Chapter 33 Rafael
Rafael
‘I’m so close. I know I am. I just can’t work out what I’m missing.’
I walk up behind Aurora and slide her hair to one side so I can press a kiss on her shoulder. She’s been working on her father’s case all morning, the sea of paper she’s spread over my dining room table a testament to her exhaustive research.
‘The solicitor just called. They told me my father’s appeal will be denied unless we can find more evidence. If only I were smarter, Rafe. If I knew things about law instead of fashion, then I could help him. But this is useless. I’m getting nowhere. I’m failing him,’ she says, her voice trembling.
‘Listen to me. You are not failing him. You’ve never failed anyone. Not him, not your mother. You hear me? You’re strong and you’re smart. Even the police got this bloody wrong.’
‘Thanks. But that doesn’t help get my father out, does it?’
‘How can I help?’
She turns inside my embrace, the despair in her eyes making way for hope as she looks up at me. ‘You’ll help me?’
‘Of course I’ll help.’
I kiss her, pulling my lips from her before I get carried away.
Ever since last night’s spectacular meltdown on my balcony, things have been different between us.
She’s been happier. Lighter. It’s like she needed us to open up to one another.
And if I’m honest, I needed it too. Last night was the best night’s sleep I’ve had in ages.
And waking up and sinking inside her as she looked into my eyes and told me she loved me again, confirming it wasn’t all a dream, has made me feel like I’m punching the damn sky, despite the niggling voice hissing in my ear that this was never supposed to happen. She was never supposed to love me back.
Me being vulnerable and open to the hurt that love can bring is one thing. But inflicting that on Aurora? I should have been more careful. But damn, I don’t want to be. If anyone is ever going to love me then I want it to be her.
God, do I want it to be her. I just have to ensure I never make her cry.
‘Tell me what you need?’ I say.
Her brow furrows and she gnaws on her lower lip.
‘Beauty?’ I coax.
‘I thought Dominic might know something. Or have at least heard something, seeing as he’s on the board. But last time I spoke with him . . .’ She shudders. ‘Can you talk to him?’
I stiffen. Dominic. I haven’t seen him since the night I found him on the terrace with Aurora.
The slippery bastard has been keeping a low profile, avoiding my calls, not being there when I’ve visited his office.
He knows he fucked up. I’d never have had him down as the type of guy to put a move on a woman and make her feel uncomfortable unless I saw it with my own eyes like I did that night.
And it wasn’t just any woman. It was Aurora.
Not seeing him these past weeks is a good thing.
I’m not sure I could have controlled myself.
It’s time I had it out with him.
‘I’ll go to his house later,’ I tell Aurora.
‘Thank you.’ She kisses me, then pulls back sharply as the sound of my front door closing vibrates through the walls.
‘All of my family are programmed into the security system,’ I explain.
I take in a deep breath, knowing exactly who is stomping down my hallway.
Dove barrels around the corner, slamming to a halt as she spots the two of us.
Aurora flinches inside my arms.
‘We were going to tell you, I swear,’ she squeaks, her eyes widening with worry. ‘Please, don’t be angry.’
But my sister’s glare is focused on me. ‘You shagged my best friend behind my back! What kind of brother are you?’
I run my tongue over the edge of my teeth as she storms over. Aurora tries to step away, but I tighten my hold on her, keeping her firmly in place.
‘We were going to tell you yesterday. I’m sorr—’ I say.
She scoffs. ‘Uh-huh. I speak, you listen. You need to work on your poker face, brother. I could read you like a book last night. The two of you have never liked one another. I’m not bloody stupid!
’ she rages when I try to interrupt. ‘For you to suddenly go charging off looking like you’re about to burst a blood vessel at the mention of her name. It was so bloody obvious!’
‘Dove—’ Aurora starts, but I interject.
Dove is vibrating with fury, but I can see the chink in her armour. All of this fire, all of this . . . hurt . . . it isn’t because she found out her brother and her best friend have something going on, it’s deeper than that.
‘No, I’m sorry,’ I say as calmly as possible. ‘I didn’t know he was going to be there.’
My sister’s wince is almost imperceivable. But I see it. And so does Aurora.
‘Rafael. I need . . .’ Aurora whispers, looking up at me with a stricken expression because she wants to run to comfort Dove. But I keep her firmly in my grip.
‘Not yet,’ I whisper in her ear. If Aurora goes to Dove now before my sister regains composure, then Dove won’t thank me for it. She’s spent years forgetting the man who left her functioning like an empty shell of herself.
Dove sniffs, pulling her shoulders back. ‘Don’t try to make this about anything other than the fact you’ve been lying to me.’
She looks at me with a piercing clarity in her eyes as the memories from the past fade, and all that’s left is cold, hard fury at being deceived.
‘Okay,’ I answer. ‘In that case, ask what you want to know, and we’ll tell you.’
My sister opens her mouth like she’s preparing to assault us with a barrage of questions. But then her eyes drop to where Aurora’s palm is resting over my chest – above my heart – and she sucks in a breath.
‘Bloody hell, it’s serious, then?’ She whips her eyes to mine.
I let go of Aurora, holding Dove’s gaze as Aurora runs to her.
‘I’m so sorry,’ she whispers, stopping in front of Dove. ‘Please don’t hate me. I never in a million years thought I’d ever like him. I’d have been more likely to accelerate if I saw him crossing the road.’
‘Charming,’ I grumble.
Dove shoots me a look that tells me to zip it before she turns to Aurora, her eyes sparkling.
‘You’d have reversed too,’ she says. ‘Just to make sure.’
Aurora sobs out a laugh. ‘Probably.’
A smile tugs at my lips as I stand back and watch two of the most important women in my life hover by one another, waiting for the other one to make a move.
‘He hasn’t sent you roses, has he?’ Dove asks, suspicion oozing from her.
Aurora shakes her head. ‘No. But those arrived this morning.’ She gestures to the giant bouquet of lotus flowers I ordered after she fell asleep in my arms last night.
‘Lotus?’ Dove questions.
‘They’re the symbol of dawn, like the meaning of my name,’ Aurora says softly, turning to gaze at me.
Her eyes shine with the same unconcealed joy they did when the flowers arrived, and I told her that lotus flowers can bloom in muddy water – just like how she’s never given up, despite what she’s been through.
Dove looks at me like I’ve grown an extra head. ‘Rafe?’
‘I love her.’
My sister’s eyes light up and then she looks back at Aurora.
‘You understand, if you want to ditch him, he’ll haunt you like a weird smell? We’d all given up hope he’d ever fall for a girl, but knew that if the day ever came that poor girl would be stuck with him, because once he makes up his mind, that’s it,’ she adds.
Aurora gives Dove a hopeful smile. ‘I mean, I love him too, so I guess I’m okay with that.’
Dove’s brows shoot up and she exhales. ‘Jesus, okay. Just . . .’ She wrinkles her nose. ‘I don’t want to know . . . everything.’
Aurora nods seriously. ‘Absolutely. No sex talk.’
‘Ugh, please.’ Dove covers her mouth like she feels sick.
The two women snort into giggles and then they’re in each other’s arms, a mix of apologies, sniffling, and tumbling words I can’t make out.
‘I need to make a call in my office. I’ll leave you both to it,’ I say.
‘Yeah, sure, whatever.’ Dove waves me off, not even glancing my way.
Aurora catches my eye and the relief on her face makes my heart swell. She’d been worried about telling Dove, but I know my sister. All that matters is that I treat Aurora the way she deserves, then my sister will be on our side. And I have no intention of hurting the woman I love.
After my call, I return through the kitchen, and their conversation floats towards me.
‘Has Vance tried to contact you since last night? He looked right at you,’ Aurora asks.
‘No,’ Dove replies. ‘At least, not yet.’
I bristle. My sister’s better off keeping far away from Dr Vance Falcon. The guy hurt her once; he isn’t going to get the chance to do it again.
‘How’s the sleuthing going?’ Dove asks.
Aurora’s exhausted sigh makes my gut twist, and I pause, waiting to hear her response.
‘I’m not getting anywhere. I know he’s innocent, but I can’t prove it.
The only thing I’ve found that seemed weird was about that woman – the one who drafted the sexual harassment email to HR and then vanished into thin air.
Well, she mentioned a client in the email.
It must have been one she worked with my father on, but I can’t find a thing out about them. It’s like they don’t exist.’
‘Weird,’ Dove muses. ‘What’s the name?’
I strain to hear Aurora’s answer. Maybe it’ll give me a start of where I can help.
‘Larkhay,’ she replies. ‘My father had never heard of them either when I asked him. I found a candle company with that name, who are completely unrelated, but that’s all.’
Something cold tightens around my windpipe.
Of course she hasn’t found a client with that name.
Because Larkhay isn’t a client.
It’s a place.
And I know exactly where to find out more.
‘Hey. Didn’t know you were dropping by.’ Dom gives me a wide smile as he opens the front door to his townhouse.
‘Would you have been home if you knew I was coming?’ I grit.
He laughs and ushers me inside. I follow him to the rear of the house and into the large, bright open-plan kitchen and living area that spans the width of the property.
‘Drink?’ he asks, opening the fridge and grabbing a soda.
‘Not for me.’