Richard stood waiting, steady as stone.
I straightened, my chest tight, and gave them a small, respectful nod. Maya inclined her head, her arm around Rafe, and then they were leaving.
I stood rooted in place, watching until the last trace of them vanished beyond the glass doors, the sound of Rafe’s voice already fading in memory. My heart broke in quiet pieces, but I knew – this was the only way to keep him safe.
Rafael looked back – the entire way – before disappearing into the current of boarding passengers.
I did not make it to New York that weekend.
Or the next.
Chapter 8
Present
Upper East Side, New York City
THERE WAS NOTHING I ENJOYED more than a good party. After everything I’d done and been through in my life, I deserved this. The late summer breeze brushed past my white shirt, the orange sun behind the skyscrapers warming my tan skin.
I wanted to do nothing for the rest of my life other than relax, travel, spend my hard-earned money, eat good food I didn’t have the luxury of a long time ago, take my yacht out into the Mediterranean sea where not a soul would bother me, gamble in Vegas if I wanted to, and fuck models.
Speaking of sex, if only I could get out of my dry spell. I’d been walking around with blue balls and a hard dick for over a month, thinking about how thatDonnagripped me by the collar and threatened me with those red lips right in my face.
The way she looked at me with those big, doe eyes… Fuck, she got me hard.
I knew I’d never fuck her. Starting a war with the Italians for one fuck with one of their women was the last thing I’d waste my time doing.
Still, the moment I tried to switch my built-up tension and desire towards another blonde with legs for days, my entire mood was already gone.
If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve thought she didbrujeriaon me. Though I wouldn’t be surprised, considering she was friends with thathechicerathat had my brother’s mind all fucked up.
A fucking fed too. Some ex-government assassin that turned dirty.
She’d almost gotten him killed last month and now she was just laughing with her friends across the rooftop.
Zach stood next to me, glancing at her, smitten as ever, proud of the scars he carried for saving the life of the woman he loved.
He was twenty-four. She was twenty-one. They had no fucking idea what love was.
I mean what kind of idiots decide to go into an abandoned subway station – an enclosed space – to capture an enemy. The other team might as well have written ‘trap’ with their coordinates.
That was the problem with his generation. They believed they were invincible.Like gods. And this incident sure as fuck wouldn’t convince him otherwise.
I hated her.
I hated her for almost taking away the only other person in this world who meant something to me.
He’d been nothing but lucky to survive four bullet shots in the chest. The doctor had called it a miracle, that not one single bullet hit an organ, but insteadexactlybetween them. And all because he’d givenherhis bulletproof vest. Maybe she was abrujaafter all. Because it was a goddamn miracle my baby brother was still alive.
No one other than theDonnastood next to her. In a skintight, white dress that almost matched the color of her hair. Silver heels with that red bottom. Long, sharp red nails. Bold, red lips. Platinum hair to her waist. And those evil eyes…
As if she heard me read her unlike everyone around her, her eyes came up to mine without hesitation.
I smirked. She’d known where I was.
Her doe eyes became slits, sending all the evil eye my way, before turning back to her friends.
“So,” Zach cleared his throat next to me, bringing me back. “What do you think?”
