Chapter 7
Mina was shaking. Her sophisticated black maid dress felt incredibly thin in the aftermath of the violence. She had just witnessed the destruction of a massive mafia alliance, all because a five-year-old boy had offered her pocket change for a hug. She looked at the mafia boss, terrified of the unpredictable storm that was surely about to consume the estate.
Rafael walked slowly back across the polished hardwood floor. He dropped to one knee, completely ignoring the crease it put in his expensive trousers, bringing himself down to his son's eye level.
"Are you harmed anywhere else, Theo?" Rafael asked, his deep voice softening just a fraction, losing the lethal edge it had carried moments before. He gently reached out, his tattooed hand hovering over the boy's cheek before he softly brushed a stray tear away.
"I'm sorry, Papa," Theo whispered, burying his face against Rafael's dark tailored suit, his small hands clutching the fine wool. "I didn't mean to make her mad. I just wanted a hug from Mina."
"Would I ever punish you for seeking comfort when you are hurting?" Rafael asked, pulling his son gently against his chest, holding the fragile boy in a fierce, bone-crushing embrace. He closed his eyes, fighting back a wave of agonizing guilt that threatened to drown him. How had he slept under this roof while his son suffered in silence?
Rafael stood up straight, lifting Theo effortlessly into his arms, keeping the boy tucked securely against his broad shoulders. He turned his attention back to Mina.
"Are you injured, Mina?" Rafael asked quietly, his perceptive eyes searching her softly oval face and elegant posture.
"I am unharmed, sir," Mina answered, her voice trembling slightly as she kept her hands folded over her neatly tied white apron. "But... I know what just happened. I know the Vale family will come for you because we spoke."
"Do you believe I would allow a woman who tortures my son to remain in my home out of fear of her father?" Rafael asked, a flicker of profound, protective warmth entering his cold eyes as he looked at her.
"I didn't know what to expect, Mr. Ashford," Mina whispered, her expressive eyes wide with residual fear. "I just knew Theo was suffering. When he put those coins on the table... it broke my heart."
"Did you think a monster would punish the only person with the courage to love my son?" Rafael asked gently.
He didn't walk away. He stood there, his towering masculine frame casting a long shadow in the golden light. The rigid boundaries of class, wealth, and danger had been completely obliterated in the span of a single evening.
"Will you accompany us upstairs, Mina?" Rafael asked, his gaze lingering on her beautiful face. "Do you think I trust anyone else in this house to tend to him tonight?"
"I will come," Mina said softly, the reality of her new position settling heavily upon her. She was no longer just a maid; she was the keeper of the boy's heart.
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"Are you prepared for the war that begins tomorrow?" Rafael asked, turning his broad shoulders toward the heavy mahogany doors.
Mina took a deep breath, the bright, airy light of the dining room illuminating her fair, rosy skin. She looked at the dangerous, handsome man holding his child. "I am prepared, sir."
