Broken Wings (The Broken Series Book 3)

by Ruff, K. S.

  He frowned. “Haven’t you been in enough danger… suffered enough violence? I know you want to help people, but can’t you find a way to do that without putting yourself in danger?”

  I reached for his hand. “I haven’t even gotten the position yet. I’ll get a better sense of what the job entails tomorrow. If it sounds too dangerous, I won’t take the job. I promise.”

  Rafael blew out a long breath. He squeezed my hand before turning the car back onto the road. “I just want you safe.”

  “I know,” I whispered, still a little stunned by the depth of his concern. “Let’s talk about you,” I suggested. “What are you doing for work these days?”

  Rafael took the exit for the 14th Street Bridge. “I’ve opened my own security firm here in DC. We specialize in VIP protection.”

  I smoothed my dress down toward my knees. “That’s great, Rafael. That sounds perfect for you.”

  A tiny bit of tension eased from his face. “I don’t like being stuck behind a desk. I like being able to pick and choose my assignments, and I like not having to work all the time.” He smiled. “Besides it gives me the flexibility I need to keep an eye on you.”

  I shook my head. Then I studied him curiously. “You seem hard wired to protect, Rafael. Why?”

  The car slowed as he eased inside a public parking garage.

  My eyes widened in disbelief. “Wait. You’re not seriously parking your car in here?”

  He shrugged. “Komi doesn’t have valet parking, so I don’t have much of a choice.” Rafael lowered his window as he turned his attention to the man in the ticket booth. He greeted the man in a language I didn’t recognize.

  The man smiled as he conversed with Rafael. He nodded, then waved us toward a no parking sign just off to the side of the booth.

  I glanced at Rafael questioningly. “He’s letting you park here?”

  Rafael pulled his car alongside the cement wall. “Yes. He doesn’t want anyone stealing the car on his watch any more than I do.”

  I glanced back at the man in the ticket booth. “What language were you speaking?”

  He turned the engine off and opened the doors. “Amharic. He’s from Ethiopia.” Rafael climbed out of his seat and walked to my side of the car. He reached for my hand as he helped me from the car.

  I was still gaping at him. “How did you know that?”

  Rafael grinned. “I told you. I’ve been trained to observe.”

  I watched the doors to the car slide quietly back into place. I turned my attention to Rafael as he twined his fingers with mine. “How many different languages do you speak?”

  “I speak eight languages; English, Portuguese, French, Spanish, Arabic, Amharic, Russian, and Mandarin.” He laughed at the astonished look on my face. “When you’re protecting foreign dignitaries, it’s important to speak their language.”

  We walked out of the garage and turned toward DuPont Circle. “What other types of people do you protect?” I asked curiously.

  “The vast majority of people I’ve protected have been foreign dignitaries, although I did help guard some celebrities who were visiting or performing in Portugal. And then, of course, there’s you…”

  I laughed. “I thought Michael stopped paying you for that.”

  Rafael chuckled as he guided me up the stairs to the restaurant. His hand settled on the small of my back as he escorted me through the door. “He did. I’m funding that operation now.”

  I soaked in the ambience as Rafael spoke with the hostess. The long, narrow restaurant was filled with small tables draped in crisp white tablecloths. The hostess led us to a table that was tucked against the far corner of the dimly lit room. Rafael pulled one of the chairs out for me. I smiled as my eyes met his. “Thank you.”

  Rafael moved the chair from across the table and set it next to me. Two waiters approached our table as he folded himself into the chair. Each held a pitcher of water and a wine carafe. They nodded and smiled as they poured our water in unison. Then they poured our wine at the exact same time. They briefly rearranged Rafael’s place setting so that it was sitting directly in front of him. As they turned to walk away, two new waiters approached our table with small appetizer plates. I watched, completely enthralled, as they set the plates in front of us at the exact same moment. It was like watching a synchronized swimming event.

  I watched them walk away. Then I leaned toward Rafael and whispered, “What’s this all about? They haven’t even given us a menu, and they’re already delivering food?”

  Rafael laughed. “They have a set menu, so I’m afraid we’re at the mercy of the chef.” He reached for his wine glass and offered a toast. “Saude.”

  I glanced at him questioningly before tapping my glass against his. “Saude.” I sipped the cold, crisp wine. Lemon, lime, honey, and spice danced over my tongue.

  “It’s a Portuguese toast to your health,” Rafael explained. He set his glass back on the table, then reached for my cheek as he turned my face toward his. His mouth hovered over mine as his tongue swept slowly across my lips. “This wine tastes exquisite on your lips,” he murmured before fitting our lips together and dipping deep inside my mouth. His tongue stroked and teased mine until I melted into his chest.

  I blinked back my surprise when Rafael broke the kiss. I had lost sight of where we were. He gently rubbed my leg as he turned his attention to the food. I tried to ignore the desire pooling in my lower abdomen as I stared at the appetizer. The small plate held a single slice of bread with a decorative spread of pâté.

  Rafael picked up his bread and took a bite. “Rabbit liver,” he noted appreciatively. “You should try it. It’s quite good.”

  I hung suspended between Rafael and the food. I couldn’t move, not with the way my body was responding to him. While Rafael held the appetizer in his right hand, the fingers from his other hand were absently skimming just beneath the hem of my dress.

  Rafael must have caught onto the fact that I was no longer breathing because he removed his hand from my leg. He draped his arm around my shoulders as he tucked me against his chest. “Better?” he asked with a soft smile.

  I exhaled softly and returned the smile. I reached for the bread and took a small bite as I relaxed into the warmth of his chest. The rabbit liver was whipped, more like a mousse than a pâté. As we finished the appetizer, it dawned on me that Rafael hadn’t answered my question from earlier. I glanced up at him. “What drew you into special ops? Why have you devoted your life to protecting people?”

  Two waiters approached the table and took our plates, wine glasses, and silverware. Two more waiters arrived. They set two new wine glasses down at the same time, then the silverware, and the appetizer plates. Every move was made in unison. The first set of waiters returned with two carafes and poured an entirely new wine.

  The appetizer plates held a flaky pastry that appeared to be stuffed with spinach and warm feta cheese. Rafael cut into the pastry with his fork. “Michael never told you?”

  I sampled the pastry. “No, he didn’t really talk about you or anyone else in his family. I didn’t even know the two of you were related until you told me at the café.”

  Rafael nodded. “I don’t think Michael wanted you to know we’re related, at least not in the beginning; and he never talks about our parents.” His eyes darkened as he continued. “They were murdered in Portugal. Michael was attending graduate school when it happened. I was in my senior year of high school. I had been out with my friends and didn’t come home until late that night. That’s when I found them. My father was already dead. He had been bound and shot. My mother died three days later in the hospital.”

  I swallowed around the lump in my throat. Tears welled in my eyes as I reached for his hand. “I’m so sorry, Rafael. I can’t imagine anything more horrific.”

  Pain radiated from his soft brown eyes. “It was horrific. Seeing them bloodied and beaten… It’s been fourteen years, and I still can’t get that image out of my mind.”

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nbsp; My heart hurt just thinking about it. I gently squeezed his hand. “Is that why you joined the special operations group?”

  Rafael nodded. “I was too late to save my parents, but I was determined to protect others from suffering the same fate.”

  I nodded. What Rafael had been through with his parents explained a lot. “Do you know why they were targeted?”

  He shrugged. “My parents had a lot of money. Some thugs broke into the house to rob them. When they thought my father was holding out on them, they tied him up and made him watch while they beat and raped my mother. They shot my father before they left.”

  I pushed my plate away, suddenly too nauseous to eat. “I hope they were caught.”

  “They’re both dead,” Rafael responded vaguely.

  I sighed sadly as I leaned my head against his chest. “My uncle was murdered when I was in high school. My father had to identify his body. The trials were awful… the photographs, the autopsy report, and the bloodied sheets.” I shook my head as I tried to dispel the images. “Four people were prosecuted, so the trials dragged on for over a year. My family relived his death over and over again.”

  Rafael reached for his wine. “What happened?”

  I took a deep breath and blew it out. “My uncle had money… not the kind of money your family had, but a good chunk of money for someone living in Montana. He remarried after my aunt died, but we didn’t meet the woman until the night he was killed. He was visiting my family while in town for his class reunion. His wife insisted they stay at a hotel instead of staying at our house. He was beaten and strangled that night. We learned later that the woman had planned it from the very beginning. She seduced my uncle, convinced him to marry her, and paid her son and two nephews to kill him so she could take his money. They’re all in prison now. One of the men is sitting on death row.”

  Rafael squeezed my shoulders. “I’m so sorry, Kristine. I never knew.”

  I looked down at the napkin that was now clenched in my hand. “Those trials and the prosecuting attorney inspired me to pursue a law degree, but my ex-husband wouldn’t allow me to go to law school when I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in pre-law. I finally took the entrance exams for law school last year, but then I discovered this graduate program in conflict resolution. I think part of the reason I chose this program is because I want to believe there are ways we can prevent violence.”

  Rafael’s jaw clenched. “Michael told me about your ex-husband. I’ll admit that it has taken considerable restraint not to track him down and make him pay for what he did to you.”

  I shook my head. “He’s not worth it, Rafael. He’s not worth a single second of your time.”

  The waiters returned to our table to clear our silverware, glasses, and plates. Two more waiters arrived with fresh silverware, new wine, and two plates holding small steaks. Again, every action was synchronized.

  Rafael’s eyes met mine as he cut into his steak. “We make quite the pair, you and me… both haunted by violence and still trying to save the world.”

  I laughed softly. “That sounds about right, although you make it sound like the back story for a couple of superheroes.” I cut into the steak. My eyes widened when I realized I didn’t need a knife. The steak tasted like it had been drenched in an herbed butter. A soft moan slid from my lips as the steak melted in my mouth.

  Rafael looked thoughtful as he watched me take another bite. “I’d like to propose something, and I don’t want you to take it the wrong way.”

  I took a couple sips of wine before nodding. “Go ahead,” I encouraged warily.

  “If you take this peace-building job, I’d like to train you in self-defense. Shoot, I should probably train you in self-defense even if you don’t take the job. You seem to be a magnet for trouble.”

  I swallowed hard, so the wine wouldn’t spray out of my nose. “You want to teach me how to protect myself?”

  A determined look settled over his face. “Yes. I can’t protect you all of the time. Well, I could, but it would drive you crazy if I followed you everywhere you went. I’d feel better if you knew how to defend yourself.”

  I set my wine glass down and ate another piece of steak while I considered the merits of his proposal. “You know, Rafael, I think that sounds like a very good idea. Can you teach me Russian too?”

  His smile faltered. “Russian? Why?”

  I popped the last piece of steak into my mouth. “If I get this job, my first assignment will be in Ukraine.”

  A cloud fell over Rafael’s face. “No amount of training is going to protect you against the Russian mafia or the underground KGB.”

  I smiled. “I’m not planning any parties with either group.”

  Rafael just shook his head.

  The waiters stopped by to clear our silverware, glasses, and plates again. Two other waiters arrived with fresh silverware, wine, and plates containing a breaded meat.

  Rafael reached for his fork. “I’ll be tied up with an assignment over the next three days. Can we start Saturday morning?”

  I eyed the meat skeptically. I wasn’t terribly fond of breaded mystery meat. “Sure. Do I need to buy any special equipment for this?”

  Rafael shook his head. “I should have everything you need. I converted one of the rooms in my house into a gym. We can train there.” He paused as he took a bite of the breaded meat. “Would you be willing to consider lifting weights? It would really help with the self-defense training.”

  I nodded as I cut into my own piece of mystery meat. “I used to lift weights in Montana and when I worked on the Hill. I wouldn’t mind picking it back up again.”

  “Good. I’ll give you the key to my house and the security code. You can go over there any time you want to work out.”

  “So we’re trading keys now?” I teased. I sampled the meat and breathed a small sigh of relief. The breaded meat was Chicken Kiev, which was totally doable.

  “I already have a key to your place,” he reminded me, “and the code.”

  My eyebrows furrowed. “Yeah. About that. How did you figure out the code?”

  He shrugged. “It wasn’t difficult once I saw your friend Kadyn over there. Besides, I can bypass most security systems. That was part of my training in special ops.”

  “Speaking of Kadyn…” I began nervously. “I should probably let you know that he’s coming over tomorrow night.”

  Rafael raised an eyebrow questioningly.

  The waiters returned, this time with sea urchin, which was artfully presented inside its prickly shell. Like the previous courses, the sea urchin had its own pairing of wine.

  My eyes met Rafael’s as the waiters walked away. “Rafael, we’re just friends. When I came back from Paris, Kadyn made it clear we could only be friends. He couldn’t stomach what had happened between Michael and me. Anyway, we went on this scavenger hunt to benefit Saint Jude’s Children’s Hospital last weekend. He had to dress up in a Batman costume...” I laughed at the pained look on Rafael’s face. “I know, but it was for a really good cause.”

  Rafael reached for a lock of my hair. He wound it around his finger, then gently released it. “What were you wearing?”

  I looked up from the sea urchin and smiled. “I was dressed as Supergirl.”

  “I think you’d make a great Catwoman,” he murmured suggestively. A wicked smile danced in his eyes as he polished off his sea urchin.

  I just shook my head. “That’s when Kadyn discovered that I haven’t seen any of the Batman movies from the Dark Knight Trilogy. We have a movie marathon scheduled for tomorrow night. He feels it’s his civic duty to catch me up on the adventures of Batman.”

  Our plates, silverware, and wine glasses were cleared. Two additional waiters arrived with fresh silverware, wine, and scallops. The chef had drawn a heart around the scallops with a light orange sauce.

  Rafael swirled one of the scallops through the orange sauce before popping it into his mouth. “Are you going to tell Kadyn about me?”


  I leaned back in my chair as I sampled the wine. “Yes. I plan on telling him tomorrow night.”

  Rafael glanced at me as he reached for his wine. “And how do you think he’s going to react?”

  I shook my head. “I honestly don’t know. He said he only wants to be friends, but neither one of us has dated anyone since I returned from Paris. The fact that you’re Michael’s brother won’t sit well with him. I’m sure he considers you an accomplice.” I paused as I sampled the scallops. “How do you feel about Kadyn still being my friend?”

  Rafael tucked me against his chest. “I don’t harbor any ill will toward the guy. I’m thankful he was able to rescue you from Justin Morris… a little peeved that he got there before me, but I can’t fault him for that. I think he’s a fool for not taking you back, but I should be thanking him for that too. If he had taken you back, I doubt I’d be sitting here with you now.”

  The waiters returned to our table. This time they brought dates stuffed with basil and goat cheese. I watched the waiters perform their dance before focusing my attention on Rafael. “So, you’re okay with it?”

  He studied me as he popped a date into his mouth. “You do realize he’s still in love with you?”

  I shook my head. “No. I don’t think he is. He loves me, as in he really cares about me, but I don’t think he’s in love with me… not anymore.”

  “Oh, but he is. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. His ego and his pride have been hurt, so he’s not about to admit it to you. Although, once he knows you’re dating me, he may decide to tell you.”

  The waiters returned. They removed our dishes while another set of waiters delivered fresh silverware, two plates of strawberry foie gras, and coffee.

  I took a bite of the strawberry foie gras and moaned. The foie gras was lovely, but it was the strawberry-port preserves that made me want to lick the plate.

  Rafael laughed as he reached for his coffee. “That good, huh?”

  I hummed appreciatively. I considered Rafael’s comments about Kadyn as I dug back into the dessert. If his suspicions were right, my life was about to become a complete train wreck. I wasn’t capable of dealing with that train wreck, given all the wine I’d been drinking, so I reached for my coffee and steered the conversation into a more manageable direction. “Who’s your assignment? Can you say?”