Page 24 of Ruined By the Enemy
“Stay focused, Sophie.” It’s become my mantra during the past twenty-four hours of deep-diving into the project and reworking my strategy from the ground up.
“Morning, Martha. Morning, Reggie,” I say with a brisk smile as I reach the reception area outside the office. “Is Mr. Moretti in?”
Martha glances up and shakes her head. “He’s not in yet.”
A ripple of disappointment stirs in my chest before I stamp it down. Not important. Not relevant.
My smile sharpens. “Would you mind if I waited in his office? I’ve got something confidential to deliver, and my window’s tight this morning.”
She waves me on. “Sure. He’ll be here in a few.”
“Thanks,” I say, keeping my tone light, even though my pulse starts to tick faster. I push the door open and step into the office, fully intending to use the few minutes alone to poke around—just a little.
The plan dies as the door closes behind me, and I look straight ahead.
Raffaele is perched casually on the edge of Dom’s desk, thumbing through a folder with a lopsided grin. He doesn’t look up right away, too absorbed in whatever he’s reading.
“Oh,” I say, surprised. “Didn’t expect to findyouin here.”
He lifts his gaze slowly, his smile widening like he’s been waiting for this moment. “And I didn’t expect you, but I’m starting to see a pattern.”
I blink, caught off guard. “I was told Mr. Moretti wasn’t in yet.”
“He’s not.” Raff taps the folder against the desk, then points at the chair across from him. “But I am. Lucky you.”
I narrow my eyes, already sensing that whatever he’s about to say will crawl under my skin. He might’ve been warm when we first met, but he’s Dom’s best friend—the only person he trusts, apparently. He’d know about his past.
The way I see it, Raffaele D’Amico is just as horrible as his friend.
He leans back, relaxed. “So, Sophie… here to deliver something confidential?” He mimics my words to Martha with mocking precision. “Or just snooping while the boss is out?”
“There are security cameras,” I say, picking the lie from thin air. Luckily, a glance around confirms my claim. “Why would I pull a move like that, knowing I’d get caught anyway?”
He shrugs. “Maybe you have a way of hacking the feed?”
I roll my eyes at his statement. “Seriously?”
“Hey.” He stands. “You’re the brilliant lawyer who found a way around a problem Dom and I had been working on for months. You tell me you couldn’t have bypassed one security camera if you really wanted to get something from his office?”
I’m not sure if it’s praise or a trap, but it makes me glow inside. On the outside, my expression is set at an impasse. “Being smart would mean knowing you can’t steal from Domenico Moretti,” I say. “Or snoop either.”
Raff studies me for a minute, and I see the moment when he determines I’ve passed his test.
“I wish I’d fought him harder,” he says, changing the subject. “As much as I love him, Dom has no idea how useful you can be.”
“And you do?”
I whirl around to find Dom standing by the door, one hand casually tucked into his pocket. He looks composed, too composed maybe, but his eyes are fixed on me.
He’s not looking at Raff. He’s looking atme.
And there’s something in his stare that makes me want to search for cover. It’s not anger, no. It’s the moment before he kissed me at the penthouse suite. The instant I knew there was no turning back.
It’s helplessness. He makes me feel like I’m exposed and my only way out is to run and hide.
The silence stretches, tight as a wire, before anyone dares to speak again.
“Well,” Raff is the first to speak. “We’ve been waiting for you.”
