Page 68 of Raphael (Belles & Mobsters 5)

“Anything.”

“My gut feeling is telling me Raphael is nothing like his father.” She knew what I meant. Seeing Lombardo Santos raping my sister tainted all of us. We were scared little girls, trapped in a nightmare. Willow and Aurora were able to move on. I hadn’t. “But I need confirmation from someone who knows better. I’m scared to trust myself.”

My outlook on sex had been tainted from the moment I saw my father force himself on Anya. Seeing Lombardo rape her only reinforced that fear.

Oddly enough when I was with Raphael, I felt some of that fear and anxiety ease.

A tense silence followed.

“I already have. The moment Byron told me Raphael had you, I asked Alexei. He said Raphael is a good man.” There was something else there. I could practically hear ‘and’ dancing in the air. “And he’s the one who told Raphael about you and Gabriel.”

“What?” I choked out.

“When he and I were in Russia, I had a nightmare,” she admitted. “He said I told him in my sleep that Santos hurt Anya. He was ready to kill Raphael but I told him it was the old Santos.”

Well, at least I knew it wasn’t me who brought Raphael to our door.

“Please don’t be mad, Sailor.”

“I’m not,” I whispered. “I just want to get through all this alive and see Gabriel grow up. Safe and healthy. Like I promised Anya.”

ChapterThirty

SAILOR

Palm trees lined our path towards the beach. The rustling of green leaves and sound of the ocean crashing against the shoreline could almost make me believe I was at a resort vacationing. Almost.

“Come on, Bruno,” Gabriel urged our new little puppy. Apparently French Bulldogs were lazy as fuck. Cute but lazy. We’ve taken three breaks since we left the house, and the walk from the manor to the beach was barely half a mile.

“I guess it’s time for another break,” I told my son, smiling.

He didn’t mind. He was enthralled with our new family addition. And when I told him it was a gift from Raphael, he seemed to love the guy even more. Both of us lowered onto the ground and sat down, the puppy already snoring.

The humidity and heat stifled all three of us. Even the white, silk dress I wore felt too heavy against my skin. Heat, Florida and I didn’t mesh well. Nor Bruno. Gabriel, on the other hand, loved it.

“Have you done your homework, Gabriel?” I asked him. Thankfully, I was able to come to an arrangement with his teachers. As long as we kept up with the lessons and turned in the homework when due, she’d give him credit.

“Most of it. I only have my math left to do.”

“Good job,” I praised. Bruno flipped over, exposing his white belly. I didn’t know much about dogs, but I thought he had interesting coloring. His fur was brown with snow white paws and an even whiter belly. Rubbing his belly softly, I listened to his almost purring.

“Mom?”

I raised my eyes to find Gabriel’s expression furrowed. “Yes?”

“Are we going to stay here forever?”

I shook my head. “No, not forever.”

“When can I go back to school?”

I sighed. I knew the question was coming. Gabriel, unlike other children, loved going to school. He loved learning and loved the social aspect of it.

“I’m not sure, buddy,” I told him honestly. “But I hope it won’t take very long. We just have to make sure it’s safe before we go back.”

“Do you think Grandma and Grandpa McHale will let us go back?”

“Why do you bring them up?” I asked, surprised. We never spoke of my parents.

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