Page 19 of Raphael

Lifting my eyes back to his face, our gazes clashed. My skin heated and my breath caught in my lungs. His eyes coasted down my body, and although I wore a black, pencil skirt and light blue crew neck top, I felt naked under his stare.

Frustration flickered in my chest at my body’s response to him.

Something dark and lazy played in his eyes and my heart leapt under his attentive scrutiny. I held my breath. We both remained silent, eyeing each other as if we measured each other’s strengths and weaknesses. I had so goddamn many that sometimes I feared I’d drown in them.

And Raphael Santos - according to all the research I’d done on the Santos family, had none. The individual known as Diablo was feared by his opponents for his ruthlessness. But his men loved him and followed him blindly, which was the opposite from Lombardo Santos, his father. The latter instilled fear in his own men and often executed even them. While Raphael Santos protected his own men, unless they betrayed him.

The question was what he considered a betrayal. There was no knowing it, not unless you worked for him. And the man was excellent at keeping his public information hidden. Even his pictures.

Aurora described him pretty accurately and she was absolutely right. Gabriel resembled his half-brother. The question was whether I should be terrified.

I masked my expression, worried he’d find my weaknesses and exploit them. Maybe even steal my soul.

I inhaled slowly then released my breath.

“Thank you.” I couldn’t thank him while holding his expression so I averted my gaze.

“Is everything alright, Miss McHale?” Daniel, the agent’s voice, penetrated the fog in my brain. Jesus, if it took them that long to get to me, they couldn’t keep Gabriel and I safe.

“Yes.”

I took a step away from the man, needing space to breathe and think. He was too much. His broad shoulders and stance oozed confidence. Crisp, black lines of his suit. His dark hair was shaved short on the sides and faded with an expert hand. There wasn’t a single part of him that wasn’t flawless, but it was his face and those blue eyes against olive skin that made it hard to look away.

I had to get out of here. Get away from him.

Turning back in the direction I came from, I started to rush out of there, but I barely took three steps when a massive explosion ripped through the building. Glass shattered and screams filled the air.

My knees met the hard, marble floor, but before the rest of my body hit the ground, a large body covered mine just as another explosion rocked the building. A hail of shattered glass and flying debris fell all around us.

“What’s happening?” I croaked, trying to push against his hard body sheltering me. I didn’t even know why I asked. The Tijuana Cartel caused this. There wasn’t an ounce of doubt in my mind. "I have to get to my son."

I couldn’t let anything happen to Gabriel.

"I can protect you and Gabriel."

He knew my son’s name. My mouth and my heart froze. There was my confirmation. He knew about Gabriel.

His dark blue eyes burned with blue flames that consumed everything in their path. The simple words sent shock waves through me, and I stared at those dark sapphires.

Without waiting for my response, he reached inside his pocket and yanked a phone out, then pressed the call button.

ChapterEleven

RAPHAEL

The moment Caine answered, I barked, “Meet me at the right exit.”

Hanging up, I shoved my phone back into my pocket and another explosion shook the building. I kept her pinned underneath me, my body shielding her from most of the debris. The building shook; screams and shouts echoed in the distance. She shifted and ground against my pelvis. It took all my years of training to keep my expression blank.

It wasn’t her intent to turn me the fuck on, but fuck, I was ready to shove her panties aside and thrust into her.

Wrong fucking time. To say the moment wasn’t right was an understatement.

We had to get the hell out of here. Before the cops, Feds, and first responders swarmed this place. Yet, I remained immobile, painfully aware of her soft curves underneath me and my dick deciding to play.

I gripped her hips and met her gaze. “Stop moving,” I gritted. “Unless you’re attempting to fucking seduce me in the middle of this shit.”

Her blue eyes flashed with disdain. “Sorry, fucker. You’re not my type.”