Page 9 of Rafael

Chapter Six - Rafael

I'm braced for the fight. I'm a bastard and I know it, but I can't hold off on this any longer. I never should have fucked her.

That's a lie. There was no stopping it. And I'm going to go to my grave remembering the feel of her under my fingers, remembering the way her body wrapped around my cock. I could die happy knowing the feel of her. Except now I'm going to break her heart.

Amelia's eyes are wide and I'm afraid she's about to start crying. I want to comfort her, but I'm the one who's hurting her. I'm the one who's going to send her away.

She'll never forgive me.

I'll never forgive myself if she doesn't go.

She finally gathers up the courage to speak. "Raphael, I thought-"

I turn away and she cuts herself off. My actions are a knife to my own throat. I want to stay in the bed with her, but if I stay we will only hurt each other more. So I swing my legs over the side of the bed and start looking for my clothes. I need the space or I'm going to break.

"You're not even going to talk to me," her voice is full of accusation as the sheets rustle as she repositions herself and when I glance over my shoulder she is pulling her dress on to cover her nakedness.

We should be cuddled together on the bed. We should be enjoying the feel of each other's bodies pressed close together. I want to memorize every inch of her skin, not make her hurt and pull her away.

But the Grand Canyon has opened up between us and I don't know if she'll ever let me touch her again.

I don't deserve it.

I have to be harsh. This has to be said. She has to be safe. "Your family is going to find you. You know how this works. Either you agree to their terms or..." I don't need to give her more details about the mob. She knows just as well as I do what her family is capable of.

"I thought you said you could keep me safe." Her voice cracks in pain.

"This is keeping you safe." Even if I'm tearing my own heart out to do it.

"You don't-" She bites the words as someone pounds on the front door.

She's been here a couple hours by now. Plenty of folks know that I'm her brother's best friend. She wasn't followed. But that's not the only way I could be found. I pray we weren't loud enough to be overheard.

I signal for her to be quiet and quickly pull on the rest of my clothes. I stick my backup pistol into the waistband of my jeans. I want to answer the door with the gun in my hand, but if it's just one of my neighbors I don't want to scare them.

And if it is one of Amelia's family, I don't want to escalate the situation on the off chance I could talk them down.

Maybe I'm being optimistic.

I probably am.

But this isn't going to end in a shoot out if I can help it.

I check the peephole and see that it's not one of my neighbors. The man is almost as broad as he is tall and he's got the kind of face that belongs in a bar fight. He looks vaguely familiar, but I'm not 100% sure that I've seen him before.

I would bet $100 that he's part of Amelia's family.

I say a prayer to any saint that's listening. It's been a while since I've been to church, but I could use any help that I can get.

And I answer the door, keeping the chain lock in place so that this guy can't force his way in easily.

"Yeah?" There's no use being polite.

"You Rafe McGuire? Angelo's friend?" The man gets right to the point. He's leaning on the door, trying to force it further open, but the chain keeps it closed.

"Who are you?" I won't be giving him any information that I can avoid.

The bruiser scowls. "I'm his cousin. And I'm looking for his sister. She got into a bit of trouble recently and our granddad wants to see her. You know women." He gives a conspiratorial smile.