RAFAEL
One week later
IT WAS TIME to stop.
A curtain went up at Alessio’s apartment, one that hadn’t been there at all when I’d visited.
The thick drapes were drawn across his windows like a barrier, a message to me that I received loud and clear.
It was over.
Wewere over.
21
ALESSIO
“SINCE WHEN DO you take your coffee black?” Lachlan side-eyed me as he tapped his card to pay for our drinks. The fucker owed me one for being a royal pain in my ass the last week. I’d never seen as much of his ugly mug as I had the last seven days, and though I had my suspicions for why, I’d be damned if I ever breathed a word.
Not coincidentally, the last time I’d seen Rafael was a week ago. I could probably spout off a pretty spot-on time down to total minutes, but I refused to be that pathetic.
“Black like my soul,” I said, as the barista shoved a sleeve on the coffee cup and handed it over.
“Jesus. Someone’s getting off on melodramatics.”
“See, and I thought you’d be the first to agree.”
“Nah. You’re a teddy bear.” He smirked and took a sip of his cappuccino, which had me snorting out a laugh.
“Is that…foam?”
“Shut up.”
“Damn. Cooper’s rubbin’ off on you.”
He shot me a wink as we commandeered an empty two-seater. “Day and night, brother, day and night.”
For fuck’s sake. I’d asked for that. Should’ve kept my mouth shut, because the last thing I needed was a reminder that Lachlan and every single one of my brothers were completely locked down with significant others.
I was the lone man out. Always and forever. It chafed on a good day, but these last few months it was bothering me more than usual. The last fewdaysit had been killing me. Because I should’ve had what they had. Hell, I had once, and it was so close now that I could reach out and take it. The problem with that, though, was I didn’t want someone who didn’t want me back. And Rafael? He’d made it crystal fucking clear that I was the most delusional man on the planet for eventhinkingit could be possible for us. He hadn’t just told me no; he’d told his entire congregation exactly how he truly felt.
Thinking about it made my insides wanna revolt, and I had to swallow down the bile rising with a long sip of coffee.
“He’s got another feature inLincoln,” Lachlan continued, a proud smile turning up the corners of his mouth. “Did you see it?”
“Uh, no. Can’t say I’ve been rushing out to grab a copy.”
“You should. He had a lot to say about a certain Monaco prince and his American husband.” He waggled his brows, and I frowned.
“Cooper did a story on Theo and Shep? ForShep’smagazine? Why?”
“For one”—he ticked off on his fingers—“the people want it. Two, they control the narrative. Three, sales went through the goddamn roof, which leads to four—making my smart, incredibly sexy, and deserving boyfriend the go-to guy to hire. Should I go on?”
“Please don’t. I’m gonna vomit.”
“You sound jealous.”
“What about saying I’m gonna projectile puke all over your suit says anything about jeal—” My words got caught in my throat as my eyes landed on the tall figure who’d just walked inside the café. As he headed toward the counter, he glanced in my direction, and then did a double take.
