Dangerous Conceit by Ali Lee

Chapter 19

Rafa knew that Lexi would not have gone far. He thought a moment and looked around, seeing the door to the stairs at the side of the elevators. That was where she would be. He breathed softly, making no sound when he entered the dimly lit area and saw her on the steps.

“Hey.” He lowered his legs around her and wrapped her against his chest with both arms. “I know you're upset, and I know you considered it this morning, but we should talk about this now that you know for sure.”

“What’s there to talk about?” She reached over the bulge of his bicep to wipe her eyes.

“I’m not here to play games with you. So tell me what’s on your mind.”

“Me? Like what I think has ever mattered before.”

“It does matter. I won't make you stay with me, but there will be no reason to run for governor if you don't. I could never protect you unless you were with me.”

“So we’re supposed to pick up where we left off? I didn't even know you were in college when we were together. I mean, you couldn't even tell me that, Rafa…or Mr. Paolini, or Gio or whatever you want me to call you.”

“I didn't tell you because I was waiting until I graduated to surprise you with a house, Lexi. I didn't know I wouldn’t see you again.”

“But you turned into everything I used to avoid.”

“I’ve changed in some ways. That’s why I was waiting to tell you the truth. I didn't want to push too many issues on you at once.”

“I thought you knew me because of a job. I knew I hadn’t seen you on assignment. I shouldn’t have questioned myself.”

“Listen.” Rafa lowered his head to her shoulder. “I’ve tried to make up for lost time here lately. If you despise me that much, I’ll place you with someone else, until we take Moretti out of the picture.”

“And that's it? You’d give up on me that easily…just like before?” Lexi's words struck Rafa in the heart. He had to take deep breaths before lashing out and regretting it.

“The situation now is completely different than back then. Maybe if you’d told me what was going on, we wouldn't have this huge gap of time between us. I waited for you for over two months. I lost the new job I got. I lost the house I bought for us. I lost everything while I waited for the girl I loved to come back. So don't hold onto the idea that I didn’t care. I’m sorry that I wasn't there and I’m sorry I didn't know what was going on, but if you can't tell, I’m trying to make up for that.”

Rafa released his arms from around her and closed his eyes, tightly squeezing his temples. “Whatever you choose, Maura is still my daughter and I will care about you both no matter where you are.”

Lexi said nothing. She repeated his words in her mind. Then she stood up two steps below, facing him, wanting to hear him say it again. “What did you say?”

“Which part?” He looked at her disoriented with the entire situation.

“You said Maura is your daughter.”

Rafa eyed the rail, slightly confused. “That's the impression you gave me. She must be mine if I'm the only man you slept with.”

Lexi nodded and touched the hair on his face. “You don't look like him anymore. You’re more mature than he was…and different. You’re so formal now, and you’re running for governor…and second to a mob boss.” Lexi looked at her feet, overwhelmed and distressed. “I don't know in what universe I would ever fit into your world. People would make fun of you for being with me. Maybe then it would have worked, but now I'm just…this.” Lexi swiped her hands down her body, feeling inadequate when Rafa stood, placing himself directly in front of her.

“This”—he mimicked her motions and placed his fingers around her cheeks—”is more beautiful than any woman I’ve ever met. I’m proud that your Maura’s mother. Angelo likes you too. He has never welcomed a woman in the ranks besides his wife…especially one who was sent to kill him.”

Lexi shivered and covered her face, never expecting him to say any of that. He grasped her hands and brought them around his neck, hugging her closely to his chest. “No more hiding…anything from me—ever,” he said. “Understand?”

She nodded when his lips slid onto hers. He could not help it. Sometimes a stressful situation could be eased with the heat of a kiss. He caused her to tighten her grip and succumb to him. She needed to know how much he felt. He could have stayed like this with her for hours, holding her flush to his body and kissing her deeply. He did not want to stop, not even for breath, but his phone had other ideas for their time. The damn thing rang, echoing loudly in the empty space of the stairs.

“Shit.” He pulled away but held Lexi where she could hear the other end of the phone.

“What?” he grumbled.

“Are you in the stairway?”

“Yes…why?” He rolled his eyes.

“Because security called about suspicious behavior, but it was too dark for them to see you. We have a ton of rooms here for that, and you have a master key to them all.” Angelo hung up.

“We've been found,” said Rafa with a kiss to her forehead. “Let's grab Maura and go get some food.”

***

With Maura in her arms, Lexi followed Rafa into the restaurant. She was used to working at a place like this but eating at one was a new experience for her. Rafa walked straight to a table without waiting to be seated. He pulled out Lexi's chair, nodding at her while he held Maura and waited for staff to bring a booster seat. Even though Lexi wore jeans in such an expensive place, Rafa did not seem to care.

After the hostess left, he opened the child's menu and crayons for Maura, looking at Lexi when he finished. “Order whatever you like and don't bother with trying to pay. All right?”

“Couldn't we talk about that?” she asked and flipped her menu open.

“Of course. We can talk about anything…doesn't mean I’ll change my mind.”

Lexi glanced up. “I see that you’re set in your decision.”

“When it comes to you, I’ve always been set in my decision.” Rafa looked over at Maura and pointed at several pictures of pancakes, waffles and egg combinations. “Do you see anything you like?” he asked, looking at Lexi for help.

Lexi laid her arm over the back of Maura’s chair and pointed at a stack of pancakes with strawberries. “Do you want that one, Maura?” Maura smiled and shook her head, instead pointing to a stack piled high with whipped cream and chocolate chips. “All right.” Lexi made a face and inwardly groaned, not hiding her dislike of the choice.

“Hey.” Rafa caught her attention. “It's not all the time so it’ll be fine.”

Lexi sighed, moving several stray hairs behind her ear, “Only if you watch her afterwards. You have yet to experience Maura on a sugar-high.” She set her menu to the corner, leaving Maura to color on hers.

“Do you know what you want?” he asked Lexi.

“I want to try the veggie omelet.”

“Hm, it’s a good choice. That’s what I’m getting too,” he said and waved over the server.

“Good morning, Mr. Paolini.”

“Good morning.” He handed over both menus. “We will have two vegetable omelets and one of the chocolate chip pancakes off the child's menu.”

“And what would you like to drink?”

“What do you two want, Alexis?”

“I want coffee and Maura will have chocolate milk.”

Again, Rafa looked at the server. “Two coffees. One chocolate milk.”

“With a lid,” Lexi added.

“Very good, will this be together or separate?”

Rafa gave the server an annoyed look. “Together.”

“I'll bring those drinks out right away.”

He glanced at Lexi with a frown when the server walked away. “The employees here already know that I always end up taking the bill even when Angelo comes in with me. They’ve never bothered to ask me if the bill was separate before.”

Lexi shrugged. “They probably think I'm charity.”

“Trust me, sweetheart. If I bring you in here with me, it means that you’re important.”

“I see.” Lexi looked around the restaurant and pondered his words. It was more exquisite from the Sandy Shores where she had worked. She would expect to find no less in the most expensive hotel in town?

The server set a glass with a lid and straw in front of Maura and two cups in front of her and Rafa, pouring steaming coffee into both. Lexi smiled her appreciation, but Rafa simply waved her away. He must have still been irritated with the server.

“Aren't you harsh on the workers?” Lexi noted and added cream and sugar to her coffee. Rafa did not add anything to his, eying her while taking a sip.

“I wasn't hard on you when you waited on me.”

“Oh no, you didn’t put me on edge at all. I bet you actually wanted that second bottle of wine I brought to you.”

He smiled. “Yes, but you brought me that bottle to screw with me.”

Lexi shook her head. “The thought never crossed my mind to aggravate a man of your status.”

“Oh, I'm sure.” Rafa took a sip of coffee to hide his smirk. “To be honest, I went to check you out because of the good reviews people were giving you. Never expected to see those eyes, to see you.”

“You should have told me who you were right then. Could’ve saved a lot of trouble.”

“Maybe,” he said. “Why did you flirt with me so hard? Did you flirt with everyone that way?”

“What? Mr. Paolini gets jealous?” She mocked shock.

“Only with one woman,” he admitted, causing her to blush with his unexpected reply.

“No, I never flirted,” Lexi confessed. “Maybe my subconscious knew it was you. You looked so stressed. I felt sorry for you as soon as you walked through the door…just wanted to take your mind off whatever tired you out.”

“Which you did,” he agreed as their server came back with their orders. After she set them down, he looked at her and held out his hand. “We’ll call you over if we need anything else.” The server nodded and left the table alone.

“So,” Rafa took a bite and stared at Lexi, “I proposed to you yesterday.”

Lexi sighed and looked at the other diners; then she gazed at Maura and how well she responded to Rafa. “How do you know that's what you really want? I mean, you thought I left you and suddenly I'm back in your life. Don't you feel like you're rushing into this?”

“No.” Rafa took another sip of his coffee. “I’ve been all about work for the last five years. There's nothing special in handling business affairs from sunup to sundown and then some. My life had no real meaning until both of you walked into it.” Rafa leaned his chin on his hand and looked at Lexi. “You'd give me a reason to wake up in the morning. I don't need any more time to know that much.”

Lexi tried to hold it in, the fact that she found him and they were having this discussion. Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at him, not knowing how to respond to his disclosure of truth. “Sometimes,” she said, “when you dream of something for so long, you start to see it as only a dream, some hopeful figment of your imagination that will never happen.”

She could barely process everything that happened in the last several days when Rafa scooted into the chair beside her, unconcerned with any person sitting in the restaurant. He pulled her face to his shirt, hiding it from the onlookers and whispered in her ear. “It was always my intention to marry you, sweetheart. It's over five years later, but I still want that to happen.”

Lexi looked up with the most subtle pout on her lips, staring in awe of how unbelievable he was. “All right,” she muttered and threw her arms around his neck, completely unaware of the attention they gained as he returned her embrace. All she knew was that she finally had what she always wanted—him.