I do.
“It doesn’t matter if you never get caught,” I say instead.
He leans over the center console and my breath hitches at the thought of him kissing me. We’ve done a number of sexual things, some of which could be considered emotionally intimate, but I don’t think Rafael would agree. However, a simple kiss? That would definitely be a show of affection.
Much to my disappointment, he taps the tip of my nose. “I am caught. By you, as a matter of fact.”
I sigh. I don’t mean to, but I do. Maybe it’s from the weight of my decision.
The one I made to leave Rafael. And soon.
“Look,” he says, “I know today was difficult and it’ll only continue to be hard.” He cups my cheeks and sweeps his thumb over my face. “However, there’s no doubt in my mind that you have the fortitude to make it through whatever comes next.”
Leaving Rafael is going to require more than fortitude because it’s going to kill me.
He searches my gaze and I briefly avert mine so he won’t see the pain in it. I’m not sure if I’m successful, but I hope he assumes my inner turmoil is because of seeing my father again. It’s a correct assumption.
It’s just not the entire reason for me being melancholy.
I have to get Violetta away from my father and I’m going to do it now, while he least expects it. Knowing him, he’ll assume that Rafael and I will first try and gain his confidence, so we can betray him in the future. My father doesn’t trust anyone and I know this, which is why I wouldn’t attempt to do that.
But stealing my sister away from him shortly after announcing my engagement? Even the great Paolo Nardone wouldn’t think I’d be so bold.
“Come on,” Rafael says. “It’s late.”
We take the private elevator up to his penthouse and he greets the men running security with a nod as we pass by. Once we reach the door, Rafael unlocks it and then enters first. I follow behind and then stop short at a mewling sound.
“You’re not a very good watch dog,” he says to my cat.
“Dusty!” I scoop up my pet and hug him to my chest, cooing at him in gibberish. “What are you doing here? I thought you were keeping Renzo company in his apartment?”
Rafael does a walk-through and returns. “All is well, but with everything that’s going on with your father, I’ll always check, just in case. Only an idiot would assume someone breaking in would do so using the elevator.” He scoffs and rolls his eyes. “And as far as the fur ball? He’s here because you wanted him. Right?”
I nod enthusiastically.
“Dusty is stupid name, in my opinion.” He waves a hand, gesturing to the cat still in my arms, purring contentedly. “Why didn’t you name him something that would’ve given him at least a shred of dignity? And where does Dusty originate from anyway?”
The sparkle of mischief in Rafael’s dark eyes is clear for me to see and I smile in response. “When I found Dusty a year and a half ago, he was a tiny ball of gray fluff. He reminded me of the dust bunnies under my furniture, so that’s how he got his name.”
Rafael slaps a hand to his forehead. “That’s even worse.” He sidles up to me and then strokes Dusty’s head. “Don’t worry, little man. I’ll give you a badass name like Glock or steel. Something masculine and not lame as fuck.”
I make a face at him and then set down the cat. “Thank you for letting both of us stay. It didn’t need to be here specifically, since you own the building, but I’m grateful.” I stare at him and hope he can hear the sincerity in my voice. “For everything you’ve done.”
Rafael freezes. Only his eyes flicker along my face in a visual caress, but then they flash. Right before he grabs me and crushes his lips to mine. Shock keeps me immobile for a brief second. His kiss is demanding and harsh, full of dark and alluring promise.
I grasp at the material of his shirt and pull him closer, wanting to drown in this kiss, in him. He groans and slides his hands from my waist to grip my ass. Then he hauls me into his arms and spins so my back hits a wall. That gives him the support he needs to grind his cock into me. Now it’s me who’s groaning.
He rips his mouth from mine, his ragged breathing fanning over my flushed face. “I want you so fucking bad,” he rasps. Despite that impassioned declaration, he sets me on my feet and takes a step back. “But it can’t be right now.”
“What?” I blink at him in confusion, my brain still muddled from the spike of arousal that shot through me. “Why?”
“Don’t wait up for me.”
With that ambiguous remark, he turns and shuts the door. The lock clicks into place and it’s as though Rafael just imprisoned my heart and threw away the key.
For the next several hours I try to avoid obsessing about where Rafael is and what he’s doing.
And possibly, with whom.
