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“It’s not Santiago,” Raphael said, wanting to laugh and cry at the same time. He was so sure Rian would know—it was obvious, but maybe for all his patience, Rian hadn’t paid close enough attention. And that in itself was telling. “And it honestly doesn’t matter who it is. Rian, you deserve someone who doesn’t make you compete.”
“I know. I just wanted to do it right, you know? To earn love and happiness.”
At that, Raphael bristled just a little. “I’m not a task.”
“That’s not…”
“It is and it isn’t. This isn’t the first time I’ve been used by someone to prove something, and I don’t think you’re doing it on purpose. You have guilt about your ex, and maybe you should—and maybe not. I don’t know how it was with you two. But I think if we stop and take a good look at what we have…”
Rian bowed his head as Raphael trailed off and let out a shuddering sigh. “I asked Dmitri to help me win you over.”
Raphael felt his chest get a little tight. “What?”
“It’s not as bad as it sounds. Well,Iwas terrible. He should fucking report me.” Rian let out a high, tense laugh. “I tried to bribe him with his midterm questions if he would help me woo you.”
Raphael blinked at him and felt a hot coil of betrayal from both Rian and Dmitri. “He…said yes?”
“He said no,” Rian said, then dragged a hand through his hair. “Well, he refused to be bribed, then he told me what I should have already known.”
Some of the rage settled into a dull, quiet simmer, and he knew he’d have to unpack it, but not here. Not now. “Which was?”
“Treat you like a person. To show up. To stay,” Rian said with a tight laugh. “That even when you pushed me away, stay strong because you deserve someone who loves you and adores you no matter what.”
Raphael bowed his head, and the ache spread through his limbs. Dmitri knew him—inside and out. And if Luca was right, if Dmitri felt the same way, why had he offered that to Rian? What was he afraid of?
“It was good advice,” Rian said. “It would have worked, if the reason you were pushing me away wasn’t because you were in love with someone else. I don’t think I can compete against that.”
“You can’t,” Raphael said, and Rian flinched. “I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, but I think you and I are better off…”
He didn’t get to finish his sentence. A voice rang out around the corner—one he recognized, though it was full of fear. “Get the fuck off me!”
Raphael took off as fast as he could without falling, and Rian overtook him after just two paces, but Raphael was grateful for it because Dmitri sounded wrong.
And terrified.
“You’re such a fucking tease! You’re just like your stupid little friend.”
His shoes caught on the carpet, and he almost tumbled, but he managed to make it around the corner in time to see Paxton backing Dmitri into the wall. Dmitri was struggling, trying to push Paxton’s hand away, which was rucking up his shirt. His hair was a mess, and his cheeks were beet-red, and his eyes were wide and wild.
The moment seemed to hover in the air, broken only with Rian rushing up like he was ready to throw a punch.
Dmitri’s eyes landed on him, then moved to Raphael, and Paxton immediately followed them. He threw his hands up in instant surrender, backing up, and Dmitri tugged his shirt down and cleared his throat.
“Hey, relax, nothing’s going on,” Paxton started.
Raphael knew those words—knew what they meant, knew the sins they covered up. He moved without thinking, his slow trek closing the distance between him and Paxton. And it was one of the few times that he was grateful people underestimated him. Paxton didn’t see him as a threat. He didn’t think twice when Raphael’s crutch clattered to the floor.
And he didn’t see the punch coming.
Raphael had never been a fighter, so it hurt. Pain reverberated all the way up to his shoulder with the force of the hit, and his knuckles ached as they connected with Paxton’s jaw. He shouted and stumbled back, holding his face as he hit a side table and sent a vase crashing to the floor.
The next few moments would have been comical if the situation had been different. If Dmitri hadn’t been shaking a few feet away from him, if Raphael’s hand didn’t ache like he cracked a knuckle, if Paxton wasn’t pointing at Raphael and screaming about having him arrested…
Itmighthave been hilarious.
The hall filled with people, Talia and Adam at the front with half the party guests probably more curious than anything. Raphael’s ears were ringing, and he realized he was being supported by Rian’s arm and led away from Paxton who was still yelling, though Raphael couldn’t make out the words.
“Everyone needs to shut the fuck up!” Talia shouted, and the chatter faded to a dull roar. “What the hell is going on?”
