Page 44 of Rafi

I reach out, my hand hovering near hers before I think better of it. She’s been through enough; the last thing she needs is for me to push too hard, to try and fix something that isn’t mine to fix.

25

TAYANA

The next night, Rafi stands on the balcony, his silhouette a halo in the shadows thrown by the light. The quiet hum of the night is a false lull, one that embraces him and doesn’t let go. He sips his whiskey, the amber liquid catching the light, as I step through the glass doors behind him. His bruises have faded to a dull yellow, shadows against the skin of an otherwise pristine face.

“You should be asleep,” he says without turning. His voice is low, a faint rasp that hints at exhaustion. Rafi is a deep thinker, maybe even a dreamer, but he’s always so emotionally in tune with everything around him that it makes my heart shudder. He can feel me anytime I’m near him, even without turning around.

I fold my arms across my chest. “I couldn’t sleep.” I hesitate, my slippered feet padding softly on the cold tiles as I join him. The chill in the air is sharp, but I barely notice it, my thoughts weighing heavier than the night itself.

Rafi glances at me sideways, his dark eyes scanning my face. There are shadows under his eyes, and his mouth is set in a tight line. “What’s keeping you up?”

I open my mouth, then close it again, my lips pressing into a thin line. The weight in my chest expands, and I force myself to look out at the night instead of at him. “This is all my fault,” I whisper.

“What is?”

I exhale sharply, my breath misting in the cool air. “Everything. You, being dragged into this. Igor. The chaos he’s stirring up. He won’t stop, Rafi. I should have…” My voice cracks, and I clench my fists at my sides. “I’ve put you in danger, Rafi. And your brothers. Everyone in this city is in danger from that monster.”

Rafi’s jaw tightens, but he doesn’t interrupt. He lets my words hang between us, heavy and raw. Finally, he sets his glass down on the railing and turns to face me fully.

“No matter what’s going on between you and your uncle, our problems started long before then, Tayana.”

I send him a conflicting look. I don’t know much about the Gatti brothers’ history, but my inquisitive eyes are enough that he sighs and looks at me, before turning back to look out into the night.

“We’ve had a very checkered past,” he sighs.

“We all have our secrets.”

“Secrets doesn’t even come close, Tayana.”

He looks out at the forest bordering the estate, the faint light dancing against his face. He is such a beautiful but tortured demon, this man.

“My brother Brando reconnected with an old childhood friend after her sisters went missing.” He starts to relay the story to me, his voice quieter now, but no less intense.

I look up at him, my throat tightening. “Mia,” I guess, and he nods before he swallows and continues talking again.

“Maxine and Sophia – twins. It was especially difficult for Brando, because he lost a twin brother when we were younger.He did everything he possibly could to find the sisters; they were kidnapped by Mia’s ex Frank Falcone and trafficked. Frank came back to the city because he had a score to settle with us.”

“But why the twins?” I ask.

“His original plan was to kidnap all three sisters and leverage them for the debt that their deceased father owed the Maltese. But he was only able to get his hands on two of the sisters; then his plan evolved and he got other families involved.”

“Sounds like mayhem.”

“We followed a lead to the docks; that’s where we found the containers full of people ready to be shipped out. We never did find out where they were headed or who would be receiving them.”

“Do you think it was Igor? It makes sense, since you saw Maxine with him.”

“I’m not entirely sure, Tayana. I’m not convinced it was your uncle.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because his name has never come up before. I find the timing of his arrival suspect at best.”

“You think it’s a coincidence that Igor showed up here with Maxine?”

Rafi shakes his head and tells me he doesn’t believe in coincidences. He tells me Igor has to be here for a reason.

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