Page 86 of Tainted Ties

“It’s quite convenient actually.” He shrugged. “Raphael has decided to give a helping hand and offer hisassistance.”

“Assistance?” My brows furrowed in confusion before a cold hand touched my forearm, pulling my gaze to him.

I clenched my hands into fists, wanting to shrug off Raphael’s touch, but refrained from doing so until I knew the reason for his presence.

“It’ll all be over soon.”

The crazed look in Raphael’s eyes was something I hadn’t noticed before, but up close, I could see the manic sparkling in his dilated pupils.

Swallowing against the rising bile, I slowly pulled my arm away from his touch. “What does that mean?”

A wide smile spread across his face, sly and wolfish.

“Assistance as in he has offered his men to work for me until things smooth over.”

My head snapped to my father’s voice, not understanding a single thing spiraling inside this room. “His men?” I shook my head. “Smooth over?What exactly are you talking about?”

He huffed, impatience evident on his wrinkled forehead. “Raphael informed me of the history between you two.”

“And you don’t have to worry about being married to my brother any longer,” Raphael cut in.

The thunderous beat of my heart threatened to leap out of my chest.

“It’s clear that you haven’t been successful with our original plan. Therefore, we’re changing it.”

Changing it.

My mind raced with excuses to spit out, knowing whatever his second plan was, it would be worse.

“I need more time,” I lied.

My father’s hands slammed on the desk, his focus sharpening in on me. “I don’thavemore time.”

I stared at him cautiously as he cleared his throat and loosened his shirt collar.

“Now that I have a crew to stand by me against Roman, I need you to do something.”

Swallowing the dryness in my throat, I found my voice to utter one word. “What?”

“Get him alone and I’ll take care of the rest.”

Even the most soulless man learns how to love.

Earn his trust.

“He doesn’t trust me yet.”

My father lifted his chin. “You cruising around town with him the past few weeks has proved otherwise.”

Roman had been insistent on making up for lost time and while I knew it would be a bad idea for this exact reason, I hadn’t been able to reject him.

“Do this one thing and you can be free from him, Aurora.” Raphael leaned in, forcing me to stare at his roguish expression. He was plotting his brother’s death as if it was normal. “Then we can be together.”

The taste of blood burst on my tongue from biting the inside of my cheek too hard.

Thiswas Raphael’s motive. He didn’t care to help my father. He only wanted to haveme.

The need to prove to my father that my husband was innocent gnawed at me. I couldn’t allow him to ‘take care of the rest’ when I knew it meant death.

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