Breaking the Limits: Rafe & Nicole Book 2 (27 page)

The dining room was largely empty, so the instant Nicole and Rafe entered the room, they were immediately the focus of all eyes.

‘Christ, now I know what it feels like to walk to the guillotine,’ Rafe teased.

Nicole gave him a little smile. ‘I wonder if Dominic said something?’

‘I’d say likely from the stares.’

When they reached the table, Nicole smiled at her parents. ‘Mom and Dad, may I introduce Rafe Contini, Rafe, my mom and dad, Melanie and Matt. I met Rafe in Monte Carlo a few weeks ago and he was with the holiday group in Croatia too. He just flew into town.’ She leaned into his arm. ‘It was a nice surprise.’

‘It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr and Mrs Parrish,’ Rafe said, with well-mannered smile.

‘You know Dominic,’ Nicole said, with a little wave at her uncle.

‘Yes.’ Rafe nodded and received a cool nod in return.

‘And this is Kate, Dominic’s wife,’ Nicole went on, quickly, recognizing Dominic’s moody frown.

‘I’ve heard such good things about you.’ Kate smiled warmly. She and Nicole were confidantes; she knew about the engagement. ‘Dominic told me about your lovely Adriatic home,’ she added, not wishing to embarrass Melanie, who was clearly surprised at her daughter’s new boyfriend.

Nicole introduced Maddy’s parents next, then an awkward silence fell.

Never at a loss in social situations, Rafe was about to make an innocuous remark about San Francisco, when Nicole squeezed his fingers hard and took a quick breath. ‘I have some other good news.’ She held up her left hand. ‘I’m engaged, or rather, Rafe and I are engaged.’ She gazed up at him and smiled. ‘We’re very happy.’

‘Ecstatic,’ Rafe said softly, smiling down at her, not caring about the silence, the astonished looks, Dominic’s frown. ‘I bought Nicole a house in Cliffside,’ he added, looking up. Taking note of Nicole’s father staring at him as if he might raise some objection, he said, simply, ‘We hope to marry soon.’ He glanced at Nicole. ‘We do, don’t we?’ Putting his arm around her shoulder, he pulled her close.

She looked up, startled and pleased. ‘If you want to.’

He nodded, and for a moment they were alone in the room. ‘I do, very much.’

‘Well,’ Melanie said, softly. ‘What a surprise.’

‘Where in Cliffside,’ Matt asked, gruffly.

Rafe turned to Nicole’s father. ‘I forget the exact address. The realtor referred to it as the Merchants’ house.’

‘Nice place.’ Matt turned to his wife. ‘It’s close by, Mel,’ he said, taking his wife’s hand and smiling at her.

Nicole softly exhaled, understanding her father had given his approval.

Recognizing he’d passed at least Nicole’s father’s inspection, Rafe said, ‘I was hoping Nicole could find time to furnish it. It’s standing empty.’

‘My goodness,’ Melanie said. ‘I saw the Merchants pull into their driveway just a few days ago.’

‘Chris Fellows, the realtor who handled the sale, didn’t mention any of the moving arrangements,’ Rafe said, smoothly.

Don Merchant, however, had mentioned them at the yacht club, Dominic reflected. So Rafe was the buyer who’d insisted the house be vacated immediately. Not that Don had minded. He’d been given an extra ten per cent mark-up for moving out quickly. ‘Are you in the city long?’ Dominic asked, his gaze unreadable. Leo had heard the rumours about Jin.

‘I’m hoping to stay for a week or so. Nicole and I have to coordinate our schedules.’ Rafe looked at her. ‘School starts soon, right?’

‘I could go to school in Geneva.’

A smile lit up his face. He hadn’t wanted to ask. ‘I’d like that.’

Nicole turned back to her parents who, each at their own pace, were digesting their daughter’s unexpected news. ‘We’re going to go now. I’m staying at
our
house tonight,’ she said with a quick grin for Rafe, taking the world in stride with her usual unequivocal confidence. ‘I’ll stop and see Isabelle on our way out.’

‘I think we’ll leave now too,’ Dominic said, wanting to talk to Rafe about Jin before he left. ‘If that’s okay with you, Katherine,’ he added smiling at his wife.

‘I’m ready.’ Getting to her feet alongside her husband, she gave a little wave to their hosts and Nicole’s parents. ‘Thank you, it was a lovely party. But the children get up early.’

Dominic and Kate were a dozen yards behind Rafe and Nicole when they exited the dining room.

‘I have a few questions for Rafe,’ Dominic said.

‘I must be a mind-reader.’ Kate’s tone was light. ‘I could tell. Also, Leo’s here tonight. Something’s in the air.’

‘Nothing for you to worry about.’

Kate smiled. ‘What makes you think I’m worried?’

Dominic shot her a narrowed-eyed look. ‘Cute. There’s Contini.’ Rafe and Nicole were within a few feet of the banquette where Isabelle sat. ‘Come on, this’ll just take a minute. You can visit with Isabelle.’

‘Thank you, sweetie, but I’m not one of your employees. I don’t need instructions.’

‘Sorry.’ Dominic grinned. ‘I always forget you’re the boss.’

Kate laughed. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll remind you.’

Dominic and Kate were making their way through the crowd when a waiter carrying a tray suddenly dropped it; drinks spilled, glasses fell to the floor, partygoers jumped out of the way. As a space opened up around the man, he flung away the towel on his arm, swung up the Chinese-type 54 semi-automatic pistol in his hand and aimed it at Rafe.

Rafe heard the low mumbled curse in Mandarin as if a moment of silence had materialized in the vibrating waves of music and, in a single uninterrupted flow of motion, he shoved Nicole aside, spun around, slid his hand under his coat, grabbed his Glock from his waistband in back, ripped off the safety and fired.

Three shots exploded, the sharp retorts blasting through the music.

The waiter slowly crumbled to the floor, a star-shaped hole in the back of his head, his right eye blown out, brains and bone fragments misting the shrieking guests in bloody carnage.

The third round had smashed into the wall, the thirty-eight super-cartridge punching a hole in the concrete.

Leaping into the expanding gap around the fallen man, Rafe stood astride the bloodied form, weapon drawn, until the body stopped twitching.

The band had fallen silent, people were pouring out into the night, the party literally exploding with gunfire.

A few feet distant from the corpse, Dominic was staring at Kate as she slid her handgun back in her purse. ‘What the fuck?’ he growled.

‘Gramps said only if you have to,’ Kate said, calmly, snapping the closure shut. ‘This was one of those times.’

‘I meant where the
hell
did you get that Beretta?’

‘Max.’

His scowl deepened. ‘You’re kidding.’

‘I’m not. Could we talk about this later? Someone should call the police.’

Leo, Simon, Davey and Carlos’ security team were already moving people aside, cordoning off the area around the dead man. Pocketing his Glock, Rafe returned to Nicole and, pulling her into his arms, bent his head so their eyes were level. ‘I’m sorry you had to see that,’ he murmured. ‘You okay?’

She nodded.

‘Want me to call a doctor? I didn’t bring Alexei with me. Give me a name and I’ll get someone here.’

‘No doctor,’ Nicole whispered.

Concerned with her dazed look, he asked, ‘Want your Mom?’

She shook her head.

‘Can I carry you out of here? I’d really like to,’ he added, not sure she heard him.

Instead, she said, slowly, as if unlocking some mystery, ‘Is this part of what you were doing on the island?’

‘The very last part. It’s over now. Word of God,’ he said because she was trying not to shake. ‘Come on, let’s go.’ He waited until she nodded, then picked her up in his arms, met Simon’s gaze and beckoned him over with a lift of his chin. ‘Have Davey escort Isabelle to her parents. She’s the blonde in the red dress over there. The Parrishes
were
in the dining room. If they need to be driven home, have Davey do it. We have enough cars, right?’

‘Plenty. I’ll let him know. You stay in here until I bring the car up.’ Simon held Rafe’s gaze, his meaning clear:
Don’t come out, I’ll come in to get you
.

‘Will do,’ Rafe said, then glanced at Nicole. ‘You gonna make it?’

She made a pathetic attempt at a smile. ‘As soon as we get out of here I’ll be fine.’

‘Simon will have the car waiting in just a few minutes,’ he promised. ‘Can you hang on a little longer? I’d like to thank Kate before we go.’

Nicole dragged in a breath, rallied enough to quip feebly, ‘Just don’t ask me to be witty.’

He brushed her nose with a kiss. ‘Thanks, you’re a trooper. I’ll make this quick.’ Rafe carried Nicole to where Kate and Dominic were standing just beyond the cordoned-off area. Dominic was on his phone. Rafe spoke quietly to Kate. ‘I just wanted to say thanks. Appreciate it.’ He would have said more if Nicole wasn’t there. But he didn’t want to upset her.

Kate could read between the lines. ‘Glad I could help,’ she replied in the same mild tone. Everyone hadn’t had a grandfather who’d been a legendary sniper like she had. Firearms could be traumatic to those unfamiliar with them.

Dominic finished his call. ‘Leo will take care of things here with law enforcement,’ he said, sliding his phone into his jacket pocket. Targeting Rafe with a glance, he said, ‘Nicole looks a little pale. Why don’t I tell her mother you took her home?’

‘Thanks, that’d be great. Nicole will give her mother a call later.’ Rafe dipped his head, held her gaze. ‘Right? In the morning?’

‘Right, the fuck after you
explain
all this to me,’ she said, tartly.

Rafe grinned. ‘There’s my girl. Back in the game.’ Although when it came to an explanation, she’d be getting the sanitized version.

Nicole turned to Kate. ‘You’re going to have to take me to your target range. Apparently, I have to learn some new skills.’

‘No!’ Rafe and Dominic said in unison.

Nicole sniffed. ‘They like to give orders, don’t they?’

Kate winked. ‘Best to ignore them.’

*

But later, once Kate was sleeping, Dominic called Max.

‘I should fire you,’ he growled.

‘You saw Kate’s Beretta.’

‘I also saw her blow off the back of a guy’s head.’

‘She’s good, isn’t she,’ Max said, unfazed. ‘She’s better than any of us.’

‘I still should fire you for not telling me,’ Dominic muttered.

‘You might have to run that by your wife first,’ Max drawled.

‘Shut the fuck up.’

‘Hey, relax. Kate knows what she’s doing. She’s not going to shoot her foot off.’

Dominic dragged in air through his teeth. ‘When would you have told me?’

‘Come on, Nick, don’t put me in the middle. She wanted a weapon. She knew that you were always caught up in some shit. You can’t blame her. And look,’ Max said with a chuckle, ‘if you ever need a freelancer in a pinch you’re sleeping with one.’

‘Fuck you. I’m taking that Beretta away from Katherine in the morning.’

Max was still laughing when Dominic hung up the phone.

Chapter 33

Simon parked the car in front of the sprawling Mediterranean-influenced, California-style house, then came around and opened Rafe’s door. ‘Everyone’s back but Davey. We’ll keep an eye on things tonight.’

‘Sorry about the sleeping conditions,’ Rafe said, stepping out with Nicole in his arms. ‘We’ll get everything in shape tomorrow.’ The security crew was sleeping in the pool house.

‘Hey, we’ve all seen worse. Not a problem. Unlike the bush, we have take-out here.’

‘I left a couple of things in the car,’ Rafe said, cryptically, moving toward the front entrance. He’d set his Glock and extra mag on the floor.

Simon nodded. ‘Got it.’

‘I’ll talk to you in the morning. Late, probably.’

‘Anytime. We’re not going anywhere.’ Simon reached the entrance first, punched in the code and pushed the door open. ‘Sleep well, guys.’

‘Thanks, you too.’ Then Rafe stepped into the large foyer and kicked the door shut. ‘I’ll carry you over the threshold officially later when we don’t have an audience,’ Rafe murmured. ‘Or if you want I’ll go back out and, no?’ Nicole was shaking her head. ‘So what can I offer you? Want something to eat, want the grand tour, a glass of champagne, or
—
’

‘I’ll take the or,’ she interrupted with a tiny smile.

‘There you go,’ he murmured, walking toward the broad carpeted staircase. ‘We’ve always agreed on that.’

‘Nice, hey?’

‘Nothing nicer.’ He suddenly stopped and gazed down at her, his brow furrowed, as if he’d forgotten something. Then his smile suddenly blazed, beautiful and clean. ‘I’ve never been so happy, never even knew I could be this happy. You and me in our own house. I get to come home to you every night, walk in the door and, hey, don’t cry, come on, life’s good, everything’s gonna be perfect.’

‘I know,’ Nicole whispered, her eyes suddenly bright with unshed tears. ‘But do you ever worry that it’s all going to slip away? That something might happen to steal our happiness.’
Like tonight
, she thought but didn’t dare say it. The man posing as a waiter had come to
kill
Rafe.

‘No, never,’ he answered, rapid fire and sure. ‘We, us, the soon-to-be-married, deep-in-love us is
forever
. And,’ he added with a flashing grin, intent on diverting her fear, ‘you might want to think about taking cooking lessons because my coming-home-every-night scenario has my wife serving dinner to me.’

Nicole giggled. ‘With my hair done and makeup on.’

‘Apparently we saw the same old TV shows,’ he murmured, pleased to see her playful again. ‘Although in a modern version, I could bring home take-out and we could eat in bed.’ His leer was pure farce. ‘Afterward.’

‘Goddamn, I’ll marry you right now.’

‘Sex and food, I’ll say, when they ask how I got you to the altar.’

‘In that order please,’ she said, sweetly.

‘Yes, ma’am,’ he drawled. ‘Let me show you my bedroom.’ He took the stairs two at a time, then walked down a long corridor and entered an enormous room with a window wall facing the bay. ‘Voila, Pussycat! That’s what we see from our bed.’

Lights sparkled on the opposite shore, ships with their running lights on were moving out to sea, the Golden Gate Bridge blazed and sparkled far to the right.

‘Feel like home?’ There was a tenderness in his voice. ‘I thought you’d like something in your neighbourhood.’

‘It couldn’t be more perfect. You’re going to make me cry again. You’re so good to me.’

‘Uh-uh, other way around. I never knew what goodness was until you came into my life.’ He took a small breath because he never cried and damned if he was going to now. ‘We just lucked out, you and I,’ he said in a different tone of voice, light, teasing. ‘I think it was your killer body in that blue flowered bikini that day on the yacht. Blew my mind.’

‘You have to hold me.’ Her voice was thick, a flicker of distress in her gaze.

‘I am,’ he said, his voice soothing.

She shook her head. ‘That’s not what I mean.’ She was restless, agitated, needing reassurance that the events of the evening were outliers. ‘I need you in my arms, me in yours, the warmth of your body close to mine.’

‘Ah . . . let me see what you think about the bed, then,’ he said, knowing she was asking him for oblivion from the horror she’d witnessed. Moving quickly from the doorway, he strode across the room. ‘If you don’t like it, we’ll move the bed to another room.’ He spoke mildly, as if they were actually having a conversation. ‘The realtor and some personal shopper picked it out.’

‘I don’t care what the bed looks like. I just want you to distract me in all my favourite ways or your favourite ways – I’m not fussy just so long as it’s five minutes ago.’

He smiled. ‘You’re feeling a little better?’

‘Not quite good enough
yet
.’ She was tempted to talk about why she was shaky, but it was pointless; he’d be evasive about the killing. ‘I’m guessing you can remedy that,’ she added, going with Plan B in lieu of full disclosure.

He laughed. ‘Sounds like I’m on the clock. Give me a second.’ Placing her on the bed, he turned on the bedside lamp, shrugged out of his topcoat, looked around for someplace to toss it and hung it on the spiral bedpost. ‘Seriously, we need some furniture. Put it on your list.’

‘
Our
list. I have no idea what you like – in furniture,’ she added at the delicate lift of his brows. ‘This is nice though.’ Lying back against the pillows, Nicole stroked the blue flowered quilt.

‘I may have mentioned to the personal shopper that you have blue eyes and you had a blue flowered bikini that I liked.’ Unbuckling his belt, he stripped it free and dropped it to the floor. ‘You standing in the doorway of my stateroom that first day is one of my all-time favourite memories.’

‘I remember you were wearing khaki shorts, nothing else and looking good enough to eat even with Sylvie glaring in the background.’

‘Who?’ He turned from shoving his wallet in his coat pocket.

‘God I love you.’

‘Same.’ He smiled. ‘Maybe a little more, but I’m bigger, so it’s allowed.’

‘Speaking of big.’ She raised her hand slightly and pointed.

‘He really likes you, what can I say?’ Moving to the edge of the bed, he held out his hands. ‘Sit up, Pussycat. I’m going to undress you very, very slowly because it’s been almost two weeks and I’ve been dreaming about this.’ He didn’t say that thinking about her had been his salvation crammed in that small metal box in Thailand. Nor would he ever.

But he kissed her gently after he pulled her up into a seated position. ‘I’ve missed you,’ he whispered, ‘more than you could ever know.’

‘You were gone too long,’ she murmured, her heart in her eyes.

Standing upright, he nodded. ‘Won’t happen again. I promise.’

‘Good.’ She was mollified by his blunt absolutism, cheered as well. He saw the world as his to command; there was safety in that. ‘I’m really glad I’m going to school in Geneva.’

‘Not as much as me,’ Rafe said, tugging her T-shirt free of her skirt. ‘There are no words.’ Then his eyes flared wide as he pulled her silk T-shirt over her head. ‘A bra. That’s new.’

She wrinkled her nose. ‘My mom. She doesn’t like to see my nipples showing or my boobs bouncing. She says it’s unladylike.’

Rafe grinned. ‘Unladylike?’

‘I don’t suppose that word’s familiar to you.’

He looked amused. ‘Is there a correct answer? Give me a hint.’

‘Fuck you.’ But his lazy smile was firing up all her hot and heavy party zones.

‘No problem there,’ he drawled, as though he hadn’t noticed her catch her breath. ‘Come on, stand up first. I’ve never had the pleasure. I’ll bet your panties match.’

‘Christ, are you a voyeur?’

‘I am with you.’ He lifted her bodily from the bed, unbuckled her belt and stripped off her skirt in two seconds flat, then stood back and whistled softly. ‘Very nice. Is that lace blue or black or what?’

‘Blueberry.’

His brows rose. ‘Sweet. We should get you strawberry, cherry, blackberry, chokecherry, whatever.’ His voice drifted lower. ‘You have the nicest tits, Pussycat, seriously, best ever.’ He sucked in a breath, shifted his stance as his erection surged. ‘Sorry, it’s been a while,’ he murmured, sliding his fingers down the prominent bulge straining the fabric of his slacks, pushing his dick over a little to give it more room to expand. A quick smile. ‘Obviously, he’s missed you.’ Then he lifted his chin. ‘Do me a favour. Walk to the windows and back.’

Lacing her hands on the top of her head, she offered him a centre-fold pose, a flicker of a smile on her lips. ‘Then you’ll do me a favour?’ She nodded at his crotch. ‘I need to feel your humungous dick deep inside me.’

‘Lucky him,’ he murmured, smiling faintly as his cock punched up higher. ‘He’ll give you all the favours you want, anywhere you want, as long as you want.’ He lifted his finger and twirled it. ‘But first – give us a little show.’

Nicole wiggled her hips in a delectable little grind, then blew him a kiss, turned and walked to the windows.

‘You tease, no guarantees,’ he gently said. ‘After almost two weeks I’m on a tight leash.’

‘No need for that,’ she tossed back over her shoulder. ‘It’s been two weeks for me too.’

‘Good news,’ Rafe murmured, dropping down on the bed, quickly unlacing his boots, kicking them off, pulling off his socks and jerking his T-shirt over his head. ‘I was thinking I might have to take it down a notch.’

Turning to face him, Nicole smiled. ‘That won’t be necessary.’ He was all lean, hard muscle, sleekly modelled down the length of his torso, his arms resting on the bed, powerful and strong. Feeling her body open in welcome, a lush heat lick at her senses, she stirred, antsy and aglow, wondering how many women had seen him like that – naked, at ease, impossible to resist. ‘Take off your slacks,’ she said, a new testiness in her tone.

Living the life he had, he was pretty much immune to female pique. ‘Sure.’ He leaped to his feet, comfortable in his own skin, not a prudish bone in his body, his openness bought at a price so long ago it seemed natural. He unbuttoned, unzipped, slid his slacks and boxers off, and kicked them aside. ‘You need anything else?’ he drawled.

A small flash of resentment narrowed Nicole’s eyes. ‘You’ve said that a lot?’

He could have asked her something equally snarky. She was every male fantasy come to life in her
blueberry
scraps of lace. ‘I’ll say it as often as you like,’ he replied, not answering her question.

She raised her chin slightly ‘One more thing. How you’d get that nasty scab on your arm?’ His entire right forearm and a portion of his upper arm had been scraped raw. The reason, no doubt, for his long-sleeved T-shirt.

Knowing an explanation would be required, he’d already decided on a story. ‘Stumbled coming off the helicopter. Tired, I guess. It’s healing.’

‘You don’t feel like telling me.’

He sighed. ‘I would if I could. It’s over.’ He held out his hand. ‘Come on, we’re on our pre-honeymoon. I’m going to make you feel good, you’re going to make me feel good and when we finally collapse . . .’ He smiled. ‘I’ll recite some Hafiz in your ear. Deal?’

A smile slid across the corner of her mouth. ‘No one negotiates like you, Contini,’ she murmured, the prickle gone from her voice at the incredible sweetness of his offer.

‘And no one but you, Miss Parrish, is worth memorizing eight pages of Hafiz.’

She giggled. ‘Wow, eight pages?’

‘Parts of the ninth too. That’s how much I love you, Pussycat.’ He started to raise his hand to beckon her forward, but his heart beat suddenly quickened at the irresistible little wobble of her barely covered tits; a spiking surge of lust ripped through his senses, and a gut-deep, chafing resentment too headstrong to deny, reminded him that any man who saw her, naked or not, would feel the same. Like the man she’d kissed at the party, or maybe it had been
men
plural she’d kissed before his arrival, an unhelpful little voice pointed out.

Let it go
,
he told himself, dropping his hand back on the bed. So she was stupefyingly desirable, all soft curves, sumptuous tits, long legs, hot cunt; she was his.
Except maybe when he wasn’t around.
Seriously, how well did he know her?

He was frowning when he summoned her back with a flick of his finger. ‘This way now, nice and slow.’ But a flash of temper lay beneath his quiet utterance, a tiny whiplash of sound.

She didn’t move, offended by the casual flick of his finger, by the naked reprimand in his voice. ‘I should say no.’

He didn’t answer for so long, she wondered if there were limits to his love, whether she’d drive him away. If even this extravagant house could be jettisoned for the sake of his resentments.

His gaze, focused somewhere beyond her head, finally slid back to her face, his voice when he spoke, was restrained. ‘You probably shouldn’t.’

Her brows lifted faintly. ‘Equivocation? From you?’

‘Courtesy.’ His smile was fleeting. ‘Now are we going to continue this conversation or . . .’ He beckoned again. ‘Can we move on?’

She remained utterly still. ‘If you have some problem, why don’t we talk about it?’

‘No thanks,’ he said, gruffly.

‘Or I could go downstairs until you get over your sulkiness.’ She smiled tightly. ‘Rudeness, whatever.’

‘No you couldn’t.’

‘No? Should I call for help?’ She indicated a phone on the floor where a desk might have once stood.

‘The phones aren’t hooked up yet.’

‘I have my phone.’ She gestured at his coat on the bedpost.

‘Think you can reach it?’ he said very softly.

She sighed. ‘Look, we might as well talk about what’s on your mind or you’re never going to stop being an asshole. You’re still pissed about me kissing Maddy’s friend, aren’t you?’

‘Partly.’ He exhaled softly. ‘And all the men you might kiss in the future.’