Page 76 of Greased

Women clearly aren’t valued, like they should be, in his eyes. It makes me wonder just why Rhodes is friends with this guy. I make sure to make a mental note. Seems like it'll be vital information one day.

Eventually the douche canoe averts his eyes and looks at my father. It clearly didn’t skip his notice the way Jethro was eyeballing me. He arches an eyebrow at him too and I give a questioning look at Grant who snorts, not bothering to mask the sound in the quiet of the room.

It takes him a moment to respond to Jethro as he gives him an assessing look.

“I want you all to train her because, when it's time for her to take over, you lot will be the ones at her side. If things were different, you would have developed these relationships years ago.” He blows out a breath as his mask slips a little, “I want to leave my legacy in the hands of someone who has people around her that she can trust. She’s being thrown into a dangerous world and I want her to know that the men standing with her now are men she can trust.” He then turns to each of the guys and gives them assessing looks, “Can I trust youmen,” hesays putting emphasis on the word, “to stand beside Scarlett and help her lead The Thunderbirds to be successful?”

I watch as each of the guys nod without hesitation. Jethro is yet to nod though. His eyes remain on my father for a moment before he looks back towards me. His eyes give away nothing. It's like they are empty pits in his head. Eventually he turns back to my father and gives him a nod.

He nods before looking back at the rest of us. “Right. I expect each of you to be at Pinks’ Friday night. No excuses,” he says, voice stern as he looks directly at Rafael who chuckles and at least has it in him to look sheepish.

“It was one time,” his thick Spanish accent draws.

“You were late to your own initiation,” My father grumbles.

Valen, Grant and Rick all laugh. “You haven’t let him forget it either, Ren,” Valen says as he leans back in his chair.

He attempts to shake his head as if dismissing Valen but I notice the way the corner of his mouth quirks before it drops again, like it was never there.

“Right, does anyone have anything else they need to add?” He asks the room, waiting for a beat while everyone stays silent. When nobody speaks up, my father nods. The guys' dads all rise from their seats and so do they; I follow suit.

A tap on my shoulder turns me around and I find the older Sonny smiling down at me, “Hola, Princesa.”

I smile at the endearment. After Sonny’s use of Spanish back in Australia, I began to slowly learn Spanish.

“Hola, señor,”I say but cringe at the spin my accent gives on the words. Rafael doesn’t seem to mind though as he beams brightly.

“Not only are you beautiful but you are smart as well. Maybe it was a good thing your Papa kept you away all this time. You would have given us all a run for our money,” he says, making us both laugh.

“My name is Rafael but everyone calls me Rafe,” he says with a smile, “I’m so glad that you are home. Sonny told me all about the girl he met down on the beach in Australia. I have fond memories of you as well when you were a bèbe.”

Before I can reply Sonny waltzes over and swings his arm around his father’s shoulders and chuckles.

“I heard my name and you know I couldn’t resist coming over straight away.” He raises an eyebrow at his father in question. “I hope it was only nice things you were saying about me?”

I note the hint of unease in his voice.

Rafe chuckles as he pats Sonny on the back, “Actually, I was just about to tell Scarlett about that time you got your head stuck in the staircase railing. No-one knows just how long you were there as you refused to ask for help. Only indication of how long you had been was you had soiled yourself at some point.”

Sonny stares wide eyed at his father for a moment, a variety of looks flashing across his face. His arm drops from where it was hanging around Rafe’s back.

“Fuck Papa, now Scarlett will never agree to go on a date with me,” he mutters, as he turns towards me. I watch as he swallows sharply and tries to regain some kind of dignity.

I can’t help but roll my lips together in an attempt to keep a laugh from escaping, but it's useless as a snort escapes me. A chuckle soon follows until I can’t take it anymore and I burst out into a full bellylaugh. It doesn’t take Rafe long until he is laughing right alongside me.

Sonny stares at us both in disbelief, “Wow, both my Papa andmi Corazónlaughing at my expense.” He shakes his head as he looks between the two of us.

Rafe’s laughter dies down instantly as he looks at his son, eyes wide and a shocked look on his face.

“¿Estás seguro hijo? Ella es tu corazón?”

“Si Papá. Ella es mi todo. Le rompí el corazón una vez pero seré yo quien lo arregle.”Sonny replies in his native tongue.

“Asegúrate de que lo hagas.”

Sonny nods before he turns back to me and gives me a small smile. “I hope my Papa didn’t totally ruin my chances with you before I even got the chance to repair what I broke?”

I look over Sonny’s face, not replying for a moment as I take him in. Seeing him like this, so vulnerable and open, his walls completely down for me to see the real him, just makes him even that more desirable. There’s something about a man that isn’t afraid to show his feelings and be so transparent with them that is just so insanely attractive.

---