Page 120 of Raphael (Belles & Mobsters 5)

Following behind him, we headed back to the boats. Women filled every single one of them.

“Where in the fuck are we going to put them all?” Diego asked, eyeing Sailor’s bruised face. I couldn’t put her down. I needed to feel her faint heartbeat, feel her breathe or I’d lose my shit.

“How many women?” I asked, feeling my own fatigue coming over me.

“About fifty.” It was Nico who answered.

While still holding Sailor, I pulled out my phone with my other hand and dialed Cassio. He owed me a few favors. And he was a friend. He answered on the first ring.

“Cassio, we have about fifty women. Can you arrange housing?”

“Yes.” No questions asked. “Do you need a pick up?”

My eyes roamed over the boats that would take us to my yacht, which in turn would take us back to my island.

“My island.”

ChapterFifty-One

SAILOR

Two weeks.

I floated through a dream for two weeks. The angel Anya whispered words of comfort. The devil Father told me to go. My diablo begged me to stay. Anya whispered words of comfort, and a reminder of my promise.

I loved my sister. She had never failed me. She was my mother, father, and sibling. She was my everything.

Until she wasn’t.

I didn’t know when the devil with blue eyes and golden skin became my heart and soul. My everything. Was it eight years ago when we first danced? Was it when he saved me from the cruel man in the hallway?

Or was it when he came for Gabriel and me?

Sometime during all those years, Diablo came back for me. It turned out, I was waiting for him all along.

But he betrayed me.

I shifted on the bed, the lingering ache in every single muscle reminding me of what had happened. I wanted to forget. I didn’t want to feel.

It had been two weeks since Raphael came for me. Or so I’d been told.

I’d been in and out of consciousness. Sometimes I’d hear Gabriel’s voice. He’d hug me and whisper that everything would be okay. The words that Anya would tenderly whisper when I was scared.

My throat squeezed so hard, I was certain I would suffocate. Yet, my heart kept beating. So I kept my eyes shut - in shame and determination to forget.

Everything and everyone.

* * *

Whispers.

Hushed tones. The scent ofAguardiente. A presence so achingly familiar that my eyelids fluttered open.

Moonlight highlighted the outline of a man. A dark, tall figure. My devil.

“You have to let her go.” I recognized the female voice. Aurora’s. “I know her. She’ll want space.”

“Where in the fuck is your man?” Raphael’s voice sounded tired. Almost resigned.

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