You.
Working late nights with you.
Thinking about the fact that you’remarried.
“It’s a conflict of interest,” I repeat my earlier sentiments.
Raina blows out a frustrated puff of air. “Fine,” she scoffs. The sound of her heels reverberates off the floor as she edges closer to pass my desk, and part of my resolve crumbles.
“I’ll think about it, Raina,” I mumble as she breezes past me.
With her hand on the handle, she snorts. “Take all the damn time you need to think about it, Luciano.” My heart rate accelerates as I watch her pull the door open, unsure of why Icare so much. My attraction to her is only physical, but still, she’s pulling on my heartstrings.
The same heartstrings that are supposed to be dead and buried to anyone other than my family.
She hesitates before she walks through the door, looking at me from over her shoulder. “You know, I thought maybe just once you could look past the silly crush I had on you when I was younger and actually see me as a woman who is coming to you for help and wanted the best, but clearly, I was wrong.” She shakes her head like she can’t believe she’s even standing in my office right now. “Thank you for your time, Mr. Paladino.”
The second the door closes behind her, I feel like a piece of shit.
And maybe I am for making her think I won’t take the case, but I already know I’m going to.
Ihaveto.
How could I not?
God dammit.
CHAPTER FIVE
It’s five p.m. and I’ve been staring at the clock for the last two hours, completely lost in thought. I pored over Raina’s file and hersituation, reading the words over and over, retaining none of the information. The only thing I can process is that Raina is married.
Raina, the woman who has been a thorn in my side since the day I met her.
Raina, the woman who is bright, carefree, and fun, and everything I refuse to let myself have because of who she is.
When her file became nothing more to my brain than jumbled words, I rattled the mouse of my computer to wake it from sleep mode so I could scour the internet for whatever I could find on herhusband, Javier Moreno.
To my dismay, the most recent article related to him was of his father’s passing. With a little more digging, I’ve learned Javier’s father, Joaquín, recently passed away and, if my research is correct, Raina’s surprise husband is next in line to become a baron. Although the aristocratic title is merely honorary, it is still considered low-ranking nobility and therefore is highly respected, if only for the wealth and power they possess.
And I’ve been stewing over it all afternoon while watching the clock.
As if the universe knows I need a mental break, my phone momentarily distracts me as it pings rapidly with incoming messages from the group chat between my brother-in-law and his friends—my friends—with plans I’m not interested in being a part of.
Enzo
What time are we supposed to meet tonight?
Sully
Really, Zo-Zo? We’ve been over this at least seventeen-thousand times.
Nixon
Seven.
Enzo
You set this up yesterday, Sully.
