AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I’m on the floor, my mind reeling, trying to process the betrayal, the pain, when suddenly, the oppressive atmosphere of the room shifts.
The front door bursts open with a force that makes both of us freeze. Rafael steps in, and it’s as if the room itself recoils at his presence. His tall frame fills the doorway, casting a shadow that seems to swallow the light.
Rafael’s eyes find mine first, a flash of concern quickly overtaken by a cold fury as he takes in the scene before him.
Then, his gaze shifts to Dad, and I’ve never seen such a look of controlled rage, a promise of retribution so clear and so terrifying.
The room seems to shrink even further, the air thick with tension, a palpable force that weighs down on us with the gravity of the moment.
“You’re a dead man,” he says, grabbing my father by the throat and lifting him into the air.
In that instant, I realize that everything has changed. Rafael, my husband, stands as my protector, his presence a barrier between me and the man who sought to use me as a pawn.
The dynamics of power, family, and obligation are rewritten in the span of a heartbeat, and I know that whatever comes next, I’m no longer alone in facing it.
“Rafael, you’re killing him,” I gasp as Dad’s face turns purple.
“He hurt you,” Rafael replies. “No one hurts my wife and lives.”
“That’s my Dad. Put him down.”
Reluctantly, his grip loosens. Dad falls to the floor gasping for air. This is family business,” he says in a hoarse voice. “Nothing to do with you.
Rafael’s response is measured, his focus shifting protectively toward me. “She’smyfamily now, you son of a bitch.”
The air crackles with tension, a showdown between the desperation of a gambling addict and the protective resolve of a man in love.
My father, fueled by addiction and desperation, is a stark contrast to Rafael, whose concern is for my well-being above all else.
Seeing that intimidation won’t work, my father turns to me, his voice dripping with venom. “See what you’ve married, Amelia?”
Rafael grabs him again. “If I hear you’ve raised a finger against my wife, her sister, or her mother, you’ll have me to answer to. Now get out of my sight.”
He gives him a shove. Dad walks away into his bedroom, slamming the door shut behind him. Mother and Mia walk in an instant later, grocery bags in their hands. “What happened?” Mom asks. “Why’s the front door busted?”
Rafael moves closer, his presence a calming force. He turns to my mother and sister and takes a stack of bills from his wallet, pressing them into my mother’s hands.
“Keep this hidden from him. Use it to fix the door and for anything else you need,” he says softly, his gaze holding hers with a sincerity that brings tears to her eyes.
“He struck Amelia. He does that again, he’s a dead man, no matter what she or anyone else says.”
* * *
Rafael guides me toward the penthouse bathroom, where the sound of running water fills the room.
Steam fogs up the mirror, and the scent of lavender wafts through the air, a soothing balm to my frayed nerves.
I watch, still somewhat in a daze, as Rafael tests the water temperature before turning to me, his eyes soft with concern.
“I thought you might like a bath,” he says, his voice low and comforting. “Take your time.”
His thoughtfulness in such a simple act touches something deep within me, revealing a layer of his character I hadn’t fully appreciated before.
It’s a tenderness I wouldn’t have associated with the man who commands with such authority, yet here he is, caring for me in my moment of vulnerability.
I step into the bath, sinking into the warm embrace of the water, letting it wash over me, carrying away the tension and fear that had clung to me since my confrontation with my father.
The warmth seeps into my bones, a physical comfort that slowly begins to ease the emotional turmoil.
