Boost by Vi Summers
Chapter 50
-Greer-
The next day I was up early, preparing myself to walk into work with my head held high. The past few days had taken a toll on my energy levels, but after Raf and I laid everything bare yesterday, it seemed appropriate to move on today without looking back.
I was already waiting for Jethro at the curb when he pulled up with a wide smile. He got out and opened the rear door for me.
“Mornin’, Miss Landon. It’s good to have you back.”
My heart fluttered with nerves. “It’s great to be back. Did you enjoy your day off?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I slid into the backseat and the car rocked as Jethro got behind the wheel. “Straight to work?”
“Yes, please. I’ve already had two coffees this morning so should give it at least an hour before another, right?”
His hearty laugh filled the car. “If you say so.”
We drove in comfortable silence as I went about my morning routine of checking over my meeting schedule for the day and reading emails.
Jethro’s low whistle cut through my concentration as we neared the office. “What’s with all the people? Something’s going down.”
I looked up, shocked to see media everywhere. “I have no idea...”
I gathered my handbag and laptop while Jethro parked at the curb. The rear door opened, and I found myself standing on the sidewalk, trying to figure out why a swarm of media milled around inside the foyer of my firm without me knowing.
“I’ll see you when you need me, Miss Landon.”
I glanced at Jethro and nodded absentmindedly. “Thanks.”
My head spun with the chaos as I entered the building and pushed through the throng of reporters. When I came to the heart of the frenzy, I saw Rafael with Christian by his side, standing front and center with dozens of microphones already thrust in and out of his face for sound checks. As I put two and two together, my heart felt as if it literally stopped beating.
“Oh, God,” I breathed on an exhale.
This couldn’t be. Something must have gone terribly wrong for Raf to be willingly engaging with the media in such a confronting fashion.
I snagged Tian’s attention by wildly waving a hand. He subtly excused himself and drew me off to the side.
“What the fuck is going on?” I hissed.
“Gree, calm down.”
“Calm down!” My voice pitched enough for Tian to shoot a bewildered glance around.
He angled me further toward privacy. “Look, Rafael rang me last night and requested an urgent press release for this morning. I don’t know what it’s about, but Colton assured me to let him say his piece.”
“Shit, Tian…”
“I know, babe. It could go either way.” He glanced at his watch and then back to me. “We’re about to start. Once it’s concluded, we’ll be heading for the elevator. See you there.”
Stunned into silence, I fidgeted with my handbag strap and watched the release unfold.
Tian called attention, and the foyer fell silent on command. He gave a quick nod to Raf, who then looked out over the sea of expectant faces with an air of calm and predominance.
“I’m going to make this short, and I’m only going to say this once, so listen carefully,” he enunciated with a slight snarl that made me smile.
“This is the only time I’m going to talk to you lot about my past, then the subject is closed and you’ll leave me the hell alone.
“Yes, when I was fourteen, I took my father’s life. I’ve paid my dues and done my time, and you won’t hear me apologizing for what I did.”
“Disgusting!” someone yelled.
Raf’s head twitched slightly—the only outward sign that he was suppressing his temper. He pointed in the direction the outburst came from.
“Let me ask you this; you find your father beating your mamá so bad that it’s impossible to tell if she’s still alive, and you know that if she’s gone, he’s going to turn on you and your baby sister—what do you do? Look me in the fucking eye and tell me you wouldn’t do the same. Any half-decent person would protect the ones he or she loves, and that’s what I fucking did.”
A sprinkling of shocked gasps peppered the crowd, but Raf pushed on.
“Condemn me if you want, I don’t give a fuck, but dragging up the past ain’t gonna change it.”
I felt the vexation radiating off him from across the large space, and all it took was a subtle indication from Tian to let him know that his point had been made.
Raf cleared his throat and resumed in an even tone. “I’ve officially stepped back from the Boost Foundation, not out of shame or the twisted bullshit you guys get off on printing, but out of respect for Colton Donavan and respect for my private life. Private life,” he reiterated as if he were addressing imbeciles. “Now, we’re done here.”
Ignoring the shouted questions and flurry of activity to keep up with Raf and Christian’s hurried strides, Raf’s eyes locked on me as he headed in my direction.
Time slowed yet raced out of control within the same instance. My heart stilled yet pounded against its ribbed confines. My breath refused to come until I was shunted into the elevator by the fortified wall of Raf and Tian’s bodies.
I choked on words as they all tried to come at once. Rafael seemed as rocked as I felt, and he hesitated touching me.
“Greer,” he finally murmured. “I needed to set myself free. To set us free.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You would have tried to talk me out of it.”
“Damn right I would have! That out there was extremely risky. How do you know it won’t backfire?”
He shrugged as if it was as simple as can be. “I had to take that chance. I fucking love you, and I won’t have this hanging over us any longer. Simple.”
A beat passed before we simultaneously moved with a sudden need to connect. Raf tilted my head as his mouth claimed mine. His tongue delved and lashed, urgent and fueled by unrelenting desire. I was lost to our surroundings as the elevator smoothly rocked during its ascent.
“Yeah, because it isn’t awkward watching the woman I used to make out with, make out with another guy.”
I gasped as reality came crashing back to find Christian leaning against the opposite wall, arms folded, and aiming a dark glare our way.
“Then, don’t fucking watch,” Raf snapped, easing back but keeping a firm hand on my hip.
Tian pursed his lips despite a glint of humor entering his eyes. “There’s only so many times I can count the buttons on the control panel, Ortiz.”
Raf snorted. “You’ve got fingers and toes, count them.”
Tian gave a blasé eye roll before his gaze became alarmingly severe. His focus sliced into Raf, and I knew that look—he was about to give an unpopular opinion.
“No biting.”
“Tian!” I couldn’t believe he just said that.
Raf took a half-step his way. “Excuse me?”
“Don’t bite her; she doesn’t like it. Or spanking.”
I pressed a trembling hand to my forehead. “Jesus, Christian! Thanks for having my back, but you are way out of line.”
“She told me yesterday,” Raf snapped. His tone left zero tolerance for Christian’s ability to be arrogant and altruistic all at the same time.
Tian’s shoulders relaxed, and he nodded. His expression softened when his gaze drew to me.
“I’ll always have your back, Gree.”
“I know, but seriously!”
The ding from the elevator didn’t disguise his snigger. When the doors opened, Raf intertwined his fingers with mine and led me into the tiled reception.
“Oh, and Ortiz?”
We paused hand-in-hand, and Raf’s eyebrows rose expectantly.
Tian didn’t back down from the harsh expression. “As long as you’re treating her right, I’ll have your back, too.”
“I’ll be treating her so damn good you’ll be taking motherfucking notes, Michaels.”
Tian’s hearty laughter filled the space and bounced off the sleek surfaces around us. “Keep telling yourself that, Ortiz. I’ll be the first to know if you aren’t.”
Roxiee’s voice came from her desk, just out of sight. “Uh, actually, I’ll be the first to know.”
God, I loved these guys. With my heart bursting with fullness, I laughed and smiled up at Rafael, loving him so hard and grateful we had the guts to pave our own path to happiness.