006

SCARLETT

I had been staring out the window for so long that I barely noticed when the city changed around us.

The roads became quieter. The traffic thinned. Buildings passed by in a blur of glass and concrete, but I wasn't really seeing any of them. My mind was somewhere else entirely.

At home.

The thought alone made my stomach tighten.

I didn't want to go back there.

I didn't want to walk into that mansion and see my grandfather. I didn't want Adrian looking at me like I had finally lost my mind. I definitely didn't want to see Matteo again.

The memory of him standing in the living room flashed through my mind.

My chest tightened. "Stop."

Raffaele glanced at me. "What?"

"Not the car."

He raised an eyebrow. "That would have been useful information to lead with."

I looked at him. "I don't want to go home anymore."

His expression changed slightly. Not dramatically. He didn't immediately ask what was wrong or start demanding an explanation. He simply waited.

I looked back out the window. "I don't want to be there."

"Alright."

I turned toward him. That was it? Just 'alright'?

"You don't want to ask why?"

Raffaele shrugged lightly. "You'll tell me if you want me to know."

I stared at him but his attention returned to the road.

Something about the simplicity of that answer made my throat tighten.

I looked down at my hands. "Can you take me somewhere else?"

"Somewhere else?"

"Anywhere."

He was quiet.

I swallowed. "Just take me away from everything for a while."

The words sounded desperate. Because they were.

I didn't care where we went. I didn't care if it was another city, another country, or somewhere so far away that I couldn't hear my own thoughts anymore.

I just didn't want to go back.

Not yet. Not when I had no idea what was happening to me.

Raffaele was silent for a few seconds before he nodded. "That's fine."

I looked at him.

"I know somewhere quiet."

I relaxed slightly.

Then his eyes flickered toward me. "But can you trust a total stranger that easily?"

I stared at him. "You're not a stranger."

Raffaele gave me a look. "I believe we've already established that I am."

"I know your name."

He laughed softly. "Seeing someone in magazines, newspapers and on television doesn't count as knowing them."

I frowned. "That's not how I know you."

That made him look at me again. "What?"

I immediately looked away.

Damn it.

I couldn't exactly tell him that I knew him in the future. That conversation wouldn't go wonderfully.

"I just mean..." I paused. "We're closer than you think."

Raffaele frowned slightly. His eyes remained on the road, but I could tell I had caught his attention. "Closer?"

I regretted speaking immediately. "Not like that."

"That's disappointing."

I turned sharply toward him. "What?"

He smiled. "Nothing."

"You're impossible." I shook my head.

Raffaele was quiet for another moment before speaking again. "I have a private suite."

I looked at him.

He continued carefully. "It's quiet. Nobody will bother you there."

My body tensed slightly.

Raffaele noticed. "Your own room," he added immediately. "You can lock the door. You can throw me out if I annoy you. I'm very considerate that way."

That earned the smallest smile from me. "Only sometimes."

"I'll take what I can get."

I looked down. "Will anyone be able to track me there?"

Raffaele's fingers tightened slightly around the steering wheel.

He looked at me again. Then smiled. "Are you some kind of runaway princess?"

I blinked. The question caught me off guard.

Maybe it was the ridiculousness of it, or maybe it was simply the first normal thing anyone had said to me all day, but I felt a small laugh escape me.

"Maybe."

Raffaele's eyebrows rose. "That's not comforting."

"You asked."

"I was hoping you'd say no."

I leaned back against the seat. "Sorry to disappoint."

He sighed dramatically. "Now I have to worry about being hunted down by the royal family."

I smiled again. "That's your problem."

"I don't want to be arrested."

"I don't think royal families arrest people."

"They have dungeons."

I laughed.

Raffaele glanced at me. "There."

"What?"

"That."

"What?"

"You're laughing."

My smile faded slightly. I hadn't even realized it.

Raffaele turned his attention back to the road. "I was beginning to think I'd have to perform a magic trick."

"You don't seem like a magician."

"I'm full of surprises."

"Are you?"

"No."

I laughed again.

He smiled. "I've seen enough historical documentaries to know how these things end."

"Have you?"

"Public execution."

My eyes widened.

Raffaele looked completely serious.

I burst out laughing.

He laughed too.

And for a few seconds, sitting beside a man I technically hadn't met yet, I almost forgot about Matteo.

A short while later, Raffaele drove into a private underground parking area beneath one of the city's most exclusive buildings. Security was tight, but no one approached us. A man opened the car door for Raphael before another stepped forward to assist me.

Raffaele immediately waved him away. "She's fine."

The man nodded and stepped back.

I got out slowly, suddenly aware of how ridiculous I looked.

I pulled my robe tighter around myself.

Raffaele noticed. "Don't worry."

I looked at him. "About?"

"You don't look that bad."

I stared at him. "I'm wearing a robe."

"Yes."

"And slippers."

"I can see that."

"I look insane."

He considered me. "A little."

I glared at him but he only smiled. "But charmingly insane."

"That's not better." I shook my head and followed him toward a private elevator.

The elevator opened directly into the suite.

I stepped out and stopped. The place was enormous.

Modern but warm, with large windows overlooking the city and furniture that looked far too expensive to actually sit on. The entire space was quiet. No staff. No noise. No curious faces.

Exactly what I needed.

Raffaele watched me take it in. "Too much?"

"No." I shook my head. "It's quiet."

I was already used to all of these.

"That was the idea." He walked ahead and opened a door at the end of the hallway.

"This room is yours."

I followed him.

The bedroom was almost as large as my own.

A king-sized bed sat in the middle of the room. There was a private bathroom, a small sitting area and another large window overlooking the city.

I turned toward him. "You're giving me this room?"

Raffaele leaned against the doorframe. "Unless you prefer the couch."

I looked around. "This is your suite."

"Yes."

"And you're giving me one of your rooms."

"Again, unless you prefer the couch. Do you want to sleep on the couch?"

I smiled slightly. "You're annoyingly generous."

"That's the nicest thing you've said to me."

"I didn't say it was nice."

"Too late."

I shook my head.

He stepped away from the door. "Freshen up."

I nodded.

"I'll have food brought in."

"You don't have to do that."

"Please don't start."

"I'm serious."

"So am I."

I stared at him.

Raffaele pointed toward the bathroom. "Go."

I almost laughed. "Are you ordering me around now?"

"Absolutely."

I looked at him.

"Go freshen up, Scarlett."

I nodded. "Thank you."

His expression softened. "You're welcome."

He stepped outside and pulled the door shut behind him.

I stood there.

For several seconds, I didn't move.

I listened.

Silence.

I waited for his footsteps.

Nothing.

My eyebrows pulled together.

Why was he still standing there?

I moved closer to the door.

Still nothing.

I slowly reached for the handle and pulled it open.

Raffaele was standing directly outside.

He looked down at me.

Neither of us spoke.

Then he cleared his throat. "Please close the door."

I stared at him.

He looked away briefly. "Scarlett."

I shook my head slightly. Then opened the door wider.

His eyes returned to mine. "What are you doing?"

I stepped aside. "Come in."

His expression immediately changed. "Don't."

I frowned. "Don't what?"

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Invite me into your room when you're clearly not thinking straight."

I stared at him. "I'm thinking perfectly."

"That's debatable."

"Raphael."

He shook his head. "No."

I moved closer to him. "Why not?"

His jaw tightened. "You've been crying for hours."

"So?"

Raffaele stepped back from the doorway. "I don't want to take advantage of you."

My eyes returned to his. The words settled between us.

I understood what he meant.

And strangely, that made something inside me ache.

Because Matteo had taken so much from me.

My trust.

My future.

My child.

My life.

He is having an affair with my fucking best friend.

And here was a man who barely knew me, standing outside an open door and refusing to enter because he was afraid of taking something I might regret giving.

"You already made that decision."

Raffaele frowned. "What?"

"You decided not to take advantage of me when you didn't walk away."

His expression hardened slightly. "Scarlett."

"Then why are you still standing here?"

He let out a slow breath. "Because apparently, I enjoy making my life difficult."

I smiled faintly. "That's not an answer."

Raffaele looked at the open door. Then at me. "I was giving myself another chance to walk away."

"And?"

His lips twitched. "I'm fighting the urge to kick that door open while simultaneously reminding myself why I shouldn't."

I stared at him. For the first time, I saw something beneath the calmness.

Restraint.

Real restraint.

My heart began beating differently. I stepped closer. "Then I'm glad you didn't walk away."

Raffaele's eyes lowered to my mouth.

The movement was brief, but I noticed.

He looked back at my eyes. "Scarlett."

I reached for him and his body tensed.

For one second, I thought he was going to step away.

Instead, I grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him toward me.

Then I kissed him.