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Even if it was the most real conversation he’d had with a woman Ever

CHAPTER THREE

STAY AWAY FROM ME

Pia’s words followed him as Raphael walked around the estate and h-flying guest into their vehicles He bid the tired staff to their beds after they put the ballroohts

He didn’t know if Gio thought the ball successful but Raphael thought it had been sensational

Whoever Pia was, she’d meant those words His accusations had hurt her, but it was the other thing she’d said that pricked him even now

You mock who I am

Had he hs she’d seemed like an impossibility? Or had he mocked her because he resented that innocence, those stars in her eyes?

Because he’d never had a chance to be like that

He was about to call it a night and settle into one of the spare bedrooms, as he sometimes did, when he spied the master of puppets

Scowling, he followed Giovanni into his study and closed the door behind him with a loud thud

Giovanni handed Raphael a glass of red As if he’d known that his godson wouldn’t leave without this talk

“Shouldn’t you be in bed?” Raphael said as Giovanni plopped down onto the sofa with a long sigh Because of his agile aot that Gio was old His wrinkled hands shook as he lifted the glass to his mouth