Chapter 29 Rafael #2
His smile dipped. "Sorry, didn't mean it to come off like that. Every car on this level of the garage belongs to Mr. Vitale. He works on classics when he has the time. Heard he restored a Monte Carlo once."
It annoyed me that someone knew something about Cesare that I didn't, but I knew when to pounce on an opportunity. "Yeah, what other cars has he done? Does he get any imports?"
Andrew was all too happy to tell me more. I didn't give a damn where it came from, as long as it was about Cesare, I was all ears. I wanted to know him better than anyone else. I was certain there were things about Cesare that Andrew would never know and I would never share. They were mine.
My entire body lit up with excitement as I saw Cesare's name come across the top of my screen.
I finished off the message as a necessary part of my plan and moved over to Cesare's text messages.
A grin played on my lips as I pictured the man glaring down at his phone.
He probably had the video feed up on his screen.
We hadn't even made it two minutes out of the garage before he messaged me.
Cesare: Where are you going?
I bit my lip and smiled at the screen.
Rafael: Stalker
Cesare: Rafael, tell me now.
To meet your sons and try and get out of the deal without dying. Or lie to them, because I can't stand giving them any more information and betraying you.
Rafael: The gym.
Cesare: For what?
Rafael: Aren't you supposed to be working?
Rafael: If you want, I can postpone my workout and come to you. Maybe slip under your desk and you can use my throat while you work.
The dancing dots appeared and then disappeared only for them to come back. Was he really contemplating it? I checked the time, and I had thirty minutes to meet up with the brothers. But I was willing to blow them off in order to give Cesare a blow job.
Cesare: Whore.
Rafael: Yes, yours.
Cesare: Behave.
Rafael: Of course. I'm always a good boy for you.
We pulled to a stop, and I hopped out and headed for the large building. "Are you going to follow me around dressed in a suit?" I shook my head. "Look, as much as I love being the center of attention, I don't need to be made a bigger target at the gym."
Andrew glanced over at the glass building. "I'm supposed to watch you."
I nodded. "That's fine, you can sit in the lobby and there is only one exit anyways. I need to be able to move around without people staring. Plus I want to get some sparring in."
Andrew looked skeptical, but he didn't have any room to argue.
"There is a small juice and coffee bar downstairs." I twisted back around and headed inside with him on my heels. "Then again, if you're making sure to stick close because you want to admire me, then that's a different story."
"I wouldn't dare."
I nodded. "Yeah, Cesare wouldn't be too happy."
The ashen look that came over Andrews face let me know I won. I scanned my card and signed in my one guest.
"I'll be done in about an hour or two. I have to warm up." Hopefully sooner. I checked the time and cursed under my breath. I had an eighteen minute walk to where I needed to be.
The locker room was located on the west side of the building, and I slipped in with ease.
I ignored the bodies moving around and shoved my bag into a locker.
I headed for the line of bathrooms in the back before turning the last corner and going for the showers.
The gym was equipped with three indoor pools and one outdoor one.
The door was normally locked, but as of late, they'd made the pool outside heated which meant the door was open to everybody.
I slipped out, and the smell of chlorine hit me hard and fast. My eyes watered and my nose stung. I rubbed at my face, ignoring it the best I could as I headed to the large gate. My phone was back out in my hand. I hit the call button and a soft gasp greeted me.
He wasn't really getting fucked right now, was he? I pinched the bridge of my nose. Working at Silver Dreams meant I met all types of people from various walks of life. I happened to have a run-in with a few of the employees at the gym. All connections were useful until they weren't.
"Ben, you're supposed to be here with the key."
A grunt greeted my words. "Yeah. Fuck. My bad. Something came—oh fuckup."
The urge to curse him out and beat his ass was all too real. I blew out an even breath. "Can you get dick later and come let me out. I'm in a hurry."
"Can't—shit." He moaned so loudly my ear drums burned. "I left the keys, make sure to put them back, I'll get in serious trouble if my boss finds out."
"Him finding out that you're fucking on company time won't be an issue?"
Ben's words were nothing more than a jumbled up mess.
I hung up and glanced around until I found them out in the open where anyone could take them.
Some people were so fucking stupid. After this, I was deleting his contact.
He was too sloppy. The only reason I kept his number was because he owed me a favor.
Now it was repaid. I wouldn't have to ever hear the high-pitched moan again.
I slipped through the unlocked back gate and pocketed the keys.
I made my way down the street. My walk quickly turned into a jog.
My lungs burned with every inhale as I picked up speed.
There was no telling what would happen if I was late.
As much as I knew these were Cesare's kids, they had no obligation to keep me alive.
To them I was a tool that was failing to do its job.
The dot on my phone screen let me know I was just around the corner.
My legs burned, and I started to contemplate really getting back in the gym.
It had been way too long if a little run was exhausting me.
I stopped short of the building and shoved hair out of my face.
Sweat clung to my skin, making me feel sticky.
I glanced around before heading in. I made it three steps before a man I knew headed my way. Tony was Benito's right-hand man and not to be fucked with. His eyes were void of any humanity as he stopped in front of me.
"You're late."
I held my phone up, my breathing labored. "No, I have a minute left." As I said it, the damn time changed. "See."
His grimace could rival Cesare's. "Follow me."
Sure, why not. It's not like I'm dying for oxygen right now. I straightened and followed behind him, weary of every set of eyes on me.
I want to go home and wait for Cesare.
My fingers twisted at my side with the urge to text Cesare and see what he was doing. It was insane to miss someone I just saw that morning.
Tony stopped in front of a door and opened it before stepping back.
There was another man there, one I hadn't seen in person before, but I knew to be Blake’s partner.
A tall man with brown skin, almond-shaped eyes, and pink hair.
His orange-and-purple outfit screamed “look at me.” A stark difference to Tony with his standard black suit.
"This is who he's fucking?" The colorful man looked me up and down and laughed. "Oh, but he had shit to say about me and Blake. Wild."
"Quincy," Tony warned.
The man lifted his hands, and he was missing half a pinky finger. "Go on in."
A ball of anxiety slid between my rib cage and made every step feel like my last. There were so many incoherent thoughts running rampant in my head that I wasn't certain which one to focus on.
Was this it?
Fuck, I didn't even get to tell Cesare I loved him.
I'll fight. There was no way I was going down without one. I was going to go home to my man one way or another.
All thoughts stopped the moment the door closed, and I was in a single room with low lighting and all windows covered.
Benito Vitale and his husband Harlow were the only other people.
His long black hair hung around him. I heard he wore dresses mainly but not today.
Harlow wore black slacks with a red button-up.
His heels, however, made him a towering figure.
Benito sat there, hands clasped together like the mafia boss his father raised him to be.
I bet Cesare would smile at that fact.
Before any words were said, a knife whipped past me and struck the thick door. I turned slowly to look at the blade that had been aimed at my head and back to Harlow. He had three more knives in hand. His gray eyes were filled with an ice-cold anger aimed my way.
Fear trickled down my spine and froze me to the spot.
"I warned you, Rafael, did I not?" Benito's voice was like a whip cracking in the air.
I flinched, unable to keep my reaction at bay. I swallowed a few times, trying to get my words to work for me.
"The next one is going in your leg. I can't have you dying too fast," Harlow warned.
I stepped to the side as if that mattered.
I looked around the room, wanting something to hide behind at least, but there was nothing.
It was like they cleared out the office space and made it as empty as possible.
There was one chair, and Benito was in it.
What was this? Some bad rip-off of The Godfather?
My head was a mess, and I needed to gain some kind of control before I slipped up again.
"I got your warning loud and clear.” I choked and cleared my throat. “I had nothing to report. He didn't work while we were gone."
Benito shook his head. "You expect me to believe that?"
"I'm telling you the truth."
He was up and headed my way. Something told me if I didn't find a way out, I was as good as dead.
"We spent the entire time fucking. There was no time to look for anything."
"Eww, his dick still works," Harlow groaned.
"Yes." Right now wasn't the time to defend Cesare's dick game. I stepped back until my spine hit the wall. "Look, if you would just talk to him, I'm certain everything can be resolved. He—"