Page 85 of Tainted Ties

“The cemetery.” Unwrapping my arms from his neck, I fidgeted on my feet, hoping he wouldn’t sense my lie. “I haven’t visited my mother’s grave yet or Enzo’s,” I said weakly.

“I’ll come with you.”

“No!I mean,” I inhaled sharply. “I don’t want to keep you.”

Uncertainty creased his brows. “I’ll tell Ricardo to take you.”

Shaking my head, I took a step back. “I want to go alone.”

Indecision was clear in his eyes, and I knew I needed to play my cards right to get what I wanted, even if it hurt him.

“Unless you still consider me as an object and not a person.”

His jaw clenched tightly, the muscle protruding and I knew I had won this round.

“I’ll text you when I’m back home.” I forced a smile. “I need to do this on my own, okay?”

He stared at me with narrowed eyes as if he wanted to refuse me, but then he nodded his head and sighed. “Okay.”

Giving him a swift kiss on the cheek, I grabbed my wallet from the dresser and left the room.

Taking one of Roman’s cars wasn’t ideal because he could easily track me. If I was being honest, he could have someone follow me without my knowledge, but I knew he wanted to build our trust.

It made my stomach coil tightly. I wanted the same thing, yet here I was, tearing down the foundation.

* * *

Once again, I stood in front of the black wooden door—my father’s office.

Except this time, there were soft voices seeping through it.

Like before, I knocked once before entering.

I made it past the threshold when I stopped in my tracks, staring at my father and the man occupying the seat in front of him.

“Raphael?”

“Hello, Aurora.”

Blinking a few times to rid the image of my ex-boyfriend, I asked, “What are you doing here?”

“Sit and find out.”

The command was from my father and for a split second, I had forgotten he was here.

If Raphael and my father were in the same room, I knew something terrible was awaiting.

My body drew taut, urging me to turn away and run, but my feet were rooted in place.

Instead, I closed the door behind me and walked further into the office.

I peered at my father while sensing Raphael’s eyes trail over me, making me squirm from his attention.

“What did you want to discuss?” I stole a glance at Raphael before staring at my father again. “I thought this was a private matter.”

“It is.” He took a sip of the clear liquid sloshing in his glass. “One that includes Raphael Mancini.”

A sudden weakness settled over my limbs, forcing me to sit on the chair beside Roman’s brother. “What do you mean?”

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