Raphael (The Immortal Youth Book 1) (12 page)

Without thinking, only feeling, he pushed her further into the shadow provided by the tree and raised her top over her head, trailing kisses all over her as he bared her skin. “I need you so much—”

“What the heck are you doing?” Rock’s voice boomed into the greenhouse and made them jump away from each other.

His heart throbbing in his throat and his chest heaving, Raphael spun around and placed himself in front of Luisa. Facing Rock with his chin high, he straightened his posture. “What do you want?”

Rock shook his head. “Pup, you’re so out of your depth, you don’t even know.” He pressed his fingers over his temples and let out a long, suffered sigh. “Leave before someone finds her with you.”

Rock spun on his boots before Raphael could say anything else. At the door, the werewolf met the blond girl running in, and asked in a hushed tone, “What were you thinking?”

Before the girl could say something, Rock raised one hand and exited the greenhouse with a parting, “Make sure she follows you inside.”

The blonde whispered something to Rock, then hurried toward Raphael and Luisa, who had stepped by his side, her tank top back in place.

Bypassing Raphael, the girl grabbed Luisa’s arm. “Let’s go before we get in more trouble than we already are.”

Raphael turned toward Luisa and took both her hands in his, dislodging the blonde’s hold on Luisa. “I’ll find a way to see you again soon.”

“I know you will.” Luisa stood on her tiptoes and brushed his lips. “I love you.”

“I love you.” Raphael released her with a last kiss and watched as the blonde dragged Luisa away from him.

As soon as he hurried back inside the building, Raphael went looking for Rock, but didn’t find the man anywhere and worried Rock had gone straight to Rico. That night, he waited for his big brother to knock down his door and reduce him to a pulp for having sought out Luisa without his permission. He only hoped Rico wouldn’t do anything to her.

The evening sky darkened and the first lights of dawn illuminated his bedroom, but Rico never came. The next morning, Raphael ran to Rock’s office, only to find him and Rico deeply in conversation.

“Here you are, little brother.” Rico gave Raphael a pat on his back and Raphael recoiled at his touch, as usual. “Rock just told me you’ve been useful in my absence.”

Raphael’s eyes went to Rock, but the man didn’t turn his way, seemingly busy with a stack of papers on his desk.

“I came to change your schedule. If you can haul loads of laundry for a whole day, you’re fit enough to train again. Your cast will be removed in a few weeks, and you’ll be cleared for fighting. I must ready you for it.”

Before Rico could push him outside of the office, Raphael tried to make eye contact with Rock and as soon as the man looked at him, he whispered his thanks.

With Rico’s back to him, Rock tapped his temple with his index finger. “Think, pup. Every action has a consequence.”

At the door, Rico scoffed and without turning he said, “Are we in a philosophical mood, Rock?”

“Something like that.” Rock waved Raphael away. “Being dead doesn’t help anyone.”

At the door, Raphael heard Rock’s last whisper loud and clear, but sped to join Rico at the end of the corridor.

The whole day, the big brother drilled Raphael on how to use his much smaller and slimmer body to his advantage. Rico even taught Raphael how to use his cast against an opponent, without procuring further injury to his arm. The training was merciless but gave Raphael the excuse to hit Rico back, and that alone was worth the bruises all over his body.

Once released from the gym later in the afternoon, without a plan and without thinking, he ran upstairs to the fourth floor. He must have looked entitled enough though, because the guards let him pass when he said, “Laundry duty.”

Upon his entering, Tiberio lowered a pair of reading glasses down his long nose. “What are you doing here?”

Starting to realize his error, Raphael assumed his best I’ve-nothing-to hide look by slouching against the desk, and gave the man a lazy smile and a shrug. “There are still a few hours left before dinner and I thought I could help here with—” He looked around and made a vague gesture with his hand. “Something.”

“You think you can fool me?” Tiberius pointed at the swinging door behind him, from where feminine voices could be heard talking in hushed tones.

Cold sweat fell between Raphael’s shoulder blades. With a roll of his eyes, he threw both hands in the air in mock defeat. “You got me. They still don’t let me anywhere close to the harem. This is the closest I can get to see the girls. I’m not a monk, you know?” He made to turn and leave, but Tiberius’s laugh caught him mid-step.

“And I’m not blind. I saw the way you looked at blondie, yesterday.” Tiberius set back on his chair and folded his arms on his chest. “You’re in luck. I can use your help to speed things up out there. But remember, you can look, but you can’t touch. They’re all spoken for, and none of the older brothers would like it if you overstepped your boundaries. Understood?”

“I’ll keep my paws to myself.”

“Atta boy.” Tiberius pointed his thumb toward several wicker baskets containing blankets and comforters. “Hang them on the drying racks outside.” Then he added, “FYI, blondie is Rock’s.”

“Got it, thanks.” With his muscles screaming from the extra exercise, Raphael bent to raise the first basket and realized why Tiberius had been eager to let him stay. The cargo was heavier than it looked. The pile of wet quilts and coverlets dripped cold water all over him, and made the basket handles slippery as well. Carefully trying to avoid toppling the beddings to the floor, he hefted the basket to his chest and pushed the sliding door open with his back.

When he turned to face the folding room, he was assaulted by sudden silence and several sets of eyes staring back at him. Among those eyes, Luisa’s green pools of light. At her sight and sweet scent, his heart summersaulted in his chest and a smile tugged at his lips.

“Thank the Goddess, Tiberius sent us someone.” The blond girl waved her hand to redirect Raphael’s attention to her.

Luisa blushed and averted her eyes, looking down at the garment in her hands.

Worried he had done already enough damage by singling her out, Raphael asked the blonde, “Where to?”

“Follow me.” The girl rounded the folding table, then headed toward the door leading to the terrace.

As they were out, the blonde hissed, “If Rico gets wind of you two, he’ll make
her
suffer.” She gave Raphael a hard stare. “She’s had enough already, and I shouldn’t have accepted to deliver the message for her or be a part of yesterday’s meet up.”

The girl’s words hit him as firm as Rico’s blows had. “I mean her no harm.”

“It doesn’t matter. She’ll be the one paying in any case.”

As he was about to answer, hurried steps interrupted him. He didn’t have to turn to know it was Luisa. Her scent and the speeding up of his heart whenever she was around were clues enough.

Luisa stopped before the blonde and tilted her head. “Give us a moment, Chloe.”

“No. It’s too dangerous for you. If Tiberius decides to check on us or any of the brothers stop by… you were lucky it was Rock yesterday—”

“Rock didn’t talk,” Raphael said for Luisa’s sake.

“Of course he didn’t—” Chloe said.

“Please.” Luisa took the girl’s hands in hers. “We’ll be careful.”

“If we’re caught, I’ll get the fall. I’ll say I tricked you or something like that.” The basket had become unbearably heavy in Raphael’s arms. “Give us five minutes, please. It won’t come back to you. I promise.”

“I’m not worried about me.” Chloe grabbed Luisa by her elbow and made her face her. “Listen to me, think of what would happen to you if Rico is informed of—”

Luisa smiled at the girl and hugged her. “I don’t care.”

Chloe let her go then, but scowled at Raphael. “Five minutes and it’s the last time I cover for you.”

“Thank you,” both Raphael and Luisa said at the same time.

“Come.” Luisa steered him toward the opposite corner, where, under a transparent roof supported by four concrete pillars, stood rows of drying racks.

Sheets and cotton blankets hung everywhere, creating privacy screens that formed open air rooms. By applying the lightest pressure to his arm, Luisa directed him to the center of one of those white havens. There, he dropped the basket to take her in his embrace. Then he kissed her, whispering, “I missed you today.”

A sense of urgency commanded his hands and his lips, but he paused long enough to say, “We can leave messages for each other inside the greenhouse, under the ficus tree pot.” At her frown, he added, “There’s another entry to the terrace besides the one from the laundry. I can always say I need a smoke.”

She nodded and sought his lips again.

Raphael closed his eyes and kissed her with the abandon of the desperate.

****

A few months passed. Cold and dreary winter days lengthened into sunny and windy Spring ones.

Although Raphael and Luisa wrote messages to each other every so often, they were never alone again. They exchanged glances and whispered words when there was enough distraction around, but they couldn’t hold hands or kiss any longer.

Raphael’s weariness at the situation grew month by month. To make things worse, the moment Guts removed Raphael’s cast and declared him fit for duty, Rico gifted Raphael with a cell phone and a gruesome delivering schedule. There were days when Raphael had barely time to eat breakfast or lunch, having to drive from one corner of Rome to the other, often passing through rival gang territories while carrying V.

Then there were the cage matches.

The Reds liked to bet on the outcome of the fighting tournaments that took place twice a week in the gym. Big brothers and little brothers fought against each other in any combination, often with broken limbs as a result. Every time Raphael entered the cage, his only goal was to get out of it as soon as possible. Sometimes, his wish was granted and he spent time at the infirmary. Other times, he lasted longer and sent people to the infirmary.

The only good thing that came out of his new job for the Reds was his brand new bike, a red Ducati Monster that was given to him as his patching gift when he started delivering again. He had lost his Nimbus, but the Monster was a worthy substitute.

Every time Raphael mounted the Ducati, he couldn’t help but dream of the day he would drive away from the Reds with Luisa saddled behind him.

Her arms circling his waist tight as he revved the bike, she would finally smile.

****

One bright day at the end of March, the Reds closed the deal of the century with one of the biggest vampire nests in Rome. Obtaining exclusive rights to sell undiluted V, not only in Rome but all over Latium, put the big brothers in a celebrative mood, and Tancredi threw a party on the fourth floor for everyone to unwind. The entire gang was reunited in the ceremonial hall, and alcohol soon flew free for anyone inclined to get wasted. Rico was one of the major architects of the deal and had started drinking heavily a few hours earlier, much to Raphael’s displeasure who would have to clean after his raucous big brother.

“Have something, pup.” Rico shoved a bottle of beer under Raphael’s nose.

“Later, thanks.” Not that he didn’t need a drink or two to lighten his mood, but Raphael had only eyes for the harem girls, who were coming out from behind the carved screen on the left of the dais. Despite knowing he and Luisa wouldn’t be free to talk to each other, he hadn’t been able to see her in more than a week and the anticipation drove him crazy. The love notes they hid under the terracotta pot kept him going, but they weren’t enough.

In a drunken stride, Rico walked toward the girls who had just entered the hall and looked around. The whole week, the werewolf had acted more despondent and more mean than usual, giving Raphael extra deliveries at the last moment and grating on Raphael’s already frayed nerves.

The moment Luisa emerged from behind the harem screen, Rico zeroed in on her and Raphael’s heart slammed into his chest in fear.

When asked, Luisa had sworn that Rico was leaving her alone. But Raphael couldn’t stop from worrying about his big brother taking an interest in her again. What if he got bored of his latest favorite? During their fleeting encounters, even if at a distance, Raphael always checked Luisa for visible bruises. Fortunately, he had noticed none. It was the reason why he hadn’t done anything rash yet, but now he could see the predatory look in Rico’s eyes, and his fangs descend into his mouth.

Unaware of Raphael’s struggle to contain his wolf, Rico grabbed Luisa’s arm and jerked her around. “Here she is, my little bitch.”

A dangerous mixture of panic and anger pumped into Raphael’s veins, clouding his power of reasoning and letting Wolf much closer to the surface.

“Having fun already, Rico?” Tancredi called from his throne.

At hearing the alpha, the werewolf spun around without letting go of Luisa. “A man must relax after such a day, no?”

“That’s what parties are for.” Tancredi reached for the redhead standing on the dais and pulled her into his lap. “Let’s celebrate.” With a regal nod, he dismissed Rico who teetered through the hall dragging Luisa after him.

Following them a few steps behind, Raphael saw the bruise forming on Luisa’s arm and his wolf roared. Reminding himself it would be much worse for her if he made a scene now, he bit his tongue and ordered his wolf to silence once again.

In a lewd parody of dancing, Rico paused in the middle of the hall to sway at rhythm with the loud music. Then he pressed Luisa’s back to his chest and licked her throat, as his big hand slid under her top.

“You do smell quite good, don’t you?” Spinning the two of them around, the werewolf’s hands roamed up and down Luisa. He stopped only when he faced Raphael again, and, with his eyes locked on his, he squeezed Luisa’s breast. “I might let you back into my rotation if you start acting like a good girl.” With a sudden turn, he gave his back to Raphael.

Raphael saw black. Rico was challenging him. Despite Raphael had taken all the precautions to ensure Luisa was safe and no one knew of them, his big brother knew. His stomach contracted while his hands balled into fists and swung at Rico by their own volition.

One big hand intercepted the blow. “Easy, pup.” Rock was looking down at him, his expression as stony as his name implied. “Whatever you think you’re doing, don’t.”

With a jerk, Raphael freed himself from Rock—whom he hadn’t heard coming—and showed him teeth.

“Get a grip!” Rock hissed, bodily stopping Raphael from advancing toward Rico who was still groping Luisa.

When Rock tapped on Rico’s shoulder, the werewolf turned and his eyes widened at the sight of Rock, a drunken smile gracing his face. “Hey, brother, how was your day?”

“Just great.” Rock kept his body angled to talk to Rico, meanwhile shielding Raphael from the other wolf. “I heard yours was eventful.”

“Yeah… you could say that.” Rico kissed Luisa’s crown making her shiver, then his expression changed from sleepy to calculate. “Tell you what, brother, I’m feeling generous tonight and I’ll share my toy with you.” As he pushed Luisa toward the other Red, his gaze zeroed in on Raphael. His icy blue eyes drilled Raphael, waiting for him to react.

Having turned seventeen a few months back, Raphael had finally bulked up thanks to a steadier diet and all the cage fight training. But Rico was bigger, both in height and weight, and Raphael had to remind himself he better stay put. And yet, he would have risked everything to hurt Rico for touching Luisa, and humiliating her before the crowd that had gathered to watch the drama unfold.