He could’ve slept the entire night holding Deanna in his arms. Pulling himself from bed had never been quite so hard. But there were things she’d told him he’d needed to share with the others. They’d decided to keep Melissa out of the loop for now. His brothers had been concerned Deanna might start sharing this information with others. She’d given him her word she wouldn’t. Somehow that sweet lovely creature had broken down his defenses, and he’d entered a realm he’d keep secret even from himself. He trusted her completely. It’s me she shouldn’t trust. All I’ll do is break her heart.

He thought back to all the enemies they’d racked up since they started Turchetta’s Promise. It was like each of them, mostly himself, had a target on their back. The last thing he wanted was for some jerk out for revenge to go after Deanna to hurt him. She has enough stuff in her life holding her back from happiness. She doesn’t need mine too.

She wasn’t some paranoid woman looking for attention. Her fears were legit. He didn’t tell her, but if she knew he was worried, she would freak out even more. It was his job not only to ensure her safety, but to make her feel safe. Those were two different things entirely. One took intelligence, manpower, and weapons. The other required her to have faith in him and trust him. From the closeness they’d shared last night, she definitely had something. Hopefully, not more faith than I can deliver.

It was stupid of him to have let his guard down and opened up to her. Even a freaking athlete knows not to get distracted right before the big game. He could tell himself it hadn’t affected him, but that was bull. Rafe couldn’t walk by his bedroom without thinking about climbing back in bed and holding her. That’s the crap that gets people killed.

He wasn’t worried about himself. He’d promised to keep her safe. Promised. I never promise anything to anyone. That only confirmed his fear. Deanna had him doing and saying things totally out of character. If his brothers knew, they’d slap him on the back of his head and tell him to wake up. They’d be right; he would’ve done the same to them. Somehow they know better.

“Rafe, I was able to pull the information on Abby’s husband, Milton,” Gabe said over the video conference call.

“Spill it.” And it better be what I’m looking for.

“Milton Enwright married Abby Prescott about ten years ago. As you know Abby’s family was loaded and Milton, well not so much. They met in college; he was there on a scholarship. His family is what you’d call from the wrong side of the tracks.”

“Trouble?”

“With a capital T. None of them ever served time for their crimes, and there is a list a mile long. But that might have to do with who Milton married.”

“That isn’t motive. Tell me something about Milton that would make me want to . . . knock him into next Tuesday.”

“Well, this is. Would you like to guess who Shadoa’s father is?” Gabe asked.

Milton? “Why the heck didn’t you say that in the first place? So the jerk was down there entertaining the locals, not just visiting his wife?” Loyalty was everything to Rafe; a man cheating on his wife made him sick. It was the cruelest form of betrayal as far as he was concerned. It left the other with the inability to trust anyone else. And without that, no relationship had a chance to survive. Even all Abby’s money couldn’t turn a pig into a prince.

“Yeah. That apple didn’t fall far from the tree. The men from Shadoa’s village may have been so t furious that they decided to take revenge against the entire camp.”

Rafe needed to put himself in the mind frame of the men in Moreira. Yes, it would infuriate them thinking someone from the Literacy Corps had abused one of their women. Could it cause them to attack and kill? Most definitely. He’d seen revenge on that magnitude over lesser things. From what he’d seen, these men didn’t value a woman’s life enough to prevent them from dropping her in the street and leaving her child an orphan.

“Gabe, I hear you, but if it was revenge, why wait until Milton was gone?”

“How the heck do I know? Sick jerks do stupid stuff. Maybe he wanted to hurt Milton by taking out someone he loved?”

“Think back to the conversation we overheard. Shadoa was their meal ticket. Why? If Abby was dead, she was no use to them. They’d lost their leverage for blackmail. It’s something more.” Something far worse if I’m right.

“You don’t think—?”

“Milton hired them to kill his wife and get her out of the way? Yeah, I’m starting to believe that.”

He could hear Gabe typing. When Gabe looked back up at the monitor, he said, “Would you like to guess who the beneficiary was?”

You son of a gun. “How much?”

“Three point five million dollars. And her family hasn’t cut ties with him. Seems they are backing him.”

“For what?”

“Glad you’re sitting down for this, but that evil jerk is running for Senate. I’m reading some of his blogs, and you’d never guess what he’s using as a platform to run on?”

“What?”

“A fight against domestic violence. Guess it doesn’t count if you do it outside the United States? This guy’s a real piece of work.”

That was putting it lightly. But right now all they had was speculation. That wasn’t good enough. There was something they were still missing. Rafe knew no matter how hard you tried to cover your tracks with money, there was always someone out there stupid enough to talk. They just needed to find that person.

What concerned him was how long it took Gabe to find this information. Was there someone helping him bury it? “Why is it you didn’t know any of this before?”

“Well, Abby kept her maiden name, so I wasn’t looking for a husband. And there really weren’t any flags with her family to make me look twice. He’d kept a very low profile until he started to run for office.”

“Next thing you’re going to tell me is this jerk thinks he could be President someday.” That wouldn’t surprise Rafe one bit. He’d been doing his own searches on Milton, and he was one cocky man. “I need you to find a money trail leading back to Moreira. Even if he paid them to wipe out the camp, my gut is telling me the payments haven’t stopped.” Greed goes both ways, and it sounds like Moreira is in the business of collecting hush money.

“Will do. So far nothing has hit the radar. I’m going to dig further into his family.”

“Anyone in particular catch your attention?” Rafe asked.

“His kid brother, Peter. He hasn’t worked a day in his life, yet he does a lot of traveling. Like to guess where?” Gabe asked.

Gottcha. “Gabe, I need you to detain Peter. I think he and I need to have a chat.”

“He’s in the States right now. Want me to have Renzo pay him a little visit?”

“Yeah, and make sure Peter has no idea who we are. I’m going on a fishing expedition, and I’m hoping we can use him as bait.”

“Do you really think Milton will give a hoot?” Gabe asked.

“Not about his brother, but I’m thinking he might want to ensure his brother’s silence.” It was messed up, but he had a feeling Milton would take out Peter just as easily as he had Abby. But who are you going to hire this time to do your dirty work?

That was the problem. For all the good Turchetta’s Promise did, there were many more for hire doing the exact opposite. They needed to keep their eyes and ears open because bad stuff might be about to go down. He had to make sure Deanna wasn’t caught in the crossfire. I lost Phoebe due to this evil man. I’m not about to lose Deanna too.

“Where do you want him taken?” Gabe asked.

Not to Rhode Island. “You pick and let me know. Just make sure it’s laid out, so we have the advantage when trouble comes knocking.”

“You want me to pull Josh back in?”

“No. Keep him there with Shadoa.” She was innocent in all this and probably highly sought after as well by both parties. The last thing he needed was another person to worry about. “Just make sure you give Josh the update.”

“You don’t think Alex would divulge that we’re utilizing his island do you?”

Alex had gained Rafe’s respect, but he knew if Alex’s wife, Ziva, or any of the Henderson family were in harm’s way, Alex would do what he thought was best. Protect his own first. “We all know a man has his limits. Just pass along the information. You might want to update Bennett Stone as well.”

“Stone? Why?”

“It never hurts to have your veteran brothers ready to have your back.” Rafe would be the one doing just that, but right now he needed to be here. I have my own protection detail.

“I’ll let you know when we’re set.”

He knew Renzo would act swiftly. This was about to blow up in Milton’s face. Rafe wanted to make sure he was the one to deliver the message when it did.

Rafe heard his bedroom door open, and he quickly closed the laptop. Deanna didn’t need to know what was about to go down. The less she knows, the better.

He turned to find Deanna walking toward him.

Sitting on his lap, she said, “Good morning. I didn’t know if you were . . . hungry? And wondered if you’d like to make breakfast together?”

Rafe picked her up in his arms and gave her a kiss. Gabe had his instructions. Everyone did. Rafe had a few things he needed to attend to himself. Seeing her happy is all I want right now.

---

After breakfast he’d told her he had to go out and she needed to stay in the house with the doors locked. That was how she normally lived, but there was something more to his request than basic concern. When she asked him where he was going, he said he was meeting up with his brother Renzo. She knew they weren’t meeting up for coffee or a chat. Her gut said this was business.

Deanna knew very little about what they actually did for a living. That should be cause for concern, but she knew Rafe wouldn’t do anything illegal. He was a man of honor.

She had hoped they would talk more about what had happened in Moreira. Not that she liked discussing it, but she figured he would have to deal with this new revelation. Yet when she asked him how he was feeling, he changed the subject. It was evident that he was closing off those feelings of loss, not just from her, but from himself as well. Deanna wished there was something she could do or say to change that, but she knew only time could fix some things. And sometimes time isn’t even enough.

All she could do was love him through it. Love? She had no idea when that had come into play. She could have come up with plenty of other words, like intrigue or concern, but love? There was no way she’d fallen in love with him.

A walk on the beach was exactly what she needed to sort through those feelings. But she’d promised Rafe to keep the doors locked, so she was stuck inside. She made a cup of tea and grabbed a piece of paper and a pen. She would do what she did with everything and logically write down what she felt. Upon review, she’d know if it was love or not.

She spent the next hour holding the pen in her hand and tapping it on the paper. There was absolutely nothing on it but one word: Rafe. There was so much running through her mind she couldn’t stop long enough to write. He was the most irritating, arrogant man, who was at the same time incredibly intelligent and caring. How can someone be so hard and gentle at the same time?

That was her dilemma. She found both attractive in different ways. He was strong and protective; that made her feel safe. When he held her while she cried, his gentleness touched her. It hadn’t been a pretty little tear that rolled down her cheek. Nope, it was a bawling your eyes out, get me a tissue, flood of tears. Any other man would have run for the hills at either scenario, yet he hadn’t abandoned her. In fact, he’d made it a point to make sure she was okay—physically and emotionally. Her feelings seemed to matter to him.

Deanna tapped some more on the paper. She was looking at this from the wrong angle. Maybe I should be trying to figure out if he loves me.

The problem was how could one tell if someone loved them? He’d never said anything that came close to letting her know he liked her, let alone loved her. The only things she could go on were his actions. Even when she tried to get him to speak, he wasn’t able to say it. Maybe because he doesn’t want to lie to me.

There had to be a better way because this was getting her nowhere fast. Looking at the paper, she saw little progress. All she’d done was draw a heart around his name. Yeah. Really helpful.

Rafe had her heart. But did she have his? Deanna knew who might be able to shed some light on that. Rafe said I couldn’t go out. He never said I couldn’t have company.

Picking up her phone, she called Melissa.

“Hi, DeeDee. Is everything okay?”

Deanna wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to hearing someone other than Phoebe call her DeeDee, but she wasn’t about to ask Melissa to stop either. “Yes, just wondering what you’re doing for dinner.”

“Would you believe cereal?”

Deanna laughed. She’d already figured out Turchettas took care of everyone else but seemed to forget about themselves. Goodness, this family needs some help. She smiled. Maybe they need me. “Why don’t you come here and I’ll cook for you.” Just don’t ask for lobster.

“What about Rafe?”

Wherever he is, she doesn’t seem to know anything about it either. She wasn’t sure if that was comforting or not. Melissa was the one Deanna hoped to break down and get information from.

“He had some . . . business to attend to.” She didn’t want to mention Renzo just in case that was supposed to be private. Not that I can see him trusting me with secrets.

“That’s horrible, leaving you there all alone. What do you say we go out and take in a movie or something fun?”

It sounded wonderful, but she’d promised Rafe she’d stay put. She didn’t think he’d object to her spending time with Melissa, but leaving wasn’t an option. “Although I’d love that, I kind of want to spend the night in. I make great homemade meatballs and sauce.”

“You do know that I’m Italian, right?” Melissa asked teasingly.

Deanna laughed. “I mean gravy.” She couldn’t believe she’d made that mistake. Phoebe had lectured her on the difference between sauce and gravy years ago. It was a private joke between them each time they went out to eat. Phoebe would listen closely each time they ordered. Maybe that’s why I always choose seafood.

“I’ll come if you let me bring dessert. Do you have a preference?” Melissa asked.

Deanna recalled a small dairy farm that had a bakery. They made the best pastries around. “I do. I’ll text you the information.”

“Perfect. I’ll see you soon.”

She texted Melissa the link to the farm and a picture of the peanut butter torte. It was heavenly with more sugar than one should ever consume. But she was going to enjoy every single bite.

Thankfully Rafe had stocked up on food since their little lobster ordeal. While she’d cleaned up after pizza, he’d done a bit of shopping. She knew she had everything she needed to pull together a nice dinner for Melissa. Her gravy was on the stove on low, and the meatballs were in the oven. She was looking forward to spending time with Melissa again. Even though she has no information to share.

It wasn’t long before Melissa arrived with the torte in hand. “Gee, I wasn’t sure I was going to make it here without diving into this thing first. You didn’t tell me I’d smell the peanut butter and chocolate all the way here. It was torture.”

“You have more willpower than I do. I’d have shown up with a piece or two or three missing.”

Deanna took the torte to the kitchen, placed it on the counter, and turned to Melissa. “I hope you don’t mind me asking you a question.”

Melissa looked at her with concern. “Anything. What is it?”

Deanna picked up the knife and asked, “How do you feel about starting with dessert?”

She saw Melissa relax as she reached across the table and stuck her finger into the chocolate, bringing it to her lips. “Guess you know which piece is mine.”

Her tone set the mood for the night. They laughed so hard and blamed it on a sugar high. That was possible because after dinner they’d each eaten another piece. As they sat on the couch, Deanna broached the subject of Rafe. She wasn’t prying but wanted to know a few things about him.

“It’s kind of lonely here without Rafe.” That opened the door for Melissa. Now she needed her to take the bait.

“I’m so glad you two are hitting it off so well.”

“Yeah, me too. But I’m not sure . . .”

“Not sure about what?” Melissa asked.

“How he feels.” That was true. She could guess, but she wanted confirmation. Deanna could and probably should take the more direct route and ask Rafe, but if she pushed, he might run. He wasn’t comfortable talking in that manner. She might need to know, but she didn’t want to risk losing him.

“I’d say you should ask him, but I’m sure you figured out he isn’t much on words. At least not that kind.”

Deanna nodded.

“Well, let’s see, you’re still here. Which says you care very much about him, am I correct?” Melissa asked.

Deanna wanted to get information, not give it. But what harm was there in admitting the obvious. “I do.”

“I could be wrong, but I’d say you do a lot.”

Deanna blushed. “You wouldn’t be wrong. I need to know if it’s reciprocated.”

“As I said, you’re still here. If he didn’t care about you, your butt would be out the door.”

“No, I’m here because he promised he’d never let anything happen to me.”

“Promised? Yeah, that’s not a word Rafe uses.”

Deanna thought back hard. “No, he used the word promise several times. I’m sure of it.”

Melissa’s eyes widened. “Well, then. That says a lot.”

“What do you mean? It’s just a word.”

“Not one Rafe uses. If he actually used the word promise, then you mean more to him than even I expected.”

She could tell Melissa was equally surprised by this development. Can that one word be his way of saying he loves me? Deanna wanted to believe so. She knew what she’d heard, and the look in his eyes when he said those things showed he was serious.

Whether Melissa realized it or not, she just gave Deanna what she was looking for. Insight into the inner workings of Rafe Turchetta. Darn, he’s complex. She looked forward to getting to know all the little quirks about him. Hope he feels the same about mine.

When Melissa left, Deanna cleaned the kitchen and went to her room. She stood at the bed, knowing that was where she should sleep. Rafe’s room was his, and she shouldn’t assume she had the right to spend the night there without him. She walked over and lay down on her bed. It was comfortable. Soft like she liked her bed to be. His was hard as a rock. Hers smelled sweet and floral. His smelled like . . . him.

She knew sleep wasn’t going to happen where she was. Getting up, she walked to his room, opened the door, and contemplated her options. His bed or his couch. A smile at the sweet moments they’d shared together on that bed was all she needed to make up her mind. She closed the door behind her and snuggled in between the sheets. Grabbing one of the pillows, she hugged it, wishing it was Rafe. At least it smells like he’s here.

Sleeping wasn’t easier in his bed, but at least she felt closer to him. That didn’t make any sense as she tried to process it logically. But she’d learned there was nothing logical about being there with him. She remembered Phoebe’s famous way of explaining what couldn’t be explained. It fit perfectly right now. Some things just are what they are and all you can do it accept it.

Inhaling his scent once more, she grinned and closed her eyes. Rafe. Finally feeling at peace, she began to drift off. It just is.