voice sounded distant now, “When you wake up…” another gentle stroke through my hair, “…I’ll explain everything.”

My breathing grew slower, “No…” I whispered, “I have to…”