Chapter 21 Raffaele
RAFFAELE
The rustle of the breeze coming through the windows was all that broke the absolute silence in my office.
The world outside was a study in contrasts—the endless expanse of manicured grounds bathed in sunlight while I sat in shadow, the curtains drawn just enough to keep the brightness at bay.
My gaze lingered on the horizon, but my thoughts were nowhere near the scenery.
They were with her.
Vivian.
She’d kissed me. Unprovoked. My mind kept circling back to it, a relentless loop of soft lips, the taste of her, the hitch in her breath when I’d gripped her waist and pulled her closer.
And those soft, breathy noises she’d made when I’d gone down on her.
They’d been full of unguarded need, and now echoed in my mind like a haunting melody I couldn’t forget. The motherfucking taste of her.
What had she been trying to do? Manipulate me?
Seduce me? Had she thought she could gain some semblance of control by using her body?
It wouldn’t be the first time someone had tried to bend me to their will with desire.
I’d seen it before—hell, I’d used the same tactics myself countless times.
But something about her felt different. Vivian didn’t wield her body like a weapon.
She moved like someone caught in a storm, uncertain of her own strength but unwilling to crumble.
I clenched my jaw, forcing the thoughts aside. She’d been… vulnerable. No, I corrected myself, calculating. It had been a one-time moment of weakness on both our parts. I couldn’t let it mean anything more. Couldn’t let her get close.
The door creaked open, pulling me from my thoughts. I didn’t turn around—I didn’t have to. Only one person in this godforsaken estate had the audacity to barge into my office unannounced.
“Eldora,” I said flatly, still staring out the window.
“Raffaele,” she replied, her voice light but edged with that familiar maternal sternness that always set my teeth on edge. “You look like hell.”
“Charming as always,” I muttered, finally turning to face her.
She stood just inside the doorway, her hands clasped in front of her and a knowing glint in her eye.
She was the picture of poise and grace, but I knew better.
Eldora could cut you to shreds with a few well-placed words, and she never hesitated to wield that power when she deemed it necessary.
She closed the door behind her and crossed the room, sinking gracefully into the chair across from my desk. “You’ve been brooding,” she said, studying me with an intensity that made me want to look away. “Care to share why?”
“I don’t brood,” I replied, leaning back in my chair and crossing my arms over my chest. “I strategize.”
“Of course you do.” Her lips quirked in a faint smile. “And does this strategy involve staring out the window for hours on end, looking like someone kicked your favorite puppy?”
“I’ve never had a favorite puppy,” I said dryly. “Or any puppy, for that matter.”
She rolled her eyes, the gesture so human it was almost comical coming from her. “You know what I mean. Stop deflecting.”
I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. “What do you want, Eldora?”
She tilted her head, her expression softening just enough to disarm me. “I came to remind you that you’re missing out.”
“On what?” I asked, though I already knew where this conversation was headed.
“Happiness. You deserve it, you know. Even if it’s with a human.”
I barked out a laugh, the sound sharp and humorless. “Me? Never.”
She gave me a pointed look, unimpressed. “I can’t imagine what that poor girl is going through. Forced here against her will, witnessing a double homicide at point-blank range, and then enduring that gods-awful binding ceremony left her sick as a dog. You’ve put her through hell, Raffaele.”
I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the desk. “She knew coming here was the only way for her and that boy to survive. She made her choice.”
Eldora’s expression didn’t soften. “It wasn’t much of a choice, was it?”
I clenched my jaw as I stared at my desk. Eldora was right, of course, but I wasn’t about to admit it.
“She’s strong,” Eldora continued, her tone gentler now. “Stronger than you give her credit for. But even the strongest people have their breaking points, Raffaele. And you’re not making it any easier for her.”
“What do you expect me to do?” I snapped. “Hold her hand? Whisper sweet nothings in her ear? That’s not who I am, Eldora. You know that.”
She sighed, leaning back in her chair. “I’m not asking you to change who you are. I’m asking you to stop pushing her away. Let your guard down, just a little. Show her that you’re not the monster she thinks you are.”
I scoffed. “Maybe I am the monster she thinks I am.”
“Bullshit,” she said, her voice cutting through the air like a blade. “You’ve spent your entire life building walls, convincing yourself that emotions are a weakness, that caring for someone makes you vulnerable. But that’s not strength, Raffaele. That’s fear.”
Her words hit harder than I cared to admit, but I didn’t let it show. Instead, I leaned back in my chair. “I’ll give it some thought,” I said dismissively.
“Sure you will. But you’d better think fast. Because if you keep shutting her out, you’re going to lose her before you ever had her.”
She turned and walked toward the door, pausing just before she reached it. “Oh, and one more thing,” she said, glancing back over her shoulder. “Stop being such an asshole.”
The door clicked shut behind her, leaving me alone with her words—and the truth I didn’t want to face.
Eldora was right. I’d spent my entire life believing that emotions were a liability, that caring for someone would only lead to pain and betrayal. My father had hammered that lesson into me, using every opportunity to remind me that love was a fatal flaw, a weapon my enemies would use against me.
I couldn’t afford to let Vivian in. Couldn’t afford to care for her, to let her see the cracks in my armor. It would make me weak. Vulnerable. And yet, I couldn’t shake the image of Vivian’s face—the fire in her eyes, the way she’d looked at me when she thought I wasn’t watching.
I couldn’t afford to care for her.
But maybe it was already too late.
The door to my office opened with a creak, interrupting the fragile silence that had settled after Eldora’s departure. I didn’t bother to look up, already irritated by the intrusion.
“I don’t recall scheduling a meeting,” I said flatly, my tone laced with venom.
But when I finally glanced up, my irritation sharpened.
Vincenzo stood there, flanked by two of his enforcers—Camilla and Alessandro.
He wore his usual air of composed arrogance, his suit immaculate, and his expression unreadable.
“Vincenzo,” I said, leaning back in my chair. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
He stepped inside, motioning for the two at his side to follow. “I’m here to discuss Vivian.”
Of course. “What about her?”
Vincenzo gestured toward Camilla. “This is Camilla. I’d like to station her here, at your estate. To keep an eye on Vivian.”
I barked a laugh, though there was no humor in it. “Let me guess—this was Celeste’s fucking idea?”
He smiled faintly, not denying it. “Celeste might have suggested it, but I happen to agree. If you’re going to insist on this arrangement, Vivian needs someone she trusts nearby. Someone who isn’t you.”
His words hit harder than I cared to admit, but I didn’t let it show. “And what’s in it for me?”
Vincenzo stepped forward, his hands in his pockets. “Camilla is one of my best enforcers. You know I don’t part with my people easily, but this is an exception. She might be useful to you as well.”
I turned my attention to Camilla, who stood with her arms crossed, her posture relaxed but her gaze sharp. “Is that so?” I drawled. “What exactly is your specialty?”
She shrugged. “I’m a shifter. Heightened senses, stealth missions, weapons, hand-to-hand combat. You name it, I’ve probably done it.”
Her confidence intrigued me, but I wasn’t about to let her waltz in and play babysitter. “If you think I’m letting her come here just to babysit my wife, you’re out of your fucking mind,” I said to Vincenzo. “I already have one pain-in-the-ass shifter running around. I don’t need another.”
Jareth’s smirking face flashed through my mind, and I scowled.
Vincenzo raised an eyebrow. “Camilla isn’t here to be a babysitter. She’s a professional.”
“I don’t care what she is,” I said. “If she’s going to stay here, she’s not working for you anymore. She’ll work for me.”
The muscles in Camilla’s jaw twitched, but she didn’t protest. Vincenzo, however, looked less than pleased. “You’re stealing my enforcer now?” he asked, his tone deceptively light.
“Call it an exchange,” I said coldly. “If she’s staying on my territory, she’s under my command. End of discussion.”
Vincenzo sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Fine. But you’d better use her wisely and treat her well. She’s one of my best.”
I smirked, leaning forward. “I have a specific assignment in mind.” I turned to Camilla. “There’s an artifact I need you to find. My enforcers are tied up with other assignments, and this can’t wait.”
That piqued her curiosity. “What kind of artifact?”
“That’s on a need-to-know basis. And you don’t need to fucking know yet. I’ll fill you in later.”
Camilla didn’t need the details of the artifact that would, hopefully, kill my father once and for all. She just needed to find the thing.
She narrowed her eyes but nodded. “Fine.”
From the corner of my eye, I saw Alessandro shift his weight, clearly uncomfortable. He looked like he wanted to say something, but Vincenzo spoke first. “Alessandro here has a proposition.”
I glanced at the younger man, who stood awkwardly at Vincenzo’s side. “What is it?”