RAPHAEL
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Every muscle in my body locked at the sound of my wife’s voice.
I slowly turned and found Sailor walking across the stretch of sand. She didn’t appear intimidated in the slightest by the scene nor this island. God, she made me so proud.
Even after over two decades together, she was still the only woman who could calm me down while simultaneously riling me up. She was my reina.
She was surveying the situation, but her eyes landed on me. Disappointment settled over her features and it cut deep.
“Sailor,” I said gently. “My reina, you shouldn’t be here.”
The last time we were on this cursed island, I had to carry her off of it beaten and bruised. Broken.
But not today.
Today, she walked with her head held high, strength oozing from her every pore. And she was mad… at me.
She walked past me and knelt beside Anya, cupping our daughter’s face and wiping the tears streaking her cheeks.
“My beautiful girl,” she whispered. “I’m so happy to see you. Are you hurt?”
Anya shook her head. “No, Mama, but what is Papa saying?”
“Papa is protective of me. Kind of like your husband is of you.”
“But, Mama—”
“Shhh,” she cut her off. “We shall not speak of the past. I only want to see you loved and cherished.”
“I am, Mama.”
Sailor glanced at the scum still pinned in the sand, blood staining the back of his neck. Only then did she address me. “Let him go.” When I didn’t move, she looked at my men. “I said, let my son-in-law go.”
They all looked at me, and I let out a string of curses. Anyone else, I would have killed them, but this was my wife. My reina. My life.
I did as was told and stood, taking a small step back, but my finger remained on the trigger.
Jetmir pushed himself upright slowly, clearly aching, yet the first thing he did wasn’t defend himself.
He reached for Anya’s hand. “You all right, my angel?”
She let out a strangled laugh, taking his hand and pressing her cheek against it. “You were tackled to the ground, and you’re asking me if I’m okay.”
My chest tightened. My daughter… She loved this man. Fuck, why did it have to be a Tijuana? Anyone else I might tolerate.
Sailor stood and faced me. “What exactly were you thinking, Raphael?”
“I was protecting our daughter.”
“No, my diablo. Your daughter loves this man and it’s our job to support her. Not to linger in the past.”
The words struck like a slap. “He manipulated her. Kidnapped her! He even kidnapped the goddamned lawyer so their annulment wasn’t processed.”
My wife’s palm gently cradled my cheek. “I don’t know if you noticed, but our daughter is not a child.”
“He lied,” I protested.
“So did you.”
I frowned. “What?”
“You told yourself this was about keeping Anya safe.” She stepped closer, her petite form pressing against me. “But this is about a lot more than just that.” I opened my mouth, then closed it. “This is about your fear for me and your need to protect me.”
I stared at her.
She wasn’t exactly wrong. I even said it myself; I had to choose my wife over anyone else.
“You looked at him…” she continued, nodding toward Jetmir, “and all you could see was the ghost of Santiago.” My throat tightened.
Again, she was right. I had spent three years convincing myself they were one and the same.
“I did too at first, but he isn’t him. This is the man who would go to great lengths to fix his wrongs.
A man who loves your daughter as much as you love me.
Isn’t that what we should want for our children? ”
“His actions hurt our son.”
“I know.” Sailor’s expression softened. “But he also procured the solution. Mateo Agosti would have never agreed to donate his corneas if not for Jetmir.”
My daughter gasped, her eyes wide as her eyes darted between her husband, her mother, and me.
“Wh-what?” she breathed. “Gabriel… he has a donor?”
“Yes,” Sailor said, smiling. “He’s already undergone surgery and is recovering. Everything went perfectly.”
Anya’s gaze locked on me. “You knew?”
“Yes.” My voice cracked despite every effort to steady it.
“And you, Jetmir?”
Her husband wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “I was about to tell you when we were interrupted.”
She fell into his arms as Sailor rested her head on my shoulder.
“Our daughter is smiling again, Raphael,” she whispered, eyes glistening. She rested her palm against my chest. “Gabriel has his sight back. Let’s celebrate their happiness.”
I swallowed hard. “And if she’s made the wrong choice?”
Sailor smiled through her tears.
“Then we support her through it.” She looked toward Jetmir, who was helping Anya to her feet with a tenderness that made me pause. “Although I don’t think that will be required.”
I looked at my daughter and I feared my wife was right, as always.