Dangerous Love Affair

Monalise and Rafael

After the gala, Rafael dropped my mother off at my childhood home. We were almost to our home when Rafael got a phone call from his right hand Dominic, telling him to come to the cellar where they dealt with business. A part of me was happy that he had to go, the other part angry because of what our marriage had become.

In the beginning, I tried, I really did. Rafael was my world and I could tell I was his. I used to look at him like he was the stars and the moon, I used to worship the ground he walked on, until he killed my father. Then I uncovered the truths of who he was and why my father was so unhappy with me being with him.

Santos Kostas was a drunk. In fact, he used to beat me, my sister, and my mother when I was a little girl. But I loved my father. There wasn't a lesson that he didn't teach me when he wasn't downing a bottle of scotch and calling my mother all sorts of names. My father put me through college and a portion of nursing school. That was when I met Rafael and dropped out. My father wasn't very happy about that.

"Cara, are you listening?" I snapped my head to where Rafael sat in the limo. His eyes were searching my face and his hand was gripping mine too tightly, "I have to go meet the boys. Somethings wrong. I won't be home until much later but I've sent a couple of men to watch the house."

I turned my head and stared outside of the window, "Okay, Rafe."

He shook my hand to get my attention, "Give me a kiss cara, lasciare il mio sangue bollente per voi."

I obeyed and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips.

"Grazi, cara mia."

Once inside the humongous home that only housed me and Rafael, I suddenly felt too tired to tend to my nightly routine. My body was exhausted and my cheeks hurt from smiling too much.

I jumped when the house phone started ringing. It was unusual for it to ring this late, much so at all. I contemplated whether or not I should answer it before deciding I should just in case it was Rafe.

"Hello?"

"Sorry to be calling so late Mrs. Boerio," A smooth, deep voice rang over the line. I could tell he was of Latin descent by his accent. It was almost enchanting. " I tried calling earlier with no such luck."

I sat on the chair near the phone and began taking off my heels, "I'm sorry, who is this?"

"My name is Alejandro Colombo, a friend of your husbands."

The name didn't sound familiar to me immediately putting me at alert. I already knew Rafael wasn't going to like this.

"Rafael's not here right now, Mr. Colombo."

He chuckled over the line, "Please, call me Alejandro. I'm not that old yet. I'm not calling for your husband I'm calling for you."

"Me?" I leaned back into the chair, "And what could I possibly have to offer you?"

It was quiet over the line, his hesitation making me worry about all the possibilities. No body in their right mind would dare call Rafe at home and then say their calling for his wife. If my jealous husband ever got wind of this he'd be pissed, that was for sure.

"Forgive me for bringing up a wound, but you are Santos's daughter, Sí? I'm merely calling to invite you to a... Dinner. You're father was a mighty man and I'd love to honor him. That's all I ask."

I bit my lip trying to stop the emotions, "I'll have to speak to my husband about it."

He sighed, "Fair enough. The dinner is this Thursday, please respond by then. Buenos Noches, Monalise."

He hang up before I could wish him a good night back.

I shrugged deciding it would be best to wait until morning to tell Rafael.