Page 131 of Raphael

“Since I can remember, Father and Mother scared me,” I murmured softly. “It was always Anya who protected me. She was everything to me. She fed me. She played with me. She taught me my letters, how to tie my shoes. She protected me. But one thing she couldn’t break was my fear of the dark.” I took a deep breath in and then slowly exhaled. “Father hated that I needed a nightlight even as I started school. I screamed at night, scared, because he’d come in the middle of the night and remove the nightlight that Anya would put in for me. Eventually, I got wise and just padded to Anya’s room and slept with her.”

“When I get my hands on him–” he growled. “On both of your parents.”

If anyone could end them, it’d be Raphael. He thrived in darkness, letting it seep into his soul.

“That wasn’t even the worst part,” I whispered, knowing what was coming and still my heart drummed in rhythm with the fear that could crush my windpipe and leave me broken. “At night, he’d come to Anya’s room. If he’d find me there, he’d beat her and me for my weakness. But when we’d hear his footsteps down the hollow marble hallways, she’d make me go back to my room. But sometimes we heard it too late so she’d make me hide under her bed.”

Tension rolled through him. He took my hands into his. I hadn’t realized I was twisting my fingers. Our fingers interlocked, his thumb rubbing the skin between my thumb and index finger. The motion was soothing.

“Tell me what he did to you, Reina.” His voice was soft, but underlined with something dark and vehement.

Those haunting memories weren’t as frightening when he was with me.

Taking a deep breath, I reached for the courage deep down that Anya always claimed I had. I had lost it in the last month but I refused to cower.

“Not to me,” I whispered, taking a shuddering breath and trying to keep the tears from running down my cheeks. “To Anya. He’d hurt her, touch her.” I swallowed hard. “I’d bite my hand to keep silent and cry for her because she wouldn’t. And all the while, I stared at his hand curled over the edge of the bed with that damned signet ring with our family crest on it.”

His posture remained still, his thumb still moving in soothing movements, but his gaze darkened.

“Anya always told me to be brave,” I continued. “But she was the brave one. Braver than me. Stronger than me too.”

Raphael pulled me against his chest, then cradled my head to his chest while his other hand soothed me with strokes up and down me back.

“You are brave, mi amor.” The conviction in his voice had me almost believing. “Brave. Beautiful. Kind. Everything. You’re everything to me and Gabriel. We need you.”

“I just need a little more time,” I breathed.

Disappointment flickered in his eyes but he nodded. It was his selflessness that made me fall in love with him. His fierce protectiveness. His kindness. Even his ruthlessness.

“I’ll wait for you,” he vowed. “For as long as you need me to.”

“Will you stay the night, please?”

ChapterFifty-Six

RAPHAEL

When she asked me to stay the night, I had Caine bring Gabriel over.

The three of us had Chinese for dinner, ate some fortune cookies and then watched the Disney movieLucawith Bruno curled up on Gabriel’s lap. It felt like a normal night. Just us.

Though as time neared to go to bed, I could feel Sailor getting restless. Worried.

After tucking Gabriel in, we both headed for our bedroom and climbed into bed. Then, as if she was pulled by the same need, she scooted closer to me and buried her face into my chest. Her hand wrapped over my torso, her breasts pressing against my chest. God, this was heaven and hell. Having her so close to me. Her scent was all over me.

Every so often a soft whimper would leave her lips. Her breathing labored and my chest squeezed. It was a punch to my gut to see the fear on her face. I pulled her closer to me and whispered promises for our future.

She stilled in my arms, her eyes fluttering open.

“Raphael?”

“I’m here,” I murmured in a soothing voice.

“You’re not leaving, are you?”

“I’ll stay with you for as long as you want me,” I whispered. The words seemed to soothe her and her body relaxed. I pressed my palm against her cheek and she leaned into it, her eyes fluttering shut.

“Always.”