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Relief washes over me, mingled with a gratitude that’s tinged with unease. This man, who now holds my fate in his hands, has given my family a fortune.
I check my own account. Fifty thousand dollars. One percent of five million. Enough to top up Mia’s college fund.
Determined to maintain some semblance of control over my own life, I decide to leave before Rafael comes looking for me.
The thought of facing him, of navigating the tension and unspoken questions between us, is too much to bear. If I stay, I know the boundaries I’ve set for myself will blur.
The desire to be ravaged by him, to surrender to the storm of emotions he stirs within me, is a temptation I’m not sure I can resist.
I can’t stay. Even if he did sleep with me, what then? I remain obsessed with him, and he moves on to the next woman in his life. It’s not like he’d want me for more than one night. I’m broke, an employee half his age.
He probably sees me as a dumb kid. That’s why he didn’t do anything with me last night. Not mature enough for him.
I find my own clothes folded neatly in the corner of the room. He must have had them brought here after the auction.
Quietly, I dress, the fabric rough against my skin after the luxuriousness of the bed sheets. The penthouse is silent as I make my way out of the guest room, and I assume Rafael is still asleep, lost in dreams that I can’t help but wonder about.
Stepping out into the cool morning air of Manhattan, the city’s early bustle envelops me, offering a cloak of anonymity that I cling to.
The contrast between the world I’m stepping back into and the one I’ve left behind in Rafael’s penthouse is stark.
Here, amidst the flow of the city, I’m just another face in the crowd, not an object of a multimillion-dollar auction bid.
Returning to my familiar apartment feels surreal, like stepping into a life that’s no longer mine.
The walls, the furniture, and even the air feel different, tainted by the events of the previous night. I’m back in my own world, yet everything seems altered.
I find Mia in the living room, her face lighting up with relief and a thousand unasked questions as she sees me.
“Amelia! You’re back,” she exclaims, rushing over to embrace me. “I was so worried when you didn’t come home last night.”
“Everything’s okay,” I assure her, forcing a smile. “Nothing happened.” She doesn’t need to know the turmoil that’s churning inside me, the confusion and longing Rafael has sparked.
Mom and Dad emerge from their bedroom a moment later. “You’re back,” Dad says, sounding surprised. “Thank you so much. We got paid, and you’re back. Everything can go back to normal at last.”
6
RAFAEL
The casino buzzes with energy but this corner of the bar is dark and secluded. It’s the perfect vantage point for the conversation ahead. Gianni approaches, his presence cutting through the crowd like a knife.
“Boss,” he greets, his voice a low rumble barely audible over the din of the casino. “Ivanov’s casino. You reckon we’ll get out of here alive?”
“He doesn’t know about Delaney yet,” I respond. “What’s the latest on Adrian North?”
Without missing a beat, he leans in, ensuring our conversation remains private. “He’s at the roulette table right now. Acting like he’s got a bottomless pit of cash.”
A surge of frustration courses through me, mixing with an underlying current of concern. “He’s putting his family at risk, the selfish son of a bitch. Does he think I’ll keep bailing him out?”
Gianni nods, his gaze scanning the room before returning to me. “Telling anyone who’ll listen that his daughter is connected to the Bianchi family. Wants them to keep giving him more credit. So far, they’re agreeing, but it won’t last forever.”
I pause, taking a moment to collect my thoughts. “If I marry Amelia, I’ll bring her under my protection. That way her father can’t hurt her when he gets into some real shit.”
“There was me thinking you’d have one night with her and get it out of your system.”
“Wanted to but couldn’t do it.”
“Why not?”
