Sold To The Boss: A Narcos Romance

Chapter 34 (Epilogue)

Isabella broke through the water's surface, the cool waves crashing against her back. She caught sight of Rafael's long, strong body as he stretched out in the sand, watching her. She smiled back at him, picking up her thighs as she made her way through the high edges of the choppy water, the wet sand squishing between her toes as she neared the shore.

It had been more than a year since they'd initially landed in Bali and started their new life together. Isabella had been able to communicate with her mother and aunt over letters and burner phone calls. Initially they were frightfully concerned, but finally they could hear the assurance, the maturity, the calmness in Isabella's voice. She hadn't been able to tell them everything, for their own safety as well as hers and Rafael's, but they trusted that Isabella was happy and safe, the only two things an aunt and mother could truly ask for. They were planning a visit to Bali soon and Isabella couldn't wait for them to finally meet the love of her life, Rafael. A love that had been impossibly born from a place of so much darkness and violence.

"How do you feel, carina?" Rafael sat up straighter as Isabella approached, his eyes always scanning her body, both with lust and protection. He watched her like she was a moving work of art.

"I'm fine, Rafael, I feel great actually," Isabella looked down at her growing stomach and ran her hand over the smooth, curved surface.

"You still think it will be a boy?" Rafael smirked up at her as she sat down on the towel beside him.

"I know it will be a boy, trust me. Women's intuition or whatever,'" Isabella popped a blueberry in her mouth before tilting her head back and taking in the sun's rays. Ever since arriving in Bali they had taken life slowly, at their own pace. They made new friends tentatively, as that small tingling of fear that someone may be watching them from their past life still remained, a reminder to never let their guard down completely in public. Isabella had started working as the manager at one of the island's most premiere hotel spas and Rafael had started his own small, but successful accounting business. Except this time, he did everything legally and above board for his clients, but his past extensive accounting experience from managing the Vargas empire's books certainly came in handy. Their excitement was no longer born of adrenaline rushes and chaos from enemy ambushes or hiding out in bunkers. It was the small moments of making dinner together, followed by making love, and of the surprise at Isabella's pregnancy which they found out six months ago.

"What are you going to name him, if you're so sure he's a boy?" Rafael leaned all the way back on the towel, bending his arm behind his head as he stared up at Isabella. She took a slice of watermelon and chewed thoughtfully as Rafael played with the ends of her long, thick hair falling down her back.

"I think, I like the name...Ryan," Isabella glanced down at Rafael and paused before following up with a question, "what do you think?"

"It's a little bit gringo if you ask me," Rafael chuckled and Isabella slapped his shoulder playfully before his expression grew more serious, "but I think Ryan is a fine name. Strong, determined, loyal to the death." Isabella nodded and glanced out at the sea, wondering if Ryan had ever found the vengeance he'd so clearly been seeking when he dropped her off at the plane bound for Bali almost one year ago. And if he'd lost himself to his mission in the process.

"He's alive, carina," Rafael spoke gently, his voice low, "I limit my updates from the outside world to be as few as possible, but this I know. At least as of a few weeks ago."

"He is?" Isabella laid down next to Rafael, her hand tracing over his chest, lingering on the parts that were scarred. She'd memorized each of them like the answers to a test, tracking and tracing, laying in bed beside him as he told her the origin story of each scar. It was like they'd truly died and been born again, the stories of those scars having no place in their peaceful, quiet, bliss-filled life on the beaches of Bali.

"Perhaps he can come visit someday, when the baby is born," Rafael kissed the top of Isabella's head as she snuggled closer into him, "even if you have to end up naming our baby girl, Ryan."

"It's a boy!"

"Ay carina, my mother taught me a few things as well. You're carrying high. My bet is it's a girl."

"What! You're wrong, my love," Isabella sat up, placing her palm on his pecs as she looked down at him, "do you want a girl?"

"Another you in this world? Of course, carina."

"And a boy?" Rafael glanced away, his eyes squinting from the sun and from the depth of his thought, "I don't know if I could be a good father to a boy. I only learned from the worst–" Isabella cut off Rafael's words by crashing her lips down onto his, taking the air right out of the excuse that had no place being on his tongue. Rafael would be the best father, protector, role model, no matter their child's gender. Isabella needed him to know that, to believe that as fully as she did.

"You will be the best father to our child, Rafael. I have no doubt," Isabella took his hand and rested it on her chest, near her heart, "do you trust me?"

"Forever, carina." 

***Thank you all so much for your love and support of Rafael and Isabella's story!!***

***One more surprise in store!!! Next chapter...<3***