Chapter Twenty-Three

Raphael.

"How did I end up in your bed? I remember falling asleep on Gab's bed yesterday while still reading one of the manuscripts."

Sophie asked me. She was perched on the bed, closed-legged leaning on the headboard, her hair was in disarray, her brows knit together in a cute, thoughtful way, her blue eyes fixed on me; she was stunning.

"I picked you up? " I shrugged, like picking her up was a usual occurrence.

I have been sleeping alone my entire life; I've had insomnia since I could remember, I don't sleep well. I'm probably one of the functioning sleep-deprived people in the world, but since her, I'm sleeping better.

The strangest thing is, I seem to sleep better with her next to me.

"Why did you pick me up? You were mad at me yesterday, you didn't even say goodbye, and you have the gall to carry me to your bed? Kiss me as if nothing happened and then touch me like ..." she paused, and I smiled.

"Touch you like what?"

"Don't you dare laugh at me! "

"I'm not laughing at you, but you were right there with me, baby...You kissed me back. In fact-"

I didn't finish that sentence; she threw a pillow at me so fast I admired her reflex; she got off the bed and left banging the door hard enough the hinges must have felt the fury.

What the hell just happened?

I stood where she'd left me, surprised. I didn't see that coming.

She was furious; somehow, I didn't really understand the reason why she was so mad; it's like she snapped. One minute she is perched on my bed looking ruffled and cute; the next, she is throwing a pillow on my face.

Damn it if I wasn't impressed! Surprised and euphoric. My life was changing, somehow I wasn't in charge of it anymore, a petite, ginger-haired girl was messing with me, and I liked it, hell, I loved it!

What do men do when they piss off their women? I wondered. Do we still buy flowers, a dinner date, shoes, dresses! Damn it! I was out of my depth again-and I didn't even know what exactly she was pissed about.

Was she pissed off because I carried her to my bed? Or because I didn't feel inclined to say goodbye to her after watching her flirt with my brothers? Do all women behave unreasonably as Sophie?

She was unreasonable that I knew for a fact. So I didn't say goodbye, what's the big deal? Or carried her to my bed; she loves sleeping with me; I can tell. She always cuddles to me, her leg enveloped in mine, her face on my chest, her breath around me.

I jumped into the shower and played back our conversation while cold water splashed all over. This was becoming a habit, but I wouldn't change it for anything; rushing Sophie to a physical relationship at this time will definitely alienate her from me. I can't take that risk, not with her.

I wondered whether I should take her out to dinner or buy her flowers.

Women love things like that.

But first, I needed to know why she was mad, though I had my suspicion that not telling her goodbye was the reason she was pissed at me. I found it interesting that she was all over me one minute and throwing things at me the next. Had she not made up her mind whether she was mad or not? What the hell triggered that reaction?

She was with me all the way this morning, and whatever she was mad at happened yesterday because I haven't said anything today to warrant her reaction.

Was there a manual to understanding women?

I wondered if Google would have answers to the questions I had.

I dressed and left the bedroom, heading to the dining room. It was some minutes to 10 am; God, how one woman can change the entire routine of a man is beyond me; 10 am is freaking too late for me. I always woke up at 4 or 5 am, hit the gym, and wait for the others to wake up now. I'm the guy who wakes up late and hasn't been to the gym for the last three days.

Damn it, I need a routine.

I entered the kitchen, noticing Sophie and Gabriella were missing, probably still fuming at me.

The guys are silent. Bruno was reading the days' paper while Romano is staring at his laptop, looking impatiently like one stare at the stock market, waiting and watching anxiously for the shares to increase their prices.

"You're late! Again! " Bruno spared me a glance and a knowing smile; I ignored it and sat down. Flora waltzed cheerfully, humming a tune which I suspected was Italian; she greeted me as she served me a cup of coffee, and a plate full of bacon, toast, and everything else she thought of, including vegetables which I hated and which she insisted on feeding all of us.

It's healthy, she always said.

I kept moving my eyes to Sophie's bedroom, waiting and hoping she would at least make an appearance so I can start making it up to her by kissing her goodbye.

You know what! I don't give a fuck! She can ignore me all she wants; I'm not gonna care. From now on, my life continues as it was, I wasn't going to think about her or want her.

I was determined to get my uncomplicated life back where the only women I fraternized with were those that I met in my clubs.

I pushed my unfinished breakfast further to the middle of the table, pushed my seat, and walked out without saying a word to the guys. My mind is muddled. I heard the screeching of chairs and knew they were both following me.

My phone started ringing; an unknown number was displayed.

"Hello," I said.

"Figlio," Antonio bellows on the other end.

"I'm not your son, and you shouldn't be calling me."

" We need to talk" his voice is loaded with satisfaction like he knows I wasn't going to say no. He must have something on me, I thought, but what? He has more sins on him than I have ever committed since I was born.

"I keep telling you I will never meet with you, I owe you nothing, and you're nothing to me capire? " I'm angry, my voice hard and uncompromising. I see Diego waving at me, and I start pacing as I listen to Antonio making demands on me.

"Who the hell do you think you're?"

"Oh, son, you no longer call the shots now. I hear you're living and sleeping with a pretty redhead; I have seen her- a bit short for you, isn't she? I would have bet you like them tall. But...whatever floats your boat."

I could feel my anger building up; my eyes couldn't focus; it was like I was drunk with so much power I felt destructive. I was going to be destructive. I was going out to war, and Antonio had no idea what was coming.

I had a traitor in my organization, I have known that for a while, but now it was paramount that I find who the S.O.B was before I lost the only woman I have ever cared about. Damn my ego and pride.

"What the fuck is wrong?"

Bruno paused the apple he was eating halfway to his mouth as he stared at me.

"Antonio knows about Sophie; he wants to see me; apparently, he thinks he has one over me."

"He does have one over you," Romano said. His hands in his pockets. "Jesus Christ, Raphael, Sophie just become every other goddamn don's bargaining chip; Antonio is just the first one to cash in. Every enemy you have, your every business interest is now open for auction. You need a plan and a good one."

"Don't you think I know that?" my head started spinning; I could feel sweat all over my body, not because I was scared but because I was running on adrenaline.

"How many traitors does that son of a bitch have on us anyway? We killed Enzo, Luigi, and that other mother fucker who tried to kill you the night you brought Sophie home."

"I have a plan," I said, looking at the two people I trusted the most in the world; I knew they would protect Sophie with their lives the same way they would protect me.

"Until we know who the traitor is, one of you will always be left in the house to protect her, and Bruno, you have to remain behind today" I knew that is not what either of them wanted to hear, but I had no choice, no one else except me would protect her like these two.

"We are going to war, and I hope that mother fucker is ready for me," I said as I walked back to the house. I wanted to see her before I left; I needed to see her.

I saw Gabriella coming down the stairs busy on her phone, typing, scrolling, and smiling at whatever she was reading; she didn't see me until we were shoulder to shoulder; she apologized for not looking up sooner- which I thought was unnecessary, blushing and totally avoiding my eyes.

What the hell was all that about?

"No problem," I said, inquiring about her night, which I thought was what a good host ought to do, and proceeded to Sophie's room.

She was standing by the window looking beautiful and forlorn; my heart constricted at the sight she made; unhappy, and to think I was the reason she was this miserable made me feel like an utter cad.

"Cara, what have you so dejected?" I whispered, walking towards her. I stood in front of her, staring at her sad blue eyes.

She had showered--today, she was wearing a t-shirt, a pair of faded blue jeans, and converse shoes.

"I'm sorry for whatever I did" The apology came as naturally as my attraction for her. She gave me one of her elusive smiles, uncrossing her arms from her chest to the back of her jeans; she inclined her head, staring at me from the corner of her eyes.

Hell yeah! Fuck Antonio, my girl, was flirting with me, and she didn't even know it.

"I'm sorry for hitting you," she chuckled, one of my favorite sounds. Of course, she wasn't sorry, but she was happy, her eyes brightened, and she was staring at my eyes, not avoiding eye contact.

"I probably deserved it"

"Yes, you did."

I pulled her to me, hugging her for more than conventionally allowed; this came naturally.

"I need you to trust me," I whispered to her ear, "Can you do that?" I heard her sign and nod in my chest.

"You smell good," she rubbed at my chest like a kitten.

"So do you, Cara, so do you."

I smiled, feeling content. I forgot Antonio was threatening her or me. I forgot my problems for these few minutes she was in my arms, nothing else existed.

"I have to go to work. Be good" I pull her out of my arms, cupping her face with both hands, and drops a tender kiss on her lips.

She tightened her hands on my suit jacket before I completely let her go.

"Are you okay?" she sounded concerned.

"Of course I am" I touched her cheek and left her standing in the same place except, this time, her face was directed to my back.

I walked out, noticing for the first time the blooming roses in my garden.

Time to face Antonio. I was going to use him to send a message to the head of every family foolish enough to defy or threaten me as Antonio had done.

I had Fabricio, Diego, and of course Romano; I did not need an army to face Antonio partly because I was sure he wouldn't have one either; he just wanted to stretch his muscle, show off his superiority and show me how small I was he thought I was.

He had no idea what I have been through and how much crap I had taken over the years. Its time we both faced the elephant in the room; this standoff had gone way longer than I expected. It's time to put him in his place.