Talia stood by the arrival gates, impatiently waiting for Carrie to walk through. She hadn’t really known how much she’d needed Carrie around until she woke up that morning. Sleeping in Rafe’s condo, in his bed, shook her up more than she’d thought possible. She’d had the worst nightmare of her life.Since that day, she’d been having nightmares, but not as bad. She’d convinced herself that the drug was doing a number on her psyche because she never could remember the nightmare. But last night…She remembered the fear, fighting for what felt like her life. She remembered being on her back, looking up at someone holding her down but everything was hazy. Though she couldn’t remember the face of her assailant, she remembered the voices and one stood out. It was menacing, scary and promised such horror, she woke up in the middle of an asthma attack.It was a good thing she had a habit of sleeping with her inhaler
Rafe used one hand to tilt Gabriella’s hips into position and with the other he cupped her chin and turned her head away from him. He kept their bodies separated except for the one part he intended to use before he turned his head the other direction, keeping his mind filled with Talia’s image when she was nearing her orgasm. He drew his hips back then slammed into Gabriella making her scream. He held her mouth shut with his fingers. He didn’t want her voice marring his fantasies.He knew he should wait for her to get used to the forceful invasion but he didn’t. He pounded into her at a fast pace, going deeper and harder with each stroke. Gabriella held onto his arms, trying to pull him closer but he held her back, riding her with even more intensity.It was Talia he had pressed against the shower wall. It was Talia who bucked against him wanting to get closer to him and the only reason he kept their bodies separate was because he wanted t
Talia turned to the sounds of Carrie’s loud giggles. “What’s so funny, and what took you so long in the bathroom?”She blew out a breath and fanned her face. “If I was white, my face would be red right now, from both envy and arousal.”Talia chuckled. The two of them made such a pair. A wanton and a prude, best of friends for the last seven years. They had been roommates once upon a time, and more often than not, Talia had to nap with a pillow over her head on the couch while Carrie entertained. Then after, she would have her date of the night carry Talia back to the room to her bed. The first time Talia woke up in her bed with no recollection of how she got there, Carrie told her. So before she napped on the couch, she would always change into her pajamas completely prepared for bed.“What is it?”Carrie fell onto the couch and Talia had to draw her knees up as far as her belly would allow to avoid being sa
Rafe sat in his office looking out his floor to ceiling window, still frazzled by what happened two days ago. He knew Talia had asthma but he’d never been a witness to it. When Carrie pounded on his door yelling for an inhaler, his blood went cold.He was glad he’d hung onto that inhaler. He’d kept it as a memento for the four months of his life he was the happiest. When they had been dating, he’d asked for one to hold onto just in case they were out together and she’d forgotten hers when the attack hit. And even when he was asking for it, he prayed he would never need it.He’d run out his condo and up the steps to hers without checking if Carrie was behind him. He’d been prepared to break the door down if he had to, but he found it open. Before he even stepped in, he could hear the wheezing and it was growing shallow. He actually froze, seeing her on the floor, lying on her side, before he snapped out of it and rus
Talia sat upright, pushed her shoulders back, and tilted her chin up. “I’m well enough. Besides, we need to figure things out before my mother comes.”Rafe chortled. The one time he’d met the woman she’d expressed her disdain towards him and her disapproval of their relationship very clearly. She hated him the moment she saw him, and Talia explained she was bitter over her father’s abandonment so she took it out on the rest of the male population. But Rafe always thought the instant hate was over the fact that her daughter had found happiness in the arms of a man and she was jealous.The last thing he needed was the bitter woman making matters worse.“Inferno, isn’t Carrie enough backup? You’re bringing your mother to live off me too?”Mr. Garrison cleared his throat, alerting Rafe of his presence in the room. Rafe hadn’t even noticed the small man.“My client wo
Rafe stumbled into his office, his hand over his chest. He felt like he was going to have a panic attack.“Non, it can’t be true, it just can’t!”He fell onto his couch, his head in his hands. Renaldo wasn’t capable of doing such a thing. The kid was a screw up but he wasn’t a monster.“God, please don’t let it be true!”“Rafe, I did what you asked,” Angelo’s voice filled the room. Rafe heard him move around the room, pacing before he stopped in front of him. “Do you think Renaldo…”“No!” Rafe protested jumping to his feet. “My brother is a lot of things but he is not a monster. He would never do such a thing.”“Do you think she’s lying then?”Rafe shook his head. “You saw her face. She had no clue of what I was talking about, and I’ve never introduced Renaldo to her. But she has see
Rafe looked down at Talia’s face, twisted with worry. Just moments ago, she looked like she was ready to challenge him and now, she looked at him like she used to those many months ago when he still suffered heavily from the anxiety and panic disorder. Like she was ready to wrap her arms around him and fight his demons away. And he felt…he fought the urge to grab his chest and fold to the floor. He felt tired, like giving up. He felt defeated.What was wrong? Everything was wrong! Every damn thing!But he couldn’t say that to her. He couldn’t risk her life—his children’s lives for a nightmare that should never have happened. The guilt weighed so heavily on him, hell, he wanted to curl up on the floor and die.It was his fault, it was all his fault. She was right to hate him. He hated himself! And if it wasn’t for them, this family that was currently carried in Talia’s body, the only one out of the two he
“Rafe!” Angelo yelled, running towards them. “You’re suffocating him!”Rafe knew exactly what he was doing. He held onto his brother as Renaldo fought, clawing at his hand and arm as he struggled to free himself. Rafe spread his legs further to strengthen his stand.Just a few more seconds, Rafe thought with sinister intent as he listened to his brother begin to gasp for air.“Basta, Rafe, stop!” Angelo yelled, holding onto Renaldo’s arms as if trying to keep him from fighting.“Non, let him fight. He’ll suffocate faster!”“Rafael, per favore basta!” his mother screamed, running down the back steps of the main house towards them.Rafe lowered his head until his lips reached Renaldo’s ear. “I’ll let you go if you promise to tell me the truth. If not, fratello minore, I swear I will drown you, lei cap