Chapter 1
In a dark room in a big house, a phone rang, disturbing the night silence. A man, who had been relaxing with his feet on the desk, pulled a cigarette from his mouth and picked up the cellphone. Answering the call, he said nothing. Whoever was calling would know that they would have to speak first.
"It's Simon, Rafe." a thin voice came from over the speakers, and for a brief second, the man considered hanging up. Then, a pair of green eyes flashed through his mind, and he let out an inaudible sigh.
"Hello, Simon." he greeted the man instead. "It's been a while."
The meaning was clear by his tone, and Simon's sigh crackled over the speaker.
"I know. Sorry."
Feeling an eyebrow creep its way up, Rafe waited in surprised silence. He had never heard his old college friend apologize so readily, and a knot formed in his stomach. The last time Simon had called and apologized within the first two minutes, he had been involved in a shady business deal that was going south. Simon had disappeared, leaving his sister behind without a word and Rafe had been left to clean up the mess.
When he didn't reply, and the silence got too heavy, Rafael heard the sound of a chair screeching across a floor, and he could envision Simon starting to pace in frustration as clear as if he was in the same room.
"Look, I need your help." Simon said at last, and it was Rafe's turn to sigh. "I know, I screwed up again, okay? But I'm not calling for me."
"I'm listening."
"I pissed off some really bad people. They found out about Claire."
"Jesus." Rafe sank back in his chair and ran a hand through his hair. "So what do you need me for?" he asked, angry at his old friend for getting him mixed up in his mistakes.
Again.
"You know that if it wasn't serious, I wouldn't call. I know I promised to stay away." Simon was hedging, and Rafe rolled his eyes. Typical. "I also know that even though she's pissed at me right now, she's my sister as well as the only remaining family I have. I don't want her hurt."
"You mean you don't want to hurt her again after the shit you pulled last time." Rafe shot back, refusing to regret the bite to his words.
He had learned long ago that Simon didn't care.
"Fuck you." Simon's voice was low. "I regret having to hurt her by leaving, but I don't regret the fact that she's still alive because I left."
Biting back a retort, Rafael lifted a hand to rub his forehead, feeling a headache building. It was almost always guaranteed that he'd get a headache anytime Simon popped up and this was no exception.
"What do you need me to do?" he asked after a few seconds of hesistation.
Rafe knew that had it been anyone else asking, he'd have hung up the phone long ago. Simon, in all his idiotic naivety, had saved his life once. Plus, he understood the importance of family.
Simon was part of it.
"Keep her safe." Simon replied instantly, gratitude clear in his voice.
"I don't have the manpower to provide a 24/7 bodyguard. She's going to have to come live with me."
In a rare smart moment, Simon kept quiet and didn't ask why he was stretched thin, and Rafael was thankful.
"Do whatever it takes to keep my sister alive." Simon's voice was firm, and before Rafe could reply, he hung up.
Slowly dropping the arm that held the phone, Rafe sat for a minute, enjoying the silence. Closing his eyes for a second and taking a deep calming breath, a plan formed in his head and when he opened his eyes, he stood up, chair moving smoothly over the wood floor.
Grabbing his suit jacket, deft fingers did up the buttons as he ate up the distance to his office door. Footsteps muffled by the expensive rug, he took great pleasure in scaring the man who was leaning against the door, yanking it open with no warning.
Not waiting for the man to catch his footing, Rafe set down the hallway, a muffled curse following him. When the man finally caught up to him, Rafe grabbed the phone out of his pocket, handing it to the man over his shoulder, not looking as he started down the staircase that lead to the garage.
"Trace the last incoming number, I want the info sent to my email in an hour." Stopping in front of the garage door, he entered his password into the lock and when it snapped open, Rafe turned to the man. "Ready the jet, and let Danielle know we're going to have a semi-permanent houseguest."
"Sir?" the man's query had Rafe raising an eyebrow.
"Just tell her Simon called." Rafe snapped out, and the man turned around with a nod, jogging back up the stairs.
Choosing his fastest car, he slid in, the supple leather on the steering wheel a welcome distraction from the mess he'd just been handed.
Hopefully Claire didn't throw paint at him again, he was wearing one of his favorite suits.
