The Fighter and His Tiger (Unexpected Love #1)

40. Sunday Week Fifteen (the plan.)

40. Sunday Week Fifteen (the plan.)

"The sooner we get this done the better."

I gave Raven a grateful smile, knowing that she only said that because she knew how much I missed home already.

"Okay," Rafael nodded as he came back into the main room from the gym, tucking his phone away in his jean pocket, "I've just managed to get you a meeting with Dante tomorrow at 3 pm."

Max nodded, "we can't all go, I think it's best if it's just Cayd and Eli."

Raven rose an inquisitive brow, "is there a reason I'm not going?"

Rafael pulled a chair out and sat down, "everyone is going to have separate roles, querido, it's best if you just focus on keeping an eye on Mikael. We'll need information on his plans and where he is to feed to the Donatelli's," he pointed at Raven, "that is your job." [dear.]

I didn't say anything because I knew I wasn't cut out for this lifestyle. Having a dark past and going through the things I've been through was one thing but to front an attack against a whole gang? There weren't many people who could handle that kind of intensity.

Cayden nodded, "okay, we meet with Dante then. What are we offering straight-up?."

"Knowing them," Max began, "cash is gonna be essential. I was thinking about selling the gym or maybe we could just offer it to them outright."

Raven shook her head, "no way, you can't give that up for us, Max. We won't ask you to do that."

Max gave her the first genuine smile I had seen from him and grasped her hand tightly in his, "sweetheart, I have watched the three of you grow up under Mikael as he controlled your every action. I see you as me own kids and I'll do whatever it takes to get you out of this permanently."

"What about Vincent?" I blurted out.

Cayd's brows furrowed, "what about him?"

"He's always around Mikael and he's just as much of a threat. We can't take the whole organisation down if we don't take Vincent down as well, he's too much of a key role in it all."

Rafael nodded, "hmm, she's right. He has taken a liking to you, si?"

I nodded slowly, unsure.

"Then we can use that."

"No," Eli grunted, "she stays out of it."

Ignoring him, I looked at Rafael, "what did you have in mind?"

Rafael opened his mouth to answer me but Eli interrupted him, "I said," he uttered through gritted teeth, "no. Rei is not going to be a part of this."

"She already is, man," Cayd pointed out, at Eli's glare, he rushed to explain himself, "look, man. We all know how much of a fuckhead Vincent is and trust me, I don't want her to be near him any more than you do but she is a part of this, Ryker and like you said when we first introduced her to all this," he looked at me, "she's a lot stronger than you think."

Grateful, I smiled at him before looking at Eli over my shoulder. He met my gaze and must have noticed the steely resolve shining in my eyes because he grunted, "fine."

"Perfect," Rafael admonished in that Spanish drawl of his, "I'm thinking we can play two games here," everyone peered at him curiously, "the police aren't likely to help us with Mikael, not in the way we need anyway, but I have a contact called Nate. He is a detective for your government and it might be a good idea to put him in contact with Rei."

"So, you're saying to bring Vincent down the legal way?" Raven asked

Rafael shrugged, "a man like Vincent isn't going to just go away when you take away his power like Mikael. He is better off behind bars."

Max tapped the table to gain attention, "yes, but we aren't just taking away Mikael's power. The Donatelli's will take his life, do you not think Vincent is better off that way too?"

Rafael shrugged, "you know him better than I do, mi Viejo amigo, whatever you think is best."

"Actually," Raven informed, "Rei knows him better," they all looked at me, "you're the only one he's ever expressed such an interest in, Rei. And out of all of us, he is the biggest threat to you because you're the one he is going to come after."

Eli's hands clicked behind me as he clenched his fists together and I winced as I thought of how that would open up the cuts adorning his bruised knuckles.

"What do you wanna do, Rei?" Cayden asked me.

There were lots of things I wanted to do. Making a decision like this was not one of them.

My eyes met Rafael's across the table, "can I think about it?"

At first, he didn't say anything and I knew he was deliberating how he wanted to react. It was no secret that Rafael didn't like me and I had just effectively asked him to put his whole plan on hold.

Then, he surprisingly nodded with a soft smile, "of course, Bonita, let me know tomorrow," he looked at us all, "now we see what Dante says tomorrow."

With that, he and Max stood up to leave, saying their goodbyes before striding out the door.

"We should probably go too," Raven announced.

I looked over at her with a small pout which made her laugh, "you're going?" I complained.

She nodded, "yeah, I'm staying with Mikael remember? I was just helping you get settled in last night."

They both stood and I hugged Raven first, then Cayd, he pulled away from me, "I'm glad you're here with us, Rei."

I smiled and pulled him in for another hug, "I'm glad I'm here too."

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