The Lost Mafia Principessa

Part 23

He carries her into the bathroom and sets her down on the tile.

"Um excuse me for a minute." She blushes and heads for the restroom. He starts the shower and once hot he walks in. He lets the hot water rush over him and the steam cleanse his breath. He feels her hands begin to wrap around him. She starts tracing a scar on his side and she gently kisses it. "Tell me about this." She requests.

"Topolina you don't really want to know." Raphael responds moving her hand to his lips. She pouts her bottom lip temting him to bite it.

"But I do want to know Raphael."

"This would be too much for you."

"Raphael really maybe for other girls but you are talking to me. Miguel Santiago's best friend and confidant. You don't have to hide from me. You don't have to lie to me."

He looks at her unsure but her eyes beg him. "Fine. It was a fight when I was 16 in Italy. Someone thought it would be smart to add a knife into the mix."

"What was it about?"

"Topolina is that really important?"

"Raphael I want to know."

"I was betrothed once. But the girl, she disappeared when she was a baby. I wasn't released from the betrothal until I was 17. Someone slandered her in front of me and her brothers and we wouldn't stand for it."

"You were betrothed?" She says shocked.

"Yes but darling that was a long time ago. She's been missing for 24 years. Pretty much her entire life. I met her once and she was a few weeks old. I was 5. Her mother ran off with her when she was a baby. Her brothers released me from the arrangement when I turned 17. A birthday gift." He laughs. His hands are on her face trying to judge her reaction.

"I thought arranged marriages were illegal."

"It's frowned upon but it's not abnormal for Italians and the church excepted the betrothal. Our families they didn't like each other and were in the middle of a war between the two. There was no end in site and no one was off limits. The betrothal was to bring peace to our two families. Her brothers and I have been friends since the betrothal was set in place. Our fathers became good friends we mourned as family when my father passed. But none of that matters anymore. I was released from the betrothal years ago."

She looks conflicted, confused. "What if they found her? What if she comes back?" He could tell her questions were rooted in fear.

"The betrothal is no longer in place. If I'm still with you then I'm yours. If not then still no. And Topolina" he tips her chin to meet his eyes. The water trickles down her face. "I'm not leaving you and I'm going to make it extremely difficult for you to leave me." He kisses her lips.

She begins breathing again which he takes as a good sign. He begins washing her hair as she continues looking for scars. She finds another one on his shoulder. "What about here?"

"Stray bullet barely knicked me." He's massaging her head trying to distract her.

"What about here?" She finds a scar on his other side.

"Scraped it on a rock while cliff diving in Greece."

She finds one more on his back. She touches it knowing very well what caused a scar like that.

"Bullet at the docks. Deal went sideways." He pulls her in front of him.

"Were you this worried about scars with Miguel? Because I've seen his scars."

"That's different. I helped care for almost all of those scars. Some required attention while we were at school but instead of going to the nurse he would ask me to clean his wounds. I've seen all of his scars and know where they all came from." She says. Raphael stiffens.

"Raphael I didn't mean to upset you." She places soft kisses on his chest.

He tips her face to his and he pushes her against the wall of the shower and kisses her. He stops. "Baby you're going to have to remember that I'm a very jealous man."

She blushes and he pulls her to his chest. "Let's finish our shower." He says. They finish washing each other and step out of the shower. They dry off and she walks to the closet he created for her.

"Topolina I prefer you naked when your in my bed." He leans against the door of the closet looking her up and down.

"I have to call Miguel and I think you might want me clothed."

"We just talked about me being a jealous man and now you tell me you're about to call your ex."

She shakes her head and pulls on a silk teddy. "Raphael he's my best friend and the only way this works and he doesn't secretly drag me to Mexico is I call him every night. You were there you heard the conversation."

He stalks towards her and pulls her to him. "And I thought that everyday was a bit much."

"Raphael I'm calling Miguel. You can be on the call or no it's up to you."

He looks irritated but he let's it pass. "Fine. Call him."

She walks back into the bed room and Raphael lays next to her.

She video calls Miguel.

"Hola mi amor. I was beginning to be worried." He notices her surroundings. "Where are you?"

"My bed" Raphael purrs next to her.

"Hello Raphael."

"Hello Miguel."

She can tell on Miguel's face he's not exactly thrilled at the idea of her staying with Raphael.

"Hey. Just letting you know I'm ok."

"How was work?" Miguel seems to cool a little.

"Good busy."

"Have you heard anything on those resumes you sent in?"

"No not yet. I'm planning on sending more by the end of the week."

"Well hopefully you hear something soon. Mi amor you look exhausted and it's late go to sleep. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Ok adios Miguel."

"Adios Andrea." He says her name longingly.

She hangs up and places her phone on the charger next to the bed. Raphael pulls her down to him and places a kiss on her lips.

"He doesn't like me."

She chuckles and shakes her head. "He's not going to like you as long as I'm with you."

"I don't want him to cause a problem."

"Raphael he's going to cause problems." She laughs.

"Then war it will be."

She looks up alarmed a mischievous smirk is plastered across his face. "No guns. Weapons. Knives. You know what no violence at all."

"Fine" he pecks her nose. "Mental warfare it is."

He pulls put his phone and snaps a picture of the both of them with his arm around her waist and her blushing into his chest. He sends it go Miguel.

"Ok baby let's go to bed." He pulls her to where her head is on his chest. He runs his fingers through her damp and it isn't long before her breathing indicates she's asleep.