Whatever he was hearing...
It wasn’t good.
A flicker of unease moved through me, but I forced myself to turn back toward the house. After everything that had happened in his office, after the way he had drawn that line so clearly—
This wasn’t my place.
Not my business.
I had taken one step forward when—
“This secret marriage... has been leaked.”
His voice stopped me cold.
I froze.
For a second, I thought I had misheard.
Then my heart slammed violently against my ribs.
I turned back so quickly it almost made me dizzy. “What?”
He lowered the phone slowly, his expression carved from something dark and controlled—but the tension in him hadn’t eased.
“It’s already all over the news.”
My stomach dropped.
I took a small, hesitant step toward him, my thoughts snapping back to a week ago—to the club, to the man who had stolen my phone, Marcello.
He had seen it. Found out I was married to Rafael.
Ramiro had warned him there would be severe consequences if he ever revealed it... and yet it seemed he had done exactly that.
Rafael’s hand clenched again, veins standing out along his forearm, the controlled fury in him barely contained.
“Clearly,” he said, his voice dropping a fraction lower, “someone offered him more than fear could buy. Marcello talked... and he’ll pay for it.”
A chill slid down my spine.
I exhaled slowly, trying to steady the sudden rush of thoughts crashing through my mind.
“I can speak to Vincenzo,” I said quickly, my voice quieter but urgent. “He can talk to the Italian men here—stop them from making any move against you... against us.”
A pause.
“After all, I’m Italian.”
Rafael exhaled softly, sliding his hands into his pockets in a slow, deliberate motion.
“This is bigger than your brother,” he said at last. “He doesn’t control the Italian network the way I control the Spanish. And the Italian men here aren’t loyal to him. They’re rebels. They won’t listen.”
His gaze shifted briefly toward the house. Not toward me. Toward what he was protecting.
Or what could be used against him.
“They will come for you... and Tess,” he said, pausing as his gaze fixed on mine.
