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A huge part of me just wants to forget everything that I saw and heard last night. Given time, I’m sure I could wipe it from my memory. The same way I have the horrors that were being kept in Adriano's basement with me.
I’ve been so convinced that this is happiness that Rafe has been sheltering me from the outside world because he wanted to protect me from it. I must have lost my grip on reality somewhere along this journey he’s taken me on.
I stare at the man who forced me to fall in love with him. There’s a smile Raphael reserves especially for our son. It’s pure adoration and the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Looking at it now and watching him be so loving with our son, it’s impossible to believe that he’s capable of such hideous things.
“What’s on your mind?” Rafe lifts his head up from Gabriel’s tummy to ask me.
“Nothing.” I smile back, placing down the hairdryer I’m using before moving to join them. Gabriel climbs up my body and wraps his arms around my neck, and I hold him close, kissing the dark curls on the top of his head and willing myself not to cry.
Rafe is serious now, his arm stretching around my shoulders and tucking me in close to his chest.
“Last night scared you, didn't it?” he says, pulling us all back to rest against the headboard. I don’t answer him, just keeping my lips pressed against Gabriel’s head. “You should know by now, Riley. I would never let anything happen to you. I—”
“What was that place?” I interrupt, turning my head to face him so I can watch his reaction.
“It’s not important, nothing for you to worry about,” he answers simply, his lips touching my temple.
“But you were worried,” I point out, watching all the confidence drop from his face.
“It’s a nice day. You and Gabriel should enjoy the garden together. I’ll be busy in my office for most of the morning, but we could have lunch together by the lake.” There’s a change to his tone, one that dares me to push him on the subject, and knowing that I need to remain on his good side, I yield to it.
“That sounds perfect.” I smile up at him, holding my boy a little tighter. I hate to even think about having to run from Rafe— I know the task would be almost impossible. But if it comes to it, for the sake of my son, the least I’ll do is try.
“It’s them, isn’t it? The Souls.” I cut straight to the point when a tired-looking Gioele steps inside my office.
“It is,” Gioele agrees, opening up his briefcase onto my desk and taking out some more photos. “These men bear the closest resemblance to the man whose ID was used to access the auction.”
I study the photos hard. I’ve seen the twins before in the many pictures Gioele has provided me with over the last year.
“Do you know why?” I ask, not liking the way Gioele shifts in his chair before he answers.
“We found the source of the information leak,” he informs me.
“It was one of the hostesses. It appears she was taking a bribe from the club’s president. Her boyfriend is serving a sentence in El Paso, and she was buying him protection on the inside.”
“And where is the girl now?” To think a member of my staff would betray me makes me savage. I take care when employing, and pay well enough for this shit not to be a fucking issue.
“She’s being held, but it seems she fears the Souls too much to talk.”
“Then you make sure that she fears us more.” I slam my fist onto my desk.
“Raphael, the girl, is Luca’s sister.” Gioele clears his throat, acting as if that makes a fucking difference. A traitor is a fucking traitor.
“Then I will speak to Luca too.” I take my phone from my pocket and fire a text to Ricardo, asking him to come to see me.
“I understand you must be angry, Raphael, and rest assured we will get to the bottom of this.”
“I need to know if they were coming for her,” I snap, feeling myself starting to lose control. I’ve been keeping everything together, but now I know my suspicions were correct, I can feel them closing in on me. I need to protect what’s mine. “These Souls seem to make a habit of destruction.”
Gioele nods, agreeing but not looking at all that confident.
When Ricardo knocks on the door, I call out for him to enter.
“Boss,” he tips his chin at me before acknowledging Gioele.
“I need you to go with Gioele. We have the person who leaked the information about the auction, and I need you to make her talk. Then you must make her pay.” I give him my orders, and Ricardo frowns back at me like I’m crazy.
“Her?” He stares between me and an unsure-looking Gioele in confusion.
