Page 166 of When She Falls (The Fallen)
His brows furrow, and he waits to hear what I have to say.
“Cleo will marry you instead of me.”
The mask he always wears falls away for one brief moment, and something vaguely hungry flashes inside his gaze.
I swallow. “She’ll take my place…if you’ll have her.”
Rafaele drags his palm over his lips. “She offered to do this?”
“Yes.”
A beat passes. “I see.”
Slowly, he extracts his other hand out of his pocket. I flinch, expecting him to do something to me with that hand, but he simply holds it out like he wants me to give him something.
“The ring.”
I blink. I’d thought I’d get more questions from him. What does this mean? Is this him saying he’s fine with marrying Cleo?
I hesitate for a second and then slide the heavy emerald ring off my finger and place it in his palm. His fingers curl around it.
He’s too calm about all of this.
Too calm about swapping his bride for a wedding that’s supposed to happen in three days, one his entire family is supposed to attend.
“So does this mean you accept?” I ask carefully.
He slides the ring into his suit pocket and casts me an impartial glance. “I already fulfilled my end of the deal with your father. If this is the only way he can fulfill his, then so be it. Cleo will be my wife.”
Relief fans through me. “Papà doesn’t know about any of this. We’ll have to tell him now.”
“I gathered as much since your father didn’t seem at all nervous when he arrived.”
Adrenaline buzzes beneath my skin. “Once we tell everyone, I have to leave,” I say. “I know you don’t owe me anything, but I’m asking for a favor. If Papà tries to stop me, can you help? Just until I walk out the door.”
“Where are you going to go?”
I swallow. “To him.”
For a moment, Rafaele seems like he’s about to say no. Why would he help me? I’m the woman who just made his life more complicated. His reputation has painted him as a ruthless monster, but I think there’s far more to him than meets the eye.
Papà said he thought Rafaele had a strange moral compass. I’m not sure what that means, but while I wait for him to answer, I’m praying the arrow on that compass points in my direction.
Finally, he firms his jaw. “Fine. I’ll make sure you’re able to leave.”
I exhale a pent-up breath.
He moves to exit the office, but there’s one more thing.
“Wait!”
He pauses with his hand on the door handle. I feel like I’m tempting fate by asking so much of him, but I can’t leave this last thing unsaid.
“Please take care of Cleo.” My voice cracks. “I know she can be a pain in the ass sometimes, but she’s clever, and funny, and insanely brave. Just look at what she’s willing to do for the people she loves.”
His fingers tighten on the handle. He throws me a look over his shoulder and makes the smallest of nods. “I fully intend to take care of my wife.”
Before he turns away, I catch something darkly possessive swirling inside his gaze. Something that makes my breath catch.
