Page 27 of Raphael

Yep, nothing escaped the Ashford brothers.

*Have you heard from Aurora?*

I’d been worried about her. After her expedition to Russia and capturing the man that killed her brother, she hadn’t been the same.

*Yes, she’s coming to D.C.*I cocked an eyebrow in surprise. Before I could type back, another message came through.*Attending her father’s fundraiser.*

She hated those. I was surprised her brothers convinced her to attend.*You’ll be here when she arrives, right?*

I didn’t want her to be alone.*Where will you be?*

Willow was such a pain in my damn ass sometimes.*Around.*

Bubbles appeared on my screen, but before she could say another word, I typed a quick,*Have a safe flight home.*

I clicked send, then turned off the phone and focused on the situation at hand. We needed to get to the Ashford cabin safely. Once there, I was certain nobody could find us. The Ashfords kept top-notch security. I’d lay low until I could figure out what my next steps would be.

Hiding from the Santos and Tijuana Cartel would be a hard thing to do. Especially without money to back me up.

ChapterFifteen

RAPHAEL

Ihad no doubt the young woman would be rushing to go get her son. The plan was to snatch them and get them to safety. I didn’t need to be chasing the woman all over the fucking country.

I had an organization and companies to run.

It took us too long to get to Gabriel’s school. Diego was unfamiliar with the illogical layout of Washington, D.C., streets. Fucking Google Maps directions.

I spotted Sailor the second we approached the building of Janney Elementary School on Albemarle in D.C. My lips curved into a smile at her attempt at a disguise. Ripped jeans that hugged her thighs just perfectly. Plain black t-shirt. Chucks. And a baseball hat with the ponytail pulled through. It was her hair that gave her away. It was hard to miss that shade.

Although it would seem the woman had no issues with directions in D.C. because she found time to go home, get her car and change, then get to her son’s school while we barely just arrived at our first destination.

“Slow down, Diego,” I ordered.

I watched them hustle to her car. A white Volkswagen Jetta. She was smiling at her son as she ushered him into the vehicle. I’d seen pictures of Gabriel. There was no denying he was a Santos. He had dark hair and blue eyes, but then so did many others. But his facial structure, even his smile, resembled pictures of me as a kid. He didn’t look anything like his aunt, or adoptive mother. According to the pictures I’d seen of Anya McHale, he didn’t look anything like his biological mother either.

None of that mattered to me. But seeing him smile at Sailor, with a look full of love, had me questioning my plan of pulling him into my world. After all, I didn’t want any part of it either. But there was never a possibility of getting out. My saving grace was that I was able to make changes to the organization with my brother’s and father’s deaths.

Shoving any ridiculous notion of letting Gabriel and his mother roam this world free, I hardened my resolve. It was more dangerous to leave them out in the open. Just as I found out so could my enemies. And if they got their hands on Gabriel, they’d use him as collateral against me. Hurt him.

Back to my original plan of kidnapping mother and son, I barked the order. “We’ll follow them to their destination. Then we’ll get them.”

My plan was to sit and wait for Miss McHale to come and get her son from the elementary school that little Gabriel attended, then grab them both. But in retrospect, it was a dumb plan.

No more fucking around.

I’d take them back to my place. I’d protect them in my territory. I’d teach Gabriel everything he needed to know about our empire and how to survive in this world. It would be up to him when he came of age, whether he wanted to stay in it or not. But he’d be capable of defending himself if someone came after him.

And Sailor… Well, I’d teach that woman something entirely different. But first, I’d have to talk some sense into her. She and Gabriel would have to stay with me. It was the only way to protect them.

“How in the fuck did she get here so fast?” Diego grumbled.

I shrugged. “She grew up in D.C. and probably knows her way around better than the three of us put together.”

I dialed up Caine. “Yeah?”

“Go into the woman’s apartment and pack up all her and the boy’s clothes. Ship it to my place. Don’t get caught.”