Page 122 of The Cute Psycho

He rises from the couch, resuming his slouched posture as he makes to stagger to his mother's side.

"Don't worry." I stop him, my hand on his shoulder. "Your secret is safe with me." I wink at him.

I don't know why he'd present himself in such a negative light, but that's his business.

Everyone has secrets.

We get back to Lina and Cosima. They are still engaged in conversation as Raf takes his spot by his mother's side.

Hand in his pocket, he draws it quickly, something small falling to the ground. We both lean down to pick it up, and I realize it's a tiny brown rock.

He pushes it toward me, his gaze clear as it meets mine for the first time.

"Thank you," he whispers, no trace of the previous stutter.

I pick up the rock, playing with it in my hands as I watch them leave.

Interesting.

Humming a soft melody to myself, I pull the thread through, satisfied at the design starting to take shape. Lina and I have been hanging out a lot more lately, and she started teaching me how to embroider.

Since I'd seen that Vlad always carries a handkerchief with him, I'd decided to make him a personalized one—with my name, of course. That way he can always carry me with him around, and other women can see he is taken too.

I smile to myself as I add a tiny red heart next to my name.

"I see someone's been busy," Lina remarks as she takes a seat next to me, her eyes on my work.

For a second I'm tempted to hide it, but when she continues to talk, I breathe out, relieved, realizing she thinks it's for someone else.

"I can't believe you and Raf are so close," she says suggestively.

"Yes, we've become friends," I reply.

It's technically true. After the initial visit, he'd dropped by a few more times, and he'd slowly confided in me the reason for his behavior.

"When people deem you as weak, they don't see you as competition," he'd said, implying that he was trying to go as undetected as possible.

But as he'd told me about his brother and his thirst for power, it had become clear why he'd try to go under the radar.

In the time I'd gotten to know Raf, I'd realized he's a very gentle soul who'd like nothing more than to be left in peace. He certainly has no aspirations for power or money, regardless of how much his father might want him to take the reins of the Guerra family in the future.

"You're the first one who's managed to notice," he'd told me at some point, amazed that I'd seen past his mask.

Little did he know that I have a knack for seeing behind masks.

"And you didn't have to confirm my suspicions, so why did you?" I'd fired back. Certainly, he could have continued to deny my accusations. Instead, he'd ended up confiding in me.

"You're not like them," he'd shrugged off, although he hadn't explained whothemrefers to.

And so a pleasant friendship had developed. So pleasant that he'd even asked me to marry him, to my great chagrin. For a moment I'd worried that maybe I'd given him the wrong signals, but he'd quickly assured me that he only sees me as a friend, and because he is so comfortable with me, it wouldn't be a bad idea if we married, since his father keeps pushing him toward it.

I'd gently declined, explaining my own circumstances and that I already have someone. He'd been very happy for me when I'd told him more about Vlad, and he'd even suggested using him as a cover if needed.

Safe to say, a partnership had bloomed from the unlikeliest of places.

"He'll definitely enjoy that." She points to the heart with a knowing smile, and I instinctively blush.

Oh, yes. Vladwillenjoy it. After the effort I put into this thing, he betternevertake it out of his pocket.

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