Broken Together (58 page)

Rafael
whispered a lengthy prayer.

A
warm blanket settled over me… or maybe it was peace. Eventually, I drifted off
to sleep.

Hushed
voices woke me. My wrist struck Rafael’s face when I reached for the towel
covering my eyes.

Mom
squeezed my hand encouragingly. “How do you feel?”

“Tired,”
I replied.

Dr.
Meinig stepped closer. “I’m going to change your blood pressure medication. I’m
also going to prescribe Prednisone, which should temper your immune response.”

Rafael
helped me sit up.

Jase
handed me a warm cup from Starbucks. “Dr. Meinig approved this.”

I
gaped at Dr. Meinig. “You prescribed coffee?”

He
shrugged. “One cup of coffee won’t hurt the baby, and the caffeine will ease
your migraine.”

My
eyes narrowed. “Is this supposed to soften the blow? Are you going to force me
to go to the hospital?”

He
exchanged some unspoken communication with Rafael. “You may return home for
now, but I want to see you tomorrow. This new blood pressure medication and the
Prednisone should help buy us a few more days.”

I
exhaled softly.

Dr.
Meinig frowned. “If your blood pressure rises above one hundred and seventy, if
the headache persists, if the vomiting resumes, if you experience any bleeding,
difficulty breathing, or feel pain in your right side; we are admitting you so
we can deliver this child.”

He
locked eyes with my parents. “Preeclampsia can lead to multiple organ failure,
stroke, seizures, permanent brain damage, and coma. I want her monitored
twenty-four seven.”

My
father paled.

He
looked pointedly at me. “I want you to promise me that you’ll be completely
honest about how you’re feeling. No more hiding symptoms.”

I
nodded guiltily.

“Begin
these medications immediately. I’ll see you in the morning.” He glanced at Rafael.
“Make sure they have my cell number.” He nodded toward my parents.

Rafael
gathered me in his arms.

I
pushed against his chest. “I want to walk.”

He
shot me a look that would have leveled the Empire State Building.

My
lips slammed shut.

*
* * * *

“Stubborn
has two ‘b’s’,” I objected.

Jase
grinned. “I know. I couldn’t resist.”

Shae
rolled her eyes. “People in glass houses…”

Kadyn
laughed.

I
removed Jase’s tiles from the board. “Like any of us have room to talk.” We
were sprawled out on my bed playing Scrabble while my parents walked Bosco.

My
phone chimed with an incoming text. “Rafael.” I read the message, dialed his
number, and put him on speaker phone. “Hi, baby.”

“How
are you feeling?”

Jase
and I exchanged smiles. “Good.”

“How’s
your blood pressure?”

“One-forty-nine
over eighty-nine,” Jase replied.

“At
least it’s heading in the right direction.” His relief was evident.

“Dr.
Meinig said the Prednisone and the new blood pressure medication are working. I
see him again on Thursday, but I get to stay home indefinitely.”

“You
sound perky,” Rafael noted suspiciously.

Shae
laughed. “That’s the Prednisone talking.”

“What
are you guys doing?” he inquired curiously.

“We’re
playing Scrabble,” Kadyn answered.

“She’s
supposed to be in bed,” Rafael grumbled.

I
bit my bottom lip. “I am in bed.”

Silence.

“You’re
playing Scrabble in bed?”

I
giggled. “Yes.”

“All
four of you are lying in my bed?”

“Hurry
home,” I said.

“Kristine,”
he growled.

Everyone
burst out laughing.

“You
should expect a spanking when I return home.”

That
conjured up a whole lot of images it shouldn’t have. “You wouldn’t.”

“I
promise you. I will,” he replied evenly.

Shae
started fanning herself with the Scrabble rule book.

A
wicked smile tugged at my lips.

My
friends waited with baited breath.

“Husband,”
I replied, “I look forward to seeing you on Friday.”

*
* * * *

Cenia
marched into the kitchen with a casserole dish. “I made lasagna.”

Jase’s
stomach growled.

I
helped Bosco climb onto the couch. “Sounds good. Will you be joining us?”

“Yes.
Roger’s parking the car.” Cenia set the lasagna on the counter. She gave my
parents a hug. “It’s good to see you again.” She scooped Bosco up before
sitting next to me on the couch. “How are you feeling?”

“Good.”
I smiled. “How are you feeling?”

“Nauseous
and tired,” she admitted.

I
updated my parents. “Cenia’s due in January.”

Dad
grinned while Mom gave her another hug. “Congratulations!”

Bosco
barked again.

“I
got it!” Brady shouted.

Roger
sauntered in with a grocery bag. “Salad, dessert, and wine for those of us who
aren’t pregnant.”

Dad
clasped his hand. “I understand congratulations are in order.”

Roger
set the bag on the counter. “Thanks. Are you sure you don’t want to move here?
We’re going to need babysitters.” He kissed me on the cheek. “What did the
doctor have to say?”

“He’s
pleased with how I’m responding to the blood pressure medication. He’s tapering
me off the Prednisone now. I have another appointment on Wednesday so he can
see how my body responds.”

“You’re
still pretty swollen,” Cenia noted. She joined Roger in the kitchen.

“That’s
the Prednisone,” I explained. “My kidneys are improving.”

My
parents set the table.

Cenia
tossed the salad. “Is Rafael still flying in tomorrow?”

“He
flies in late tomorrow night.” I sighed. “The judge scheduled another hearing
for next week, so Rafael has to return Sunday night.”

Mom
shook her head. “That poor man. He must be losing his mind.”

I
threw Bosco’s squeaky toy. “Our timing sucks, as usual.”

Roger
pulled the cork from the wine bottle. “Does he have to testify at trial?”

“Yes,
but those trials won’t begin for a few months. Most of the defendants will seek
a plea agreement. They don’t expect very many defendants to go to trial.”

Jase
helped me from the couch. “You and the baby should be strong enough to travel
by then.”

We
joined my parents at the table. “I really want to go back for Christmas. Eva is
expecting her first child in December. I’d like to be there for that.”

“You
have to return before January twenty-fourth,” Cenia warned. She slid a piece of
lasagna onto my plate. Strings of cheese stretched between the spatula and my
plate.

“I’ll
be back long before then,” I assured her.

“Maybe
we should join them in Lisbon for Christmas,” Dad murmured.

Mom
scooped salad onto my plate. “I’m not missing my grandchild’s first Christmas.”

I
grinned, thoroughly excited by the idea. “You’re going to love Lisbon at
Christmas.”

*
* * * *

A
growl sounded low in Bosco’s throat.

My
eyes flew open.

Brady
glanced at his cell phone. “Rafael’s home.” He pushed off the chair and walked
downstairs.

I
sat up. My heart raced for reasons I couldn’t explain.

Bosco
whined.

Rafael
and Brady’s voices echoed through the foyer.

I
set Bosco on the floor.

Bosco
trotted out into the hallway. He peeked through the balcony, sat back on his
haunches, and wagged his tail.

Brady
scooped him up as soon as he reached the top step. “Come on, little guy, you’re
sleeping with me tonight.”

I
swallowed nervously.

The
seconds ticked by.

I
touched my toe to the floor, tiptoed into the hallway, and peered over the
balcony.

Rafael
cleared his throat. “Looking for something?”

I
yelped as I spun around.

Rafael
stood, with his arms folded, at the top of the other staircase. “Where are you
supposed to be?”

I
took a few steps back.

In
three long strides, he obliterated the distance between us. “Anxious for that
spanking?”

“You
wouldn’t dare,” I whispered.

His
eyes darkened.

I
felt for the doorway. “My parents are sleeping in the other room.”

He
stepped forward, forcing me inside the bedroom. “Then you should keep your
voice down.”

“Rafael,
I…” My eyes widened when he shut the door. I risked another step back.

He
tugged the black cotton t-shirt over his head. “How’s your blood pressure?”

My
eyes snagged on his chest. “Good.”

His
smile widened. “Good.” He tugged at his belt.

I
shook my head while backing away.

Rafael
lunged.

My
head spun from the speed at which he secured me. I tried to get away.

He
popped me on the bottom.

I
was so surprised he followed through on the threat, I didn’t know what to say.

In
one fluid motion, he pinned me against the bed. “That’s for sneaking out of
bed.” He tugged the camisole over my head.

I
knew he was playing. Still, I struggled to get away.

He
rolled me over and popped me on the bottom again. “That’s for inviting other
men into
my
bed.”

“Rafael,”
I objected. That one smarted a little bit.

His
eyes heated. He tugged my sleep shorts off and popped me on the bottom again.
“That’s for being stubborn.”

I
tried crawling out from beneath him.

He
tugged my panties down and swatted my bare bottom. “That’s for keeping secrets
from me.”

A
switch flipped as pleasure pulsed between my legs. “You can’t punish me for
that. You keep secrets too.”

Rafael
rolled me over. He eyed my breasts while pinning my wrists above my head. “I
don’t keep secrets.”

A
single eyebrow arched against my forehead. “The Templar don’t keep secrets?”

He
frowned. “The secrecy required for criminal investigations and for the
protection of others doesn’t count.”

“Obidos…
Santorini… Bosco?” I persisted.

He
smiled that panty dropping smile of his. “Those weren’t secrets. They were
surprises.”

“My
headache was a surprise.”

His
eyes widened. He swatted me on the bottom again.

My
hands clenched. “Ow! Why did you do that?”

“Because
I can.” He pulled me onto my knees before popping me on the bottom again.
“That’s for scaring the crap out of me.” He grasped my shoulder and thrust without
warning.

“Rafael,”
I gasped.

He
caressed my back, pulled back, and thrust again. “That’s for being everything I
ever needed.”

My
heart stalled. There was something in his tone.

“Kristine,”
Rafael pleaded.

Suddenly,
everything changed.

I
choked back a sob as understanding dawned.

Rafael
wasn’t playing. With all of the risk and uncertainty surrounding this pregnancy,
Rafael was seeking control. He was afraid of losing the baby, scared I might
die, worried he might not be there, and frustrated that we were still being
torn apart.

My
heart ached. I wanted to offer some assurance, comfort him in some small way. I
couldn’t offer any guarantees with this pregnancy. The only thing I could offer
him was me.

Rafael
pulled me against his chest. His bristly cheek tickled my neck while his chest
warmed my back. He remained anchored deep within me. The soothing scents of
cedar and cloves enfolded us. His arms tightened until I could no longer
discern where his body ended and mine began. He held me captive… suspended… possessed.

A
soft moan escaped my lips.

I
heard every promise he’d ever whispered.

Rafael
kissed my shoulder… behind my ear… across my neck.

My
eyes closed. I ran my fingers through his hair while his hands grasped my
breasts. My body arched against his.

Time
stood still.

I
savored…
everything
.