Runner (Riders of Apollo #3)

Chapter Thirty-Three: Raphael Flores

Maria and the kids get in the back while I get in the passenger seat. I get the prospect to break every speed limit to get me back to the clubhouse.

The kids seem relaxed despite everything that just happened - though they didn't witness anything, they did technically just lose their dad - and Maria looks relieved.

Before the car even stops outside the clubhouse, I'm out the door and into the building. "Mika!" I shout out and within seconds he is in my arms again with little Ollie right behind him. I lift my baby up and press him to my chest, finally breathing properly again.

I stroke Mika's face and kiss Ollie's head while Maria walks in with her two children. "Maria, this is Romeo." I introduce him first since Oliver's face is buried in my neck and I'll doubt he'll move soon.

"The husband." She states and my ears turn pink as Mika turns an amused gaze on me.

"Sure, the sister?" My heart jolts at the agreement. Husband? We haven't talked about this, though I suppose we have claimed each other.

The prospect told me during the ride that Mika had lashed out and told them everything, saying he would go in and get me on his own if it meant he'd get me back. And! And, I missed the birth of the baby, I'm really sad about that but I'm still going to spoil the crap out of her. 

"Maria, this is Colt and Lucien." She replies.

"This shy one is Ollie, he'll open up one day." Mika strokes Ollie's back, who is now asleep in my arms, snoring softly against my skin.

"Hi! Welcome to the club, I'm Lexie and this is Marielle. I can show you guys to a room, if you want that is?" Maria looks to me in question and I nod to her.

"We'll go and see our parents tomorrow, I'm sure they'll be happy to see you."

"No, Raphie, they hate me."

"Maria, hermana," (sister) I gently pass Ollie to Mika, trying not to jostle him awake, thankfully he's a heavy sleeper and doesn't even stir, "I'm sure they are worried for you, they knew what type of man Bainbridge was and they'd take you back in a heartbeat."

"You think?"

"Yes, I do. And tomorrow we'll prove it."

"You're coming with?"

"I'd like to see what they look like now and I know Romeo isn't gonna let me out of his sight so he'll be coming too." I wink at Mika, he doesn't even fight the statement, instead nodding avidly at it. "Get some sleep, Maria. We'll leave tomorrow morning."

Maria heads off with Lexie and I turn to Mika, my body radiating with relief with the idea that I can actually see him again. "Let's go home." I tell him and he chuckles.

"Sounds perfect."

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"Okay, I thought I was ready but nope. Not even a little bit. Did they get richer? This house is massive. That's it, I'm gonna get shot by one of these bodyguards, they'd have the money to hide my body and cover it all up. Imagine that! Why did I do this?" I pace back and forth in front of Maria and Mika who are leant against the car, watching me with amused but concerned eyes.

"You gonna stop him?" Maria asks and Mika just laughs.

"It's always best to let him tire himself out, once he's run out of excuses he'll be brave enough to ring the bell. If they don't realise we're here before that."

"Who are you?!" One of the meatheads finally recognise that we're here and I squeal, diving behind Maria since she's the one who'll protect me against our parents.

I can do the physical fighting but not so much the emotional torture.

She was always better at that.

"My name is Maria Flores, I am their daughter and this is their son, Raphael." The meathead tilts his head before spinning around and walking inside.

"Do we - do we follow him or what? Instructions are unclear!" I begin to work myself up again and Mika - sensing my distress - drags me over to him to press me against the car. This gets me worked up in a different way and I immediately forget about the anxiety.

Hello.

"This is your parents' house, Raphe and that's what you're thinking about?" He asks playfully and I sharpen my lustful gaze into a glare.

How rude.

He backs off and I fight the urge to drag him back but find my breath catching in my chest as my parents - if I can even call them that - come flying out of the front door.

They grab me first, squeezing me into a group hug and I give Maria a confused look over their shoulders. She looks just as surprised as me so I pull back to look at them.

They haven't changed much, my dad looks just like me he just has silver coating his hair and beard with warmer eyes than I remember.

Mama is still very small with long blonde hair and bright blue eyes, she's wearing the apron I bought her the last birthday I had with her and expensive jewellery decorates her wrists, ears and fingers. "God, we were so worried about you." Papa says and strokes my face with a tender look in his eyes.

"I-I don't understand. You told me - you got me to leave and disowned me."

"I regretted it the moment I said it, my son. I had lost you, we searched for a long time but the investigator said that you were gone." I almost start crying at the idea of them looking for me, I was always shaking tails so I never stayed in one place for very long, I didn't think that it'd make it hard for my own family to find me. "I don't care if you're gay or straight, you are my son and you deserved so much better."

He starts crying and mama grips me in another hug. "We never should've stopped looking but we figured you'd never want to see us again. We treated you so horribly, we were not parents, we were dictators, judgemental dictators and I wish we had taken a second to just consider what we were doing to you. Things could've been so different."

"Could you ever forgive us?" Papa pleads, still crying softly and I just smile, clapping him on the shoulder and wiping a few of his tears. I don't answer the question, too overwhelmed to process things properly but they understand the gestures.

"And Maria, how are you?" They greet my sister with soft hugs while I basically fall on Mika, he wraps his arm around my waist while I sway a little.

This is unreal. Can I really have it all?

"Grandsons!" Mama cheers when Maria gets her kids out of the back seat, I wanted to bring Ollie but I didn't think they'd want me here and I never want Ollie to think that parents could hate their child.

They meet them before finally noticing Mika, who has quite happily been leaning against the car this entire time. "And who's this?" Papa is the one that asks and I panic slightly, they have to like him as I plan on keeping him around for awhile.

"This is Romeo, my husband." I decide to just keep up the ruse and Mika fights a laugh so I elbow him in the stomach.

"It's nice to meet you, Romeo. Do you like that book you're named after?" Mama asks, latching her arm around his and dragging him inside. Papa slings his arm over my shoulder and leads me into the house with Maria and both boys behind us.

I might actually be able to have it all, how crazy is that?