**Stefano’s POV **
Shit!
I kicked a chair, frustration boiling over as I paced a frantic path across the floor. My hands scrubbed my face, my skin stinging from the friction. I turned in a sharp circle, then another, my heart hammering against my ribs. But no matter how fast I moved, I couldn't outrun the mess I’d just made.
“I love you.” Her voice kept replaying in my head. It felt as if she hadn’t planned to say it, as if it had slipped out before she could stop it.
I stopped in my tracks, my breath coming in jagged hitches. I pressed my palms into my eyes until my skull ached, wishing I could just squeeze the thoughts out of my head.
Fuck.
Why did she have to say it at all?
I turned and dropped onto the bed, my body feeling too heavy to hold up. I leaned forward, digging my elbow
