**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 ...