The Taming Of Alpha Rafael

Chapter 3

— Sonya's POV —

"Gracie, don't go near his things and…"

As I entered the expansive living room, I noticed my five-year-old daughter Gracie's eyes light up with excitement at the sight of the TV at the end of the hallway. It was widespread on the wall and was a type that existed in big malls.

Before I could react, she snatched her little hands away and darted around the room, filled with glee. It was then that I spotted Rafael standing near the entrance of the hallway.

His eyes carried dread and he stared at us, particularly at Gracie who ran towards him as though he was her playmate.

I could read the anger on Rafael's face and I wanted to get Gracie so that we could at least introduce ourselves to the new boss.

Instinctively, I hurried after Gracie, fearing she might unintentionally harm Rafael with her exuberance.

In the process, I accidentally bumped into Rafael. He staggered and the crutch fell from his hand.

Attempting to keep him from falling, I turned to hold him. There I felt his masculine feat of strength refraining from being held by my feeble hands. He was thick and hard as a wall, rigid as Rock.

However, the force he exerted on me was more than I could handle. I tripped too and sidestepped from my posture.

In a split second, he shifted his weight, managing to avoid landing on me but landing on his back instead, leaving me sprawled on his chest.

"I'm sorry, sir," I exclaimed, feeling a mix of embarrassment and concern. He was handicapped and standing on a leg and a half, me landing helplessly on him might cause another harm.

"Oh God! No!" he blurted and looked into my face, his eyes reddened with the unspoken works and his eyes fixed on to me like an archer aiming with his bow.

The fixed eyes did more than create fear in me. It was a man staring, my body reacted to it differently.

This was my fear, to go near a man with an air of lust around him. It had been long since I was at this range with a man and thus, my throat tightened.

Here, I wasn't just near him, I was sprawled on him, with my breast pressing against his hard chest. In response, a heat arose in his fly and the convolutions touched my groin. Oh no!

"Will you remain sprawled on me here till my brother returns from his honeymoon?" he asked and there I realized that we were still lying on the floor.

"Mummy?"

Gracie's voice came as I was about to stand and I jolted. She had seen us, on the floor, with me lying on Mr Salvatore. What would I tell her?

"Why are you lying on the floor with Mr..." she hesitated, searching for Rafael's name.

"Salvatore!" Rafael interjected, coming to our aid. "Me Salvatore."

My gaze returned to Rafael who retained his fierce look even after telling Gracie her name. Still, I couldn't stand. Not because I wanted to remain sprawled on him but because the thought that Gracie had seen the embarrassing posture was bad for her.

"It's nothing, Gracie," I assured her, standing up and extending a hand to help Rafael rise from the floor.

It was a good thing. He hadn't shouted at Gracie for being the catalyst in what could be the most embarrassing moment of his life. An alpha that once had everything, fallen by a kid, he must be embarrassed.

As I helped him to his feet, Rafael scowled at me, and then he turned to face the direction where Gracie stood. Then he looked back at me and shook his head.

He looked ready to reprimand me and outline some rules - my hunches told me, but with Gracie's innocent eyes still fixed on us, he refrained from saying anything further.

"Make me some tea," Rafael finally said.

"Where is it?" I asked.

"Follow the hallway to the living room, it's to the left," he explained.

"Okay, Mr Salvatore," I said and rushed down the hallway.

***

— Rafael's POV —

After Rafael limped through the hallway to the living room, he relaxed his back on the sofa and huffed at the earlier commotion.

He rose to his feet and limped in the direction of the kitchen. "There must rules!" he said and rose immediately.

As he was about to enter the kitchen, he became caught with Sonya's backside as she walked hither and thither in the kitchen.

As his eyes followed her, he wondered if there was a motive behind Gavriel bringing her to work in his house. He had had many women in the past; women who wanted him that he wanted on his bed. Was this going to be different? "Come off it, Rafael," he berated himself.

Sonya meticulously checked the refrigerator for the necessary supplies. Seeming satiated with her findings, she nodded when saw the supplies. Cecilia and Gabriel had stocked all they needed.

She set the water to boil, and while she waited, she glanced at her daughter, Gracie, perched on the kitchen slab.

Rafael hid at the mouth of the door and looked on. He was waiting for the perfect time to walk in and lay down his rules.

"Gracie, you need to apologize to Mr. Salvatore," Sonya said.

There, Rafael realized that the perfect time that he wanted may not come. He could feel that Sonya felt bad, and she was trying to transfer the remorse to her daughter.

"Is he angry at me? Is he angry at Mommy?" Gracie asked.

After Gracie's response, Rafael could see that the remorseful feeling had successfully been transferred and that the little girl had absorbed it too.

His desire to enter the kitchen was temporarily overridden by his curiosity and concern for their well-being and he wondered how soon he began to care.

He silently listened, his mind preoccupied with memories of his upbringing under the harsh guidance of a strict father, the alpha of the household while Gabriel had been raised by their mother, inheriting the business investments.

"He fell because you rushed through the hallway, he might be angry," Sonya added.

"Mommy, is Mr Salvatore going to send us away?" Gracie asked.

Rafael heaved at the question that the little girl asked. He could see that the little girl was thinking beyond words as well as her age. It seemed that she had seen him for who he appeared to be right from his eyes and the way he looked at them.

He wanted to make rules, rules that focus on the mode of the household – no running, no noise, and no intruding without his permission. However, upon witnessing the sorrowful expression on Gracie's face, he realized the impact imposing such restrictions could have on her.

Also, the sad look on Gracie's face was akin to the one he grew up with while he lived with his father. A feeling which led to him making vows, never to replicate such terror on women, or children.

With a heavy heart, Rafael made a decision and he turned away from the kitchen and retreated to the tranquillity of the living room.

Back to his seat, he was reminded of the moment when he was on the floor and he wondered how easy he was to react to Sonya.

It had been a long time since he felt erect and he had given up that till his leg finally heals, there would be nothing like that. But with Sonya, it was all different.

Sonya soon joined him, holding a cup of tea in her hands. Rafael graciously accepted the gesture and kept his eyes on her.

No sooner had she handed him the cup of coffee than Gracie slowly walked from the kitchen and stood before her mother.

"Mr Salvatore, I am sorry. Please don't send mummy away. She needed the money," Gracie said and lowered her head.

Rafael noted Sonya's reaction. She wanted to stop Gracie. She didn't want to make it seem that she was the one who taught Gracie what to say not knowing that Rafael was there in the kitchen with them, listening from the blind spot.

"We are sorry, Mr Salvatore," Sonya added and Rafael nodded.

Rafael wondered what Sonya had been told. He wondered if she thought of him as a beast. Of course, he had anger issues which he feared would get the better of him, but he doubted if he could hurt a child or a woman.

"It is okay," he finally said and smiled at Gracie. "You can sit down and watch TV," Rafael said, knowing he had already broken one of the rules he about said to make.

As though Gracie was waiting, she bounced on the sofa and relaxed her back.

Rafael then gestured toward the nearby couch. "Please, Sonya, you can have a seat," he gently insisted. "Once you've put Gracie to bed," Rafael began, "please join me in my bedroom. I would like to offer you a massage and help me clean my wound."

After five minutes, Gracie began to drool and her head dropped in childhood humorous doze.

Rafael had never had a kid so close and so he didn't if that they fall asleep that early and that fast. He scoffed and gestured at Sonya who lifted on her shoulder and took her to her room.

When she was gone, Rafael limped to his room with the help of the crutches. As he had said, he wanted Sonya to help with a message and maybe clean his leg.

***

After I had patted Gracie to sleep, I changed into her night gown as I walked back to the Master's room.

As I entered, I wasn't sure what to do - either to go back or step in, either to close my eyes or turn away.

Right before me was my boss, Rafael Statham, the alpha who was said to have lost everything, including his pack and his leg. But not the sumptuousness of his physique, not the aura of mystery that the tattooed wolf on his chest added, and finally, not the bulgy organ in his boxers.

"Come on in," he said. "I have strain up my groin."

As he placed his hands around the rim of his boxers, "I shouted, no, don't pull down the boxers."