Broken Wings (The Broken Series Book 3)

by Ruff, K. S.

  “You don’t want breakfast in bed?” he asked without turning from the stove. He sounded entirely too amused with the suggestion.

  I knew exactly what would happen if he served me breakfast in bed. “No,” I replied emphatically. I walked toward the coffee pot with false bravado. My hand wrapped around the handle of the carafe.

  He lifted my hair and kissed me on the back of the neck.

  My breath caught as goose bumps danced along my skin. I hadn’t even heard Rafael move.

  “In the sun room then?” he murmured suggestively.

  Given his tone, I wasn’t entirely sure he was still talking about breakfast. I set the carafe back down. My hands were shaking too hard to pour the coffee.

  Rafael pressed his body firmly against my backside as he reached around me and poured the coffee. He set the carafe back down, then ran his hand up my abdomen and chest until he reached my chin. He turned my head until he could capture my lips in a kiss. I steadied myself against the counter as he turned me in his arms. Rafael deepened the kiss. He continued kissing me until I wrapped my arms around his neck and surrendered a moan.

  I had to brace myself against the counter when he finally released me. I stood there dazedly and tried to catch my breath.

  He grabbed two plates from the cupboard and sauntered into the sun room. My legs shook as I trailed after him with the coffee and orange juice.

  Rafael pulled a chair out for me as we settled in next to each other at the wrought iron table. He grabbed the remote from the center of the table and raised the glass windows and screens. Clearly, he’d been in my sun room before.

  He winked at me as he raised a fork full of eggs to his lips. “Bon appétit.”

  “Bon appétit,” I replied as I watched him chew his food. A million questions were jockeying for position in my mind, but I didn’t know where to begin. I tried the scrambled eggs. They were loaded with red bell peppers, jalapenos, cilantro, onions, and cheese. I glanced up in surprise. “This is really good, Rafael. I didn’t know you could cook.”

  “I love to cook,” he replied over the top of his coffee. “Not everyone who comes from money wants to be served like a king.”

  I knew he was referring to Michael. “You two couldn’t be more different,” I mused.

  He shrugged. “I like to do things for myself.”

  I popped a piece of bacon into my mouth. “What did you do before you worked for Michael?”

  Rafael ate another forkful of eggs before responding. “I served in the Portuguese Police Special Operations Group, first in the counter-terrorism unit, then in VIP protection.”

  My mouth fell open. That certainly explained the chiseled body and his ability to move without making a sound.

  His eyes glittered with amusement. “Why do you think Michael asked me to protect you? He hires only the best.”

  All this talk of Michael was making me feel uncomfortable. I longed to know how he was doing, but I was afraid to ask. I changed the topic. “You’ve been here before.”

  He nodded. “How did you know?”

  I reached for the coffee carafe and refilled our cups. “I could smell your cologne.”

  He raised an eyebrow appraisingly before folding an entire piece of bacon into his mouth.

  I fidgeted nervously with my coffee cup. “Have you held me before, when I was asleep?”

  His eyes clouded with concern. “Only when I heard you scream or cry. You still do that a lot, you know. At first, I just sat and watched over you to make sure you were okay. But, after the second or third night, I couldn’t take it. I couldn’t just sit there and watch you cry. Holding you seemed to bring you peace.”

  I set the fork on my plate. “It did, but why didn’t you wake me? Why did you sneak into my house, and why didn’t you approach me during the day to tell me you were here?”

  Rafael studied me long and hard. “You weren’t ready.”

  My eyebrows furrowed. “Ready? For what?”

  Rafael’s eyes held mine. “For a relationship with me. I wanted to give you some space and time to get over Michael. I tried to watch over you from a distance, but it became increasingly difficult to stay away. Being here in this house, among your things, brought me peace.”

  “You needed peace?” I asked incredulously. “Why?”

  “Kristine, I wanted you from the moment I first saw you…”

  I rolled my eyes. This was Michael all over again, albeit in a younger, sexier body.

  Rafael ignored me. “I think on some level Michael knew. That’s why he didn’t want me touching you. I knew Michael wasn’t the right man for you, but I kept my feelings to myself because I knew how much he loved you.” Rafael turned his chair toward mine. He lifted my chin as he forced me to look at him. “When he pushed you away, after you lost the baby… I lost all respect for him. You don’t push the woman you love away when she’s dying inside. That’s when you hold her and never let go.”

  Tears pooled in my eyes as a lump formed in my throat.

  Rafael released my chin. He softly caressed my cheek before tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “Kristine, it killed me to see him treat you like that. You deserved so much more, especially considering what you sacrificed to be with him.”

  I closed my eyes and shook my head. I didn’t want to think about Michael pushing me away after I lost the baby. I had relived that moment far too many times, and it was still too painful to think about.

  I opened my eyes as Rafael brought my hand to his lips. “When I left you with your cousin, I returned to Paris. I tried to talk some sense into him. I tried to convince him to take you back because I knew that’s what you wanted. I wanted you to be happy, even if it cost me my own happiness.”

  I swallowed nervously. “And, now?”

  “He’s had five months to get it together. The same goes for your friend Kadyn. I’m done waiting for those idiots to do the right thing. I won’t deny my feelings for you anymore. I won’t stand by while someone who doesn’t deserve you tries to steal your heart again. I love you, Kristine, and I want a chance to prove it to you.”

  “You love me?” I asked breathlessly. “Like, more than a friend? You mean you’re in love with me?”

  Rafael nodded. “I realized it the second I pulled you into that closet… that time someone tried to break into Michael’s house. I knew then that I loved you… that I’d rather die than see any harm come to you. But I couldn’t do a damn thing about it. You were already in love with Michael.”

  My heart clenched. “I don’t know what to say.”

  Rafael stood and pulled me to my feet. “Say you’ll give me a chance to win your heart, Kristine.”

  “How?” I whispered breathlessly.

  A smile spread slowly across his face. “Any way I can.” He tugged me against his chest and lowered his head to kiss me, but he paused halfway. “There are a few more things you should know…” he warned.

  I arched an eyebrow, afraid to ask.

  “I won’t play fair, Kristine. Once I’m in, I’m all in. You give me this chance, and I won’t walk away... not ever.”

  I thought about Michael, how he had manipulated me when he threatened to bomb the Pentagon and kill Kadyn. Michael, who worked so hard to seduce me in Paris, then completely stole my heart. The man I agreed to marry. The father of my unborn child. The same man who couldn’t bear to look at me, who couldn’t comfort me, who pushed me away when Genevieve died. I kneeled at his feet and begged to stay when he forced me out of his life. I still loved him despite all the pain he had caused me, but I knew a relationship with him was impossible. It would kill him to know I was considering a relationship with his brother; and as hurt as I was, I didn’t want to cause Michael any more pain.

  My thoughts turned to Kadyn. I still loved Kadyn, and there was a part of me that was still holding out hope that we could work things out. Kadyn was devastated when Michael kidnapped me. But, the fact that I had fallen in love with Michael, agreed to marry him, and ha
d been pregnant with his child ruined all chances of a relationship with Kadyn. He had made it clear that my choices had destroyed his love for me. Friendship was as far as he was willing to go; and he had been true to his word. He was still a very good friend.

  Then I thought about Rafael. Rafael was the one who comforted me when Genevieve died. He was the one who dried my tears and wrapped me in his arms when I mourned her loss. He was the one who slept in a chair by my bedside so he could comfort me when the nightmares came. He was the man who picked up the broken pieces when Michael ordered me to leave. He was there for me during some of the lowest moments of my life… and now he’s asking me to give him a chance. He’s promising never to turn his back on me. How do you say no to that?

  I thought about Rafael’s promise… or was it a warning? The words echoed through my mind… I won’t play fair, Kristine. Once I’m in, I’m all in. I won’t walk away… not ever. How could those words both comfort and terrify me? I searched Rafael’s eyes for the truth behind his words, and my heart stalled. His eyes were determined and fierce. That’s when I knew. I wanted this dark angel. I wanted him to love me, and I wanted to love him back. Slowly, I nodded.

  Rafael wasn’t about to let me change my mind. I gasped as he swung a well-muscled arm under my legs and swept me off my feet. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he strode from the sun room. He shifted me in his arms and began to undress me just as we reached the base of the stairs. He was buried deep inside of me before we even reached my room.

  * * * * * *

  Rafael watched me race half-naked across my room. He had an amused look on his face as he stretched out his arm and made a half-hearted attempt to pull me back into bed.

  I yelped as his fingers grazed my hip. “Stop! I’m going to be late for school. I need to find my bra, and I still need to e-mail Shae my resume before I leave.” Thankfully, my classes didn’t start until four o’clock on Mondays.

  A wicked grin danced across his face as he dangled my black lace bra from the end of his finger.

  I stood with arms crossed. “If I come anywhere near that bed, you’ll pull me in.” I slowly inched toward my bra. “We made love for over four hours this morning, and that’s not counting last night. I can barely walk. How can you possibly be up for more?”

  Rafael’s eyes widened. “Did you seriously just ask me that?”

  I eyed him nervously as I reached for my bra.

  He had me pinned on the bed before my next breath. “Maybe you need a demonstration of just how much I am up for,” he suggested playfully.

  I tried to object, but he swallowed my words in a kiss. The kiss stoked a raging fire, so I resigned myself to the fact that I was going to be late and surrendered myself to Rafael once more.

  * * * * * *

  I was ten minutes late when I slunk into class. I was relieved to find Shae had saved me a seat. I sank into the chair as quietly as I could.

  “He’s in a mood,” she whispered.

  Dr. Rubenstein’s eyes bore into mine. “Ms. Stone, I’m pleased to see you could join us today.”

  I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. “I’m sorry I’m late, sir.”

  His eyes remained on me. “Two kids are fighting over a lemon. What do you do?”

  “Me?” I squeaked. My cheeks instantly flooded with heat.

  “Yes, Ms. Stone. You.”

  I glanced around the class nervously. “I would ask both children what they wanted to use the lemon for.”

  A single eyebrow rose on his forehead. “Really? Jeff suggested we cut it in half.”

  I shot Jeff an apologetic look. “Respectfully, sir, I disagree.”

  Both eyebrows rose. “Why would you ask the children this question?”

  “Well, sir, I need a better understanding of their interests and their need for the lemon before I can help them generate a solution that will make them both happy.”

  A hint of a smile tugged at Dr. Rubenstein’s lips. “One child wants the lemon rind for a scone recipe. The other wants the juice for a glass of lemon-aid.”

  I nodded. “The obvious solution is to let one child grate the peel, then give the lemon to the other child to squeeze for juice. If you cut the lemon in half, it’s possible neither child will end up with enough peel or juice for his recipe. But, I wouldn’t necessarily tell them that.”

  Mock confusion fell over my professor’s face. “You wouldn’t?”

  I looked down at my books so I wouldn’t laugh at the look on his face. “No. I would ask them a series of questions about the lemon, have them propose some solutions, and decide for themselves.”

  I peeked up at Dr. Rubenstein. He was beaming. “Why?”

  “Because it improves their ability to think through and resolve their disputes in the future. It reduces the likelihood that I will have to intervene again.”

  Dr. Rubenstein nodded. “Well done, Ms. Stone.”

  The heat in my cheeks cooled as Dr. Rubenstein proceeded with his lecture on mediation. I breathed a sigh of relief as I began taking notes.

  * * * * * *

  Two hours later Shae and I walked to a nearby Starbucks to grab a quick bite to eat before our evening class with Dr. Sandstrom. His class was normally held on Thursdays, but he moved our class to Monday due to some surgery he had scheduled later in the week. I was going to need some serious caffeine to get through the next three hours. I was exhausted and sore from my tryst with Rafael.

  Shae nudged me with her shoulder as we walked down the sidewalk. “How’d the scavenger race go yesterday?”

  I pushed my sleeves up so she could see the angry red marks the handcuffs had left behind. “It was crazy. I had to walk on glass, eat raw squid, drive some random college boy around on a tandem bike, solve a cryptograph involving the Gettysburg Address, belly dance at a Moroccan restaurant, do a wheel barrow race in handcuffs, and run around DC in a Supergirl costume.”

  Blackberry flavored vitamin water sprayed from Shae’s mouth as she burst out laughing. “That sounds awesome. Remind me to sign up for that next year.”

  “You should,” I agreed. I pulled open the door to Starbucks. For some reason completely outside my understanding, Shae did not drink coffee. She only went to Starbucks with me so I could feed my addiction. The angels practically sang as I walked through the place. I hustled toward the counter. “I’d like a venti caramel macchiato, skinny, with an extra shot, and extra hot.”

  Shae grabbed a bistro box filled with cheese, a hard-boiled egg, apple slices, and grapes. I did the same. We paid for our food and settled in at a table near the serving bar to wait for my coffee. Shae popped open her bistro box. “You promised to give me the scoop on those two seriously hot guys we saw in the park yesterday.”

  My eyes widened with comprehension. “Oh my God! I can’t believe how much has changed since yesterday.”

  Shae looked at me expectantly. “Dish.”

  My body began to hum as my thoughts turned to Rafael. “Well, apparently I’m dating the dark angel now.”

  Shae looked shocked. “The bodyguard? You’re dating the man your ex-fiancé used to pay to watch over you?”

  I sank down into my seat. “We had sex... like eight times.”

  “Since yesterday?” she nearly screamed.

  “Shhhh!” I cringed. “Yes. He just sort of magically appeared in my house last night.” I paused distractedly. I still didn’t know how he had gotten into my house. I shook my head and continued. “He said he wants a chance to prove how much he loves me. It’s a long story. He was there for me through some really difficult stuff. He’s done working for Michael, and he’s determined to make me fall in love with him.”

  Shae grabbed my arm. “You have got to be kidding me.”

  I winced. “I haven’t told you the worst part.”

  A wicked look danced across Shae’s face. “He’s really bad in bed?”

  I groaned. “No. He’s incredible… like really incredible in bed. No, the worst part is that Rafael is Michael�
�s brother.”

  Shae’s jaw fell open. She leaned back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest as she sized me up. “So, let me get this straight. You’re having sex with your ex-fiancé’s brother?”

  “Yes,” I confessed with a great deal of embarrassment. I buried my face in my hands. “What the hell am I thinking?”

  Shae shook her head. “I don’t know, Kri, but I doubt there’s a woman alive who could resist Rafael. That guy is seriously hot. So, what about Kadyn, the guy you went to the scavenger race with? What’s he going to think about you dating Rafael?”

  I jumped up and grabbed my coffee from the serving station before responding. I scorched the roof of my mouth as I took a long pull from the cup. “I don’t know. I doubt Kadyn’s going to be happy about this. Kadyn and I were dating when Michael kidnapped me. He spent six months trying to find me…”

  Shae cut me off. “Holy shit, Kri! You were engaged to a man who kidnapped you? Why are you just now telling me this?”

  The barista gave us a dirty look, so I shoved Shae out the door. The last thing I needed was to get banned from Starbucks. I tried to explain as we walked back toward the campus. “It’s complicated. Michael and I dated once before. He proposed on the fourth date. I turned him down, and he didn’t take it very well. I moved to DC and started dating Kadyn. We dated for nine months before Michael forced me to leave with him. You remember the car bombs at the Pentagon last year?”

  Shae stopped walking. “Yeah…”

  “Michael led me to believe he planted them. He said he would kill Kadyn if I didn’t go to Paris with him.”

  Her eyes widened. “Was he the one who planted them?”

  I shook my head as we resumed walking. “No. He heard about it on the news and took advantage of the situation so he could manipulate me into going with him. I didn’t want to be there at first, but it didn’t take Michael long to seduce me. I fell in love with him, and I agreed to marry him when he proposed. A few days later, we discovered I was pregnant. We were supposed to be married last December.”

  Shae stared at me. “What happened? Surely he didn’t just let you walk away after all that.”