Page 29 of Until Retribution Burns (Beauty in Lies 3)

While there was no denying that Ivory was stunning, it was easy to see why she belonged at Matteo's side. Unease slithered up my spine, feeling out of place next to Rafe as he drew me back to him. "Asshole," Rafe muttered.

"But you said turnabout is fair play," Matteo said, his tone light and mocking as he studied us together.

"Ignore them," Ivory said, stepping forward and rolling her eyes as she took my hands in hers and looked at my rings. "You’re so young! I don't even want to consider what that devil of a man did to get you to marry him so quickly."

"He put a gun to my head," I said. I kept my tone light, but Ivory's eyes narrowed on my face as if she knew Rafe was capable of just that.

She sighed, smiling through it as she shook her head. "Somehow I don't doubt it felt that way."

The air went still as she spoke, and I turned to find Matteo's gaze narrowed in on my arm and the tattoo that must have been brought closer to his scrutiny when Ivory grabbed for my rings. Ivory seemed to ignore the pulse of fury rolling off her husband, whether she was just used to it or not, I didn't know.

"Don, take the kids outside, would you?" Matteo yelled to the other room. The older man appeared almost instantly, folding the baby boy into his embrace as Matteo set Luna on the floor and they fled the room as Ivory finally turned my arm from side to side and studied the brand in horror.

"Rafael," she murmured, touching a hand to her mouth as she released my other hand. The light sweater I’d worn momentarily covered his name carved into my shoulder, and I briefly wondered if there would ever come a day when I felt like I couldnothide it. Probably not.

"Did we or did we not have a deal that you were not to abuse her?" Matteo asked Rafael, his voice dropping low enough that I spun to face him where he glared at Rafael as if the two men might come to blows. He stepped forward, grasping my forearm tightly and running his thumb over the raised flesh of theEl Diablobrand on my forearm. "So tell me, Rafael.What the fuck is this?"

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