Dangerous Stranger - Piper Stone Page 0,85

to come without my permission. If you disobey me, your punishment will be swift and severe.”

A wave of guilt rushed into my system and I was suddenly lightheaded. Without thinking, I removed my hand, dropping my head as I tried to catch my breath. A wave of guilt and embarrassment grabbed at every aspect of my being. I’d already disobeyed him. Shaking, I held my fingers into the light, staring at the way they glistened. As I brought them to my nose, I almost melted against the counter from his scent alone.

“And trust me, you will learn to obey my every command.”

“Yes, sir,” I whispered as I dragged my fingers across my lips. A sudden wash of humiliation replaced everything else. I struggled to yank my pants back into place, rubbing my fingers back and forth forcefully. I’d succumbed to him several times, the girl inside indulging in her inner desires. I wasn’t accustomed to a man who exuded so much control, allowing me to surrender in ways I’d never believed possible. However, I could no longer remain in the amazing fantasy. This was real life and I was smack in the middle of a precarious situation, my life possibly on the line.

And Rafael Santiago was everything I should run away from. If only I had the strength.

I took a few seconds, doing everything I could to shove the night before aside. My instinct told me that whatever Rafael would be forced to face would occur in a short period of time.

I only hoped that he would survive.

As the coffee brewed, I found a giant mug as well as powdered creamer. It would have to do. I studied the kitchen and smiled. This particular safe house hadn’t been updated in several years, but it was comforting in the hominess it represented. My family had never been well off by any means, my mother working two jobs just to keep food on the table. Even after she’d married Wallace, things had been tight. Granted, I’d found out the asshole had gambled away half of his earnings, preferring to spend time away from his family.

Grousing wasn’t going to do any good. As I scanned the appliances, I became curious. A smile crossed my face. Rafael had left me alone. He’d spent time here before. Had he left anything behind that would allow me to get to know him more? I opened one cabinet door after another, finding nothing remarkable, although every creature comfort had been purchased and kept clean. The drawers were the same, nothing personal of any kind.

The pantry was impressive, the amount of canned and bottled food capable of feeding a small army for some time. The freezer was stocked with meat, all dated and protected by vacuum sealing. I’d already seen the well-stocked liquor cabinet and wine refrigerator, having indulged in more than one cocktail the night before.

After pouring a hefty mug of coffee, I ventured out into other rooms, studying the art on the walls. There was nothing spectacular, although every decoration was cohesive to the rugged furniture selected. I had to wonder what kind of people stayed in the safe house. Who would the Galicia mafia consider protecting? One of their own? If that was the case, then there had to be a few personal items left behind.

The living room didn’t offer any clues other than a few books and videos carefully placed in the bookshelves. Given what I’d found at the other beach house, I’d say the selection had Rafael’s influence. Perhaps I hoped I was right, the action and adventure movies absolutely reminding me of the dangerous man.

The first bedroom was completely devoid of anything except for extra blankets, the bathroom much the same. I noticed another room that Rafael had spent hours behind the closed door. I stood in front of it for at least a minute before daring to turn the knob. To my surprise, the door wasn’t locked. The blind was open, the splash of light coming into the room just enough to make out the various features. The entire room was almost oppressive; forest green walls and Berber carpeting. Functional. That was the single word to describe the room.

The impressive computer system with two monitors and a hefty-looking hard drive caught my attention first. If I had to guess, I’d say the entire system was secure as hell, cracking any passcode attached likely impossible. There was a hutch as well as a closet, the desk with only a few drawers. I