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“Go inside with your sister,” he said, barely looking at me. Dismissing me even.
“Raphael—”
“Go.”
He nodded to Eric, giving him an order in Italian. Eric glanced at me with a tight smile.
“Take your sister and go inside, Sofia. I have to take care of some business.”
I didn’t even have time to ask a question before he walked away to greet the men. I went to my sister, feeling my grandfather’s eyes on me but unable to look at him.
“Lina,” I said, drawing her away and into the house. “Raphael arranged for you to stay here for a few days.”
“I know. Grandfather told me he agreed. Said it was your wedding gift.”
“I’m so glad.”
“Me too. You look really beautiful by the way. You make a really good-looking couple.”
“Don’t say that.”
“You’ll make beautiful babies too.”
“It will never come to that, I swear,” I said and led her to the living room, where she immediately went to the piano.
“You never know,” she taunted, letting her fingers run over a few keys.
“Oh, I know.”
She turned to me and looked me over from head to toe.
“Really, you’re so beautiful right now.”
“Thanks.”
“He can’t take his eyes off you either,” she said, nodding behind me.
I turned to see Raphael’s dark gaze on me even as he headed toward his study. The men who’d approached as he’d sent me away followed him, and I didn’t miss the way they scrutinized me and knew Raphael didn’t either.
It was another half hour before Raphael’s door opened again. Lina sat playing the piano with a group collected around her to listen. I watched the men leave, their faces tight. Raphael followed close behind, and I didn’t miss how he held his hands fisted at his sides. I watched them walk out the front door, noticed the quiet murmur of whispers and sideway glances and wondered who they were. I would have asked Damon, but Raphael came to me then, taking me by the arm and giving me an elaborate smile and bow that called the attention of every man and woman in the place.
“Time for me to take my bride to bed,” he said to the delight of all present. All but me. When he met my gaze, though, I saw the shadow in his eyes. This casual attitude, it was a front. Something had happened with those men.
I let him lead me toward the stairs. I glanced back and saw Lina and Damon watching, concern in her eyes, a warning in his, a warning to his brother. One I knew Raphael would not heed.
Up we went, Raphael and I. Up past my bedroom, disappearing down the hall to the last room, the one with large double doors which he opened then stood back and gestured for me to enter.
Our gazes locked, and although I knew I had no choice, that neither of us did, I knew stepping into his bedroom would change everything for us. I didn’t even know what I wanted anymore. What I didn’t want. It was too much to make sense of. Too much to take in.
And so when he called my name, drawing me back to the present, I took that step, and he followed. The door closed behind us, and the lock clicked, slipping into place, and I turned to him to begin our dance.
Chapter Fourteen
Raphael
Was it possible to hear a heart beating?
Sofia’s pounded at a frantic pace. She stood just inside my bedroom. Her gaze slid from mine, and I watched her take it in, seeing it anew from her eyes. It was the biggest bedroom of those not damaged by fire. The one I’d grown up in was all but destroyed. The furnishings here were few and brand-new: dark carpet, dark curtains to match, a king-size bed against the far wall, and a table holding a lamp on the side I slept, a chair and table in one corner on which I tossed my jacket. That was all.
She turned her gaze back to mine.
I loosened the tie at my neck and pulled it over my head, hanging it over the back of the chair, then undid the cuffs of my sleeves one by one. I set them on the table before rolling each sleeve up. All the while, Sofia and I watched each other.
“Who were those men?” she asked.
Her question took me back. I turned away from her and took the lid off the bottle of whiskey on the small table, pouring us each a tumbler. She only hesitated for an instant before taking the glass I offered her.
“Business associates of my father’s.”
“Not friends or family?”
“No.”
“Why were they here, then?”
“Did they upset you?”
“No. Just…I didn’t like how they looked at me. And they felt… I don’t know. They weren’t invited guests, were they?”
“No.” No sense in lying.
She took it in.
“You’re safe, Sofia.”
“Am I?”
I didn’t reply but touched my glass to hers and drank. She did the same. Once our glasses were empty, I took hers and set them both down. “Get undressed.”
