Until Tomorrow Comes: A Dark Mafia Romance (Beauty in Lies Book 1)

by Adelaide Forrest

  I'd need to go home and never look back, not give him a reason to come after me seeking the child I hadn't meant to give him.

  He ground his teeth, reaching into the nightstand and grabbing a condom as I breathed a sigh of relief. He withdrew from me and released my hands long enough to slide the condom onto his length. There was a brief moment where I could have fought, where I could have tried to get away.

  But something kept me rooted to the spot.

  Knowing it was my last time with the man I shouldn't love, I couldn't bear to walk away. Even as he drove back inside me with more ferocity than before, and drew a sharp whimper from my lips. Even as he clasped my wrists in his hands and pinned me once again, setting a furious pace as he fucked me with hard snaps of his hips that bottomed him out inside me.

  "Rafael," I whispered, the name Rafe felt wrong with the darkness swimming in his eyes. Rafe was the man I loved. Rafael was the phantom who lurked inside him.

  Rafael was the monster I would walk out on while he slept.

  He held my eyes as he took me, glaring down at me as if he could will me to tell him all my secrets. But the sins of the flesh were different from the sins of the mind, and as much as I hated his secrets, I would never tell him my own.

  25

  Rafael

  She stared up at me with secrets in her eyes, an entire world away from where I wanted her to be. In the moment with me, enjoying my touch on her body. The distance and tension between us only served to enrage me further.

  With every day that passed, it became more and more obvious that Isa would never voluntarily give herself to me.

  I'd have to take her. I'd have to break her.

  And then I'd rebuild her into the Queen she was meant to be.

  I released her hands to reposition our bodies and shove her thighs apart, pounding deep inside her once more as she wound her legs around me. Clinging to me as I rode her like it would be the last time.

  Something was wrong. I knew it in my bones, but as she screamed out her orgasm and shattered around me, nothing else mattered when she sent me spiraling with her.

  I grunted, grinding my pelvis into her as she rode out the waves of her orgasm and I filled the condom with what should have been inside my princesa. When her breathing steadied, I pulled out of her and moved to the bathroom to grab a washcloth to clean her up. She didn't move in the time I was gone, her eyes drifting shut as if she needed to close out the world.

  She blushed as I cleaned her but didn't speak, the sudden influx of silence between us feeling unnatural. My world wasn't complete without her smile and her voice in it, now that I finally had her with me.

  I wanted to hate her for it, for making me so dependent on her happiness. Instead, we'd both hate me for stripping that away from her.

  At least for a time.

  I tucked her beneath the blankets, watching her as she fell asleep in the bed we'd shared nightly. Something had happened in the time since I’d packed her into the back of the car and sent her back here. Something had shifted between us, and I didn't think I could get us back to where we needed to be in time to salvage what remained of our relationship. My Isa would have questioned why I'd shipped her off.

  She'd have rallied and fought against the potential of me doing something she wouldn't want to be a part of. The only explanation I could think of was her researching me in my absence. But with her phone shattered on the ground below the balcony, I couldn't find the information I needed.

  Grabbing my phone out of my pants, I pulled up the messages that had come in the time since I'd been occupied with Isa. The glaring alert from Hugo in all capital letters drew my attention immediately.

  ISA KNOWS.

  The void inside of me widened as I turned my eyes back to her sleeping body and the innocence on her face. Pursing my lips, I moved to the balcony and pulled the glass closed behind me as I pressed the button to call Hugo back. "Tell me, Hugo. What exactly does Isa know?" I asked the moment he answered the phone.

  There was a pause of silence, and then his response of what Chloe had told Isa in their brief conversation before he got through the door to stop it. "That's unfortunate," I said, spinning back to stare at Isa as she slept. It could have been worse, and perhaps she would brush off the rumor as simply that.

  I wasn't optimistic enough to think that was the case.

  "What do you want to do?" Hugo asked.

  "Clear the streets," I said. "If she decides to try something stupid, I don't want any witnesses to what will come next."

  He paused. "Why not just take her now?" he asked, and the question held merit. With everything crumbling around me, I could just slip a needle into her neck and she'd be on El Infierno before she woke up.

  She'd never know a moment of fear, until it was too late to change.

  "I need to know," I said, ending the call as I stepped back inside and crawled into bed with Isa. If she left me, she deserved to have to deal with the monster vibrating under my skin.

  I'd warned her what would happen, and Isa would very quickly learn that when I made a promise?

  I fucking kept it.

  26

  Isa

  I sat up in bed slowly, in spite of the urgency in my veins to try to keep from waking Rafael. As the moonlight shone through the windows, I turned to look at his sleeping face over my shoulder. With his face relaxed and peaceful, I could almost forget the cold cruelty he'd shown me the night before. I could almost forget the empty look in his eyes as he came into the room, and the suspicion in his gaze when he’d suspected me of leaving.

  But the ache between my legs from his rough possession served as the reminder I needed, compelling me to stand and move into the closet as quickly and quietly as I could. I pulled a casual dress out of my suitcase, tugging underwear up my legs and slipping sandals on my feet as I quietly shoved everything else back in.

  Maybe it was better this way. With our romance cut short by me slipping away in the night, there would be no heartfelt goodbye. He wouldn’t be subjected to my tears, because I needed to run away from a murderer.

  I'd never have to wonder why he didn't ask me to stay and then berate myself for the foolish thought. I could just slip out and remain the mysterious woman who’d left him in the night. I scoffed as soon as I thought it, knowing that the only secretive thing about me wasn't a sexy secret, but one that had shattered everything I'd ever loved and destroyed my family.

  Even if I'd been able to without fear of what he might do, I couldn't bear to say goodbye to him. I couldn't stand to face him when I walked out of the suite I'd called home for the best days of my life. I'd never expected to meet anyone when I came to Ibiza. I'd never thought that I would find a person who made me want to feel the things I'd been missing in my life.

  Rafe had shown me passion. He'd taught me what it was to embrace who I was and be comfortable in my own skin. No matter what he'd done to drive me away, I didn't think I would change him for anything.

  I didn't think I could erase him from my memory, even suspecting what he might have done.

  Even if the idea of not waking up to him in the morning made my heart hurt.

  I considered leaving my suitcase, worried about the noise it would make when I pulled it through the bedroom.

  "Are you going somewhere, Princesa?" The deep rumble of his voice sent my pulse racing, echoing through the silence between us as I spun to stare at his flawless face in shock. The words were a direct reflection of what he'd said the night before, and I remembered my response as I swallowed. The fear I'd felt rose to the surface again, threatening to make me abandon my escape attempt altogether. Only the seriousness of Chloe's accusation kept me from coming up with some inane excuse.

  I couldn't back away from the truth a second time.

  His mismatched eyes bore down into mine, the deep forest green of his right eye seeming so dark as his narrowed gaze dropped to the zipped suitcase at my feet. The light blue of his left eye turned positively glacial as he drew
his stare back up to my face.

  He invaded my space as he stepped closer, pressing his nude front against me without care. He'd never shown restraint or discomfort in his nudity, but the obviousness of me sneaking out in the middle of the night should have been reason enough for him to put on some pants.

  Evidently not.

  I swallowed, ignoring the firm press of his length against my belly in favor of returning his stare. One of his hands reached out to stroke my cheek with the back of his knuckle as his thumb stroked the skin under my eye. He raised a brow at me, waiting for my answer as I fumbled to find an excuse. I couldn't bring myself to lie outright, to create a fabricated story about my family.

  If Chloe was somehow wrong, I would feel terrible for the deception. For giving voice to any of the fears I had about leaving my family behind with a lie.

  "Chloe needs me." My voice left me in a ragged whisper as the almost-lie caught in my throat. All the intensity he leveled me with did nothing to soothe my frayed nerves or the terror pulsing through my veins. His singular fixation had always been jarring, but in the aftermath of the night before, all that I saw when I looked up at him was darkness.

  The darkness in his soul. The darkness in mine.

  "And you weren't going to say goodbye?" he asked, something odd in his tone as he tilted his head at me. His lips tightened as they pressed into a firm line, his nostrils flaring briefly before he wiped all traces of anger from his face and smiled at me. It wasn't unkind, exactly.

  It stung like disappointment.

  "I didn't," I paused, fighting back the tears that threatened, spurred on by the onslaught of emotions wreaking havoc on my body. The fear. The loss.

  The grief over losing my first love.

  "I didn't want to cry," I admitted, tilting my face down. "But I guess that's unavoidable now." I huffed out a brittle laugh, eyeing the empty smile on his face in suspicion.

  God, what if Chloe was wrong?

  He bit his bottom lip, turning to stare in the direction of the door on the other side of the suite briefly before he glanced back at me with tormented eyes. "I'll give you a ride. Come back when Chloe is in a better place," he suggested.

  My breath caught in my lungs as he offered me the chance to get the answers I needed from Chloe without saying goodbye to him. But the splitting of my soul in two that I felt as I prepared to leave him told me everything I needed to know.

  I'd never be able to say goodbye twice.

  "Thank you for being so good to me, but I think," I paused, sucking back a fortifying breath. "I think it's time for me to go. There's only a few days before I go home."

  "Or you could stay," he said.

  I smiled, shaking my head. Even if he wasn't suspected to be a murderer, a man as wealthy as Rafe had no cares in the world. I couldn't put college on hold for a man I hardly, knew who would undoubtedly tire of me soon enough.

  "I have to go home," I whispered, listening to the words as they echoed in the silence between us. It felt like a moment where my future was decided, like something snapped into place. As if we were always meant to find our way to this moment.

  Leaning down, I snagged the handle of my suitcase. He stepped out of the closet, going to the balcony and grabbing my purse off the floor to hand it to me. Tugging on pants quickly, he watched me as I made my way to the door.

  I drew in a deep breath as I prepared to make what felt like the biggest mistake of my life. Unlocking and pulling the door open, I accepted that it was the only choice I could make under the circumstances.

  Even if it broke me.

  Rafe caught my arm at the last possible moment, drawing me back into a kiss. His lips crashed against mine, his teeth bruising me as he devoured me brutally. The anger behind the contact faded quickly as I returned his passion, letting me coax him into a sweeter embrace that shocked me. I hadn’t expected him to allow such a meaningful contact in our goodbye, as if he would truly miss me. But if this was my last kiss with Rafe, I wanted to look back on it and feel loved for even just a moment.

  I wanted to remember everything he gave me, and I had a feeling I'd never be able to forget it.

  When I pulled away, he let me step through the door. It stayed open as I made my way across the hall and tears ran in rivulets down my face and soaked the front of my dress.

  He didn’t stop me. He didn't chase me.

  He didn’t call out to me or do anything as I pushed the button on the elevator. He didn’t even try.

  27

  Rafael

  I stared out the open door, watching as she pressed the call button on the elevator. She turned to face me once she stepped inside, pressing the floor for the lobby.

  She froze mid-motion, her hand hovering in the air as her teary eyes landed on mine. Seeing the cold fury on my face as I narrowed my gaze on her and twisted my mouth into a scowl, she swallowed visibly and paled. I watched as recognition slithered up her spine, her body convulsing as she tasted my rage in the air. She leapt into action as her lungs heaved, pushing the button to close the doors quickly as the sadness faded from her face to be replaced with absolute terror.

  For the first time since mi princesa had met me, she stared in the face of the nightmare who had promised to hunt her down, and saw me for exactly what I was.

  The elevator doors closed, cutting her from my view as I moved back into the suite and put on my suit. I grabbed my phone off the nightstand, bringing up Joaquin's number. He answered on the first ring, waiting for the signal from me as I pulled on my suit jacket. I'd leave most of my belongings for my employees to deal with, sending them back to El Infierno.

  I had more important matters to deal with.

  "Follow her," I ordered.

  He paused, then obeyed my command as was expected despite his own hesitation. "Yes, Boss." The line went dead, and I tucked my phone into my pocket. I grabbed some of the chess pieces off the board on the coffee table, tucking five of them into my suit pockets. Then I turned and strode for the door.

  Isa had her five-minute head start.

  I turned to face the room that felt filled with lies in the aftermath of her departure. It was where I'd thought Isa had fallen in love with me. Where I'd thought she'd see that what we had was enough to forgive my sins that had nothing to do with her, and accept that her future was by my side and not working to fix her family.

  It was nothing but a lie, and I pressed the lobby button on the elevator as I turned my eyes away from what could have been. She'd had the chance to have a loving and doting husband.

  She'd chosen the nightmare instead.

  As the elevator descended, I counted out the number of days we should’ve had left. If it hadn't been for Chloe's interference, Isa would be waking up in my arms in a few hours. Instead, Isa would fear for her life, as the consequence of trying to take away what was mine. The elevator doors opened into the empty lobby as I strode through and walked out the front.

  The streets were devoid of life. Not a single person walked along them, even at the busiest time of night in Ibiza. When El Diablo ordered them emptied, the streets fucking emptied. Isa might not be very familiar with Ibiza, but she knew enough to know it was unusual.

  She knew enough to be afraid.

  Gabriel pulled up at the curb, shoving open the passenger side door as I climbed into the SUV. He turned the vehicle in the direction of Hugo and Chloe's hotel, taking the back roads Isa would never have dared to take on her own. She'd stick to the safety of the main blocks, even in their abandoned state, when she realized that she couldn't grab a taxi.

  When she remembered that she didn't have a cell phone to call anyone.

  There was no one for her to turn to in the moment when she realized I would come for her. Nothing to stop me from chasing her into the night. From making her hurt the way she'd hurt me by leaving. “Leave the SUV, and go get my fucking car,” I snapped as my own misery consumed me.

  I jumped out of the car as Gabriel pulled into the lot at the hotel. My long
strides marched in the direction of Isa, closing the distance between us while she headed unknowingly in my direction while she thought she ran from me and towards safety. But there was no safety for Isa.

  Not anymore.

  Reaching into the pocket of my suit as I ducked down the side alley where it would all end, I stroked a thumb over the black King from the chess set. Setting it in the middle of the roadway, I backed away and walked back to the main road.

  With the Queen in hand, I went to hunt mine.

  28

  Isa

  The streets of Ibiza were never empty. In the time I’d spent there, all I’d ever seen was the frenetic energy of the island. I hurried along the sidewalk as fast as I could and pulled my suitcase behind me in the eerie silence of the night. The look in Rafael's eyes when he'd stared at me in the elevator haunted me as I jumped at any sound.

  A garbage can rattled around the corner, making me quicken my pace with a frightened squeak. My eyes connected with the green gaze of a cat as he made his way past in a hurry. Pausing to lean on my knees and catch my breath, I tried to shove down the paranoia suffocating me.

  Having a heart attack before I made it to Chloe's hotel wouldn't do me much good. I had no clue how to get to the embassy and no phone to look up directions.

  Rafael had been angry that I left him. He'd been hurt, and the glare I'd seen on his face had to be a consequence of that. Nothing more.

  So why couldn't I convince myself that I didn't need to run?

  I grabbed my suitcase by the handle again, picking up the pace once more as I hurried down the road. Turning the corner to the street I thought I needed to take, I halted in my tracks at the sight of what sat in the middle of the road.