Page 70 of Raphael (Belles & Mobsters 5)

And despite all the shit that happened and I witnessed, some semblance of fucked up relief washed over me. Because if I had to worry about the impossible task of explaining to Gabriel one day that his grandfather was his father because he raped his mother, I couldn’t be sure I’d ever be able to do it. I’d rather kill people than have to say something like that to my son and see hurt shatter all that innocence in him.

I shot up to my feet. “Okay, let’s keep going. Or we’ll never get to the beach.”

I spun away from both of them and started walking, little Bruno trotting beside me. Sometimes he swept in and out between my legs and I watched my step. It would be bad to trample on him.

“How is life with Bruno?” Raphael caught up to me and was now walking beside me.

I side-eyed him, nothing but dry amusement in his gaze.

“Besides pooping and peeing everywhere and your housekeeper yelling that that animal is on the loose?” I noted sarcastically. “Did you do that on purpose?”

The corners of his mouth tilted. “I’ll tell my housekeeper to stop yelling and calling Bruno an animal. He’s family now.”

“Yeah, but he’s still pooping and peeing everywhere,” I remarked. “I googled and read every goddamn thing about French Bulldogs and how to train them. I’m still doing it wrong.”

Okay, I sounded a tad bit whiny.

“I’ll help you,” he offered.

“You had dogs before?” Gabriel asked him curiously and both of us stared at him expectedly.

“I had one,” Raphael admitted, rubbing his jaw. “When I was about your age, Gabriel. It was a chocolate lab. She died when I went to college.”

Gabriel’s eyes dimmed. “Why did she die?”

Raphael ruffled his brother’s hair. “She got old. Then she got sick. But not to worry, she was a very good dog and went to dog heaven.”

“Bruno’s not going to dog heaven for a very long time,” I assured Gabriel.

The puppy and Gabriel took off running, leaving me alone with Raphael. Silence followed, both of us deep in our thoughts. It was a tense, yet almost comfortable silence. Something invisible consumed us both masquerading as a peaceful feeling. Like the calm before the storm.

“Have a good trip?” I questioned, breaking the silence.

He nodded. “I went to visit your parents.”

Alert shot through me. “What?”

“I went to see your parents,” he repeated, like it was the most natural thing for him to go visit my parents.

Squeak. Squeak. Anya’s soft whimpers.

“But why?” I choked out, not able to drag enough air into my lungs. Every time I even thought of my parents, I was back to being that scared little girl.

The heavy breathing and whimpers invaded my memory.

I’m going to break you.My father’s threats in a harsh voice, his breathing sending cold and disgusting shivers down my spine.

Hate choked my throat. My lungs squeezed.

“To warn them if they try anything against you and Gabriel, I’ll fucking kill them.” His voice was soft and vehement. It wasn’t until his arm came around me that I realized I was holding my breath. “Breathe, Sailor.”

Slowly, I exhaled, although my heart still thundered under my ribcage.

Two big, warm hands cupped my cheeks. “They no longer matter, Sailor.”

He ran a thumb across my cheek, the intensity of his blue gaze shattering the memories.

“Did you-” I swallowed hard. “Did you find out if they sent Tijuana’s men to the cabin?”

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