Nightingale

Suzanne had helped with their preparations for university. They had a place in the city lined up, and Jackie Polane had even put in a good word for him at his cousin's meatpacking plant. He'd be able to earn an income during his schooling with part-time hours.

Raph felt Sam stiffen in his arms and heard her small gasp. She was looking behind him, so his body immediately reacted to the perceived threat. He spun to face the danger while tucking her behind him. He found himself facing a man approaching them. He saw no weapons in his hands, he was moving cautiously, not aggressively, and his expression was... was...

"Raphael Graves?" the man asked with a definite Spanish accent. He was smiling in wonder.

He blinked at the man. There was something about him that Raph's brain refused to process.

"I'm Mateo Cruzado. Maybe your mother mentioned me?" he asked.

"Mateo?" Raph whispered, his mind spinning at the horrifying cruelty. Him? Here? Now?

The man's eyes widened, and he took a step back as a sudden rage filled Raph's face.

"YOU! YOU KILLED HER!" Raph roared. Only Sam's clinging to his arm kept him from attacking the older man.

Mateo scowled back at him. "What are you talking about? I've killed no one!"

"Dotty was in love with you, and you tossed her aside like a piece of trash. She never stopped loving you, never stopped wishing you'd come back, and it killed her!" Raph spat.

Mateo's expression turned defensive. "It was just one night. How could she have been in love?" he scoffed.

Raph surged forward until he was nose to nose with the older man. "It was deep, pure, and true, and you didn't deserve any of it, you worthless piece of shit!"

Mateo's rage flashed in his eyes, and he violently shoved Raph back, causing Sam to stumble back and release his arm.

Raph's right fist caught Mateo's cheekbone snapping his head back, and his left thudded into the man's solar plexus, taking the wind from him. He dropped to the floor, unable to inhale.

Gary was suddenly in front of Raph, pinning his arms and pushing him back.

"STOP NOW! Don't ruin everything. Not for him," Gary growled.

Raph watched the man wheezing on the floor and wanted to keep hitting him until he was dead... but Gary's words registered. He felt Sam's soft hands on his arm, and a deep tremor went through his muscles as he struggled to shake off the rage. As he sucked in deep breaths, he glared at Mateo; his jaw clenched in unreleased fury. "Why did you come back? Why now?" Gary released him but stayed close. Suzanne moved closer as well.

Mateo struggled to get back to his feet, but no one moved to help him. Finally, he faced Raph and gingerly touched his cheek, and winced.

"You... you were on TV. On the news... the story about the fire. When I saw you... it was like... seeing my father. Listen, what happened... it was a long time ago. I was a much younger man—a traveling musician living the dream. I had no time for relationships or entanglements. I fucked so many women! Fucked and forgot. I was free! Besides, I had no idea she got pregnant and that I was a father—"

"NO! Get this straight! You're nothing more than a sperm donor. You're not my father. You gave up the right to call yourself that the moment you skipped town like a cobarde."

Mateo scowled at him. "The bitch raised you wrong if you show such disrespect to your flesh and blood."

"Respect is earned," Raph said, spitting on the floor at the man's feet.

Mateo bristled at the insult and, for a moment, looked like he might come at Raph, but he caught the eager look in the younger man's eyes, and he smartly backed down. Raph snorted in contempt, which caused a brief and involuntary snarl to appear on the older man's face.

"Leave. Never come back. There's nothing for you here, tonto viejo," Raph sneered.

Struggling to control himself, Mateo turned and stiffly walked from the auditorium.

"I didn't know you knew Spanish," Suzanne said as she walked up to him.

Shaking off some of the tension, Raph looked at her. "I don't. I memorized a few insults when I was a kid, and I promised myself I'd use them if I ever met him. I never thought it would ever happen." He looked towards the door again. "I think I preferred hitting him."

Gary frowned at him. "Please don't do that in front of me."

Raph gave the Sheriff a serious look then nodded. "Sorry."

"Is anyone in the mood to go out for dinner?" Suzanne asked cautiously.

Raph looked away. Restaurants still made him uncomfortable. Besides, meeting Mateo killed his appetite. He shook his head briefly.

Suzanne stepped up and gave Raph a tight hug, surprising him. Then she gave Sam a hug and a kiss on the forehead. "Congratulations to you both! Here are the keys to my car." They went into Raph's palm. "Drive home safely. You two can order pizza. Gary and I are going out for dinner to a nice restaurant."

"Sounds like a date," Sam said with a little smile as her eyes twinkled.

"About time," Raph agreed with a nod.

Gary was looking a little dazed, but that didn't stop the smile from spreading across his lips.

"We won't wait up," Sam said over her shoulder as she pulled Raphael after her towards the exit.

Raph paused briefly before Gary and held out his hand. Gary took it then looked at his hand in surprise. As Raph pulled his away, Gary saw he'd been palmed a three-pack of condoms. His eyes flew to Raph's, who looked back at him sternly then nodded as he followed Sam out of the auditorium.

"What was that about?" Sam asked curiously.

"Just making sure Gary had protection if he was going to be with Suzanne," Raph answered quietly, and Sam squeaked with surprise. Then she was laughing, and Raph let the joyful sound fill his being. Above all other things, he loved hearing her happiness. It gave him such a feeling of peace and contentment.

They dropped off their gowns and headed out to the parking lot. He opened her door, then got in his and drove them home.

As they entered the large home Raph once more felt out of place. He wondered if that feeling would ever go away. For now, he was looking forward to moving into the small apartment they'd found in the city.

Roughly halfway between the University and the meatpacking district, it was in a decent building on the third floor and had a western-facing view of the street and the apartments on the opposite side. All the units in the building had two small bedrooms, but he and Sam had agreed to use the second one for a study room. It was nothing fancy but was in a popular neighborhood for young families and students. It was a step up for him but a major leap down for Sam. He hoped she'd be able to deal with the culture shock.

Speaking of the beauty, she turned to face him in the entryway and tipped her face up to his. He needed no further invitation to brush his lips over hers.

She gasped gently and pressed her mouth more firmly to his, then sucked his lip between hers. It was his turn to feel tingles run up his spine. He pulled her tighter against his body, and the kiss deepened until they both pulled back, gasping for breath.

He read her intent in her eyes, and it matched his desires, but still, he needed to confirm.

"Are you sure you want—"

"I've never wanted anything more in my life! I'm ready," Sam gasped.

He looked deep into her eyes to be sure there was no doubt there.

She trembled in his arms. "God, when you look at me so intensely, it makes me wobbly in the knees!"

"Where?" he forced out as his need was growing.

Her eyes widened, hearing the lust in his voice. "Your bedroom. I-I'll meet you there." With that, she spun and rushed up the stairs.

Raph watched her disappear upstairs and forced himself to walk to his bedroom at the end of the hall. His need for her was almost overpowering.

He undressed and put the clothes on his desk. He'd bring them to the hamper later. He then pulled the comforter and top sheet down.

Hearing a noise behind him, he turned to look to the door.

Sam was leaning back against it, eyes wide as she took in his naked body. She was breathing hard as if she'd run from her room, and this made her lovely full breasts rise and fall under the sheer white baby doll she'd slipped into.

Raph stalked slowly across the room towards her, and she seemed mesmerized by the bob and sway of his member as it began to swell. He could see the outline of her stiff nipples against the silk cups of her sexy lingerie as her breathing deepened. He stopped before her and let his eyes drink in her curves, her smooth skin, and the flush on her beautiful face. He noted she looked a little nervous.

"Are you sure?" he asked quietly.

She nodded as her eyes rose up to look into his. "Yes, oh my god, yes!"

He smiled and closed the distance to kiss her once more. She squeaked at the feel of his naked body pressing against her, and her hands slid down his back to cling to his ass. She moaned as she thrust her tongue into his mouth.

Raph felt himself reach maximum rigidity as Sam's hands squeezed his ass cheeks. He trapped his heat between their bodies and rubbed side to side against her mound.

Gasping, Sam pulled her mouth from his. "Oh! Oh! Raphael! Oh my god, yes!"

He suddenly bent and scooped her up in his arms, pulling a nervous giggle from her. He carried her to the bed and gently laid her down in the center. Then he climbed over her and gently plucked the knots loose on the baby doll. He parted the sides, and he gazed down upon her beauty. She blushed at his admiring look.

Sam had full, round breasts with perfect, stiff nipples in a darker pink areola. He dipped his head down and kissed them, everywhere but on the nipples themselves.

"please..." Sam whimpered cutely, so he sucked a nipple into his mouth and stroked the tip of his tongue across the stiff nub.

"YYYEEESSSSS!" Sam cried out and clung to his head, forcing his face into her soft flesh. He moved to the other nipple before she had a chance to recover, and she arched her back in bliss.

When he moved his kisses from her nipples to make his way down her firm stomach muscles, she gasped and shook from relief as her tits were tingling intensely. With her in a dazed state, he slipped her panties down and off and pushed her legs up. She lifted her head to stare down at him in surprise. Then his mouth was on her, and he saw she could no longer form rational thoughts. He sucked, licked, probed, and teased as the pleasure washed over her until she was shaking through a colossal release. His need for her continued to build.

She slowly returned to awareness as he gently rested his weight against her, and she began to rock back and forth against his stiff member. It was slick from her and so hard.

"Mmmm..." she purred, obviously recognizing the heat pressing against her.

He began to move away, and she grabbed his arms. "Why are you stopping?"

Fiercely intense eyes looked into hers. His need was consuming him. "Condom," was all he managed in a rasp.

"No. I'm on the pill. We're safe. I want to feel you the first time. Please!" she begged.

Hunger flared in Raph's eyes, and he knew he couldn't refuse her. He positioned himself against her wet lower lips. He pressed forward and watched her eyes grow wider. When he reached an obstruction, he paused and slid out again. Her eyes were rolling back with the sensations. He moved forward again until he was stopped once more.

"Oh Raphael, so good but such a tease!" she whimpered.

Again, he pulled out almost all the way, and he felt her trembling under him. He drove himself forward but didn't stop at the obstruction this time. He felt her jolt under him, and he stopped to hold still.

He dipped down and gently kissed her cheek, where a single tear was rolling. She turned her face to bring her lips up to his, and he kissed her tenderly. He throbbed inside her, and she gasped.

"I felt that!" she said in a daze.

He smiled and began to move once more, slowly at first, but gradually, his need drove him faster and deeper.

Sam was clinging to him and gasping.

"Is—should I stop? Am I hurting you?" he managed.

"God, don't you dare stop! I'm so close!" she hissed as her grip on his hips tightened.

Raph couldn't hold back any longer, and his hips began to rock as he drove himself into her, pounding her hips with his and bouncing her roughly against the mattress. The intensity was too much, and he felt his body rushing up on his release.

"OMIGOD! OMIGOD! CUMMING! AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!" Sam screamed as Raph felt himself tip over into absolute bliss. He held himself against her, slowly rocking against her and pinning her to the bed.

She clung to his chest, and he felt her shaking. Then he realized she was crying. Frightened he'd hurt her, he tried to pull back, but she wouldn't let go of him.

"Sam! Are you okay? Did I hurt you?" he gasped.

"No... Raphael, it was... it was better than I ever dreamed. I just... I suddenly recalled the time in the hospital when you tried to push me away. I realized I would've missed this intense intimacy with you, and that was so incredibly sad."

He kissed the top of her head. Gary's words came to him. "The Harris women are formidable. They don't give up. I didn't stand a chance," he said gently.

She pulled her face back to look up into his eyes, and he saw love there. It took his breath away.

"I love you too," he said, and her eyes flew wide as more tears flowed.

But these were of joy, and he was ok with that.

-=-

The night was getting late, and most of the customers had drifted out of the bar. Only two women were swaying half-heartedly on the stage as a few men watched or stared into their drinks.

Mateo had stopped watching the ladies a couple of hours ago as he'd spotted a TV set up behind the bar. On it played a ten-minute loop, playing over and over, of a woman who danced like no one he'd ever seen before. She moved like... music. There was an almost unearthly beauty to it.

He'd had maybe a little too much to drink, but he needed to deaden the pain of his injuries and to salve his hurt pride. That little bastard of his threw some mean punches. He'd taken his advice, though, and headed out of town. He only stopped at the club on the way out because his face and chest hurt so much, and he needed the drink.

The bartender was moving past, and Mateo waved his hand to get his attention. Another tattooed thug, he scoffed to himself. "Who is the woman on the TV?"

The man glanced over his shoulder then back. "Dorothy Graves. She died in a fire not long ago. Most incredible dancer! DVDs are twenty-five dollars. Two for forty," the man said in his best Russian salesman voice.

Mateo leaned back on his stool. "This is Dorothy?" he whispered in shock. The bartender nodded. "She had a son?"

The bartender's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You know her?"

Mateo stood up and slapped the surface of the bar. "I fucked the bitch and gave her a son." He pointed to his face. "And this is what that hijo de puta does to me! To his father!"

Mateo's steam ran out as quickly as it began, and his eyes returned to the TV screen. Her movements were unreal. He slumped back to his stool, eyes trapped by Dorothy's dancing. The bartender moved away and left him with his thoughts.

A short time later, Mateo became aware of someone sitting down on the stool next to him. He glanced at the large man in annoyance. The stools were all empty except for his, and he had to sit so close?

Then he noticed the man was looking at him with a slight smile. He was older, maybe late sixties? Grey hair cut close to his scalp, powerful arms, and a thick neck. He was just a little overweight, but there was a lot of muscle there, and he noticed scars. Many of them. Tattoos as well.

"So you knew our Dotty?" the man asked quietly.

"Dotty?" Then he recalled Raphael calling her that. "Oh, Dorothy. Yes. But only for one night. One very good night." Mateo smiled, impressed with his cleverness.

"My name is Anton Kirov. I am owner of this establishment." He gestured around.

Mateo looked back over his shoulder and saw the dancers were gone. The few other patrons were gone as well. There was a big ugly man over by the door, and that was it. Looking forward, he saw even the bartender was gone.

"You say Dotty's son did this to your face? Why would he do such a thing?" Kirov asked with a surprised tone.

Mateo's instincts were telling him something was up, but the hurt to his pride was stronger. "The bastard said I killed her!"

Kirov's eyebrows rose. "You set fire?"

"What? No! He said she fell in love with me after our one night of fucking and died of a broken heart or something equally stupid!" Mateo growled in annoyance, then his temper flared. "He told me to leave and never come back. He spat at my feet!" He sat on his stool facing the TV again, watching the angel dance, and a sudden longing shot through him. He wondered what it would've been like if he'd stayed.

Kirov's heavy fist struck Mateo's throat, crushing his windpipe and knocking him backward off his stool to hit the floor. He lay there, looking up in shock as two grim faces moved to look down at him. He couldn't breathe or talk, but he could hear.

"Put him in trunk and crush his car. It will go with rest of scrap." Kirov said to the other man, who just nodded. Then the huge man bent down to look into his eyes, which were beginning to fade.

"You are leaving. You won't be back. Raphael's wishes. Anton's way."

Chapter 24

Sam was separating the laundry before putting it into the laundry room washers at their apartment building. Raphael had advised her to bring a book as she'd have to keep an eye on the laundry and the machines. She'd seen someone try to hijack a washer she was using, so she was extra vigilant now. It was just one of the new elements of their life together in the big city. She smiled to herself as she really didn't mind this little thing when she weighed it against being here with him.

The building was mostly younger people who'd been moving in over the last month to get ready for the next semester of university. She and Raph had been here for a couple of months. He worked at the meatpacking plant and made good money while he took prep courses for med school. Sam was looking forward to beginning her classes as well.

She heard laughter as a group entered the laundry room with bags over their shoulders. She smiled at the two young women who may have been her age or a year older and the three equally young men. There was a good mix of races in the group, something Sam was still getting used to, having grown up in such a homogenous and limited environment.

"Who have we here?" one of the men said with a bold smile.

Sam recognized his cocky expression as she'd seen it on Victor's face so often. She pushed that memory aside and smiled at him. He was tall and fit, with blue eyes and a strong chin, and wore his mane of shiny blonde hair like some kind of rock star.

"I'm not giving my name to a stranger. Who are you?" she returned. The girls laughed as she put him in his place instead of succumbing to his roguish charms.

He grinned as if he enjoyed the challenge, but Sam could now recognize the signs of his being put off his game. Yet, he rallied. "You happen to be in the presence of Lucas Klausen. Soon to be this city's greatest investment manager!" The boldness was back two-fold, and Sam saw that even his female friends were a little impressed by his confidence. His male friends were just shaking their heads and getting on with the business of doing their laundry.

Sam knew what true confidence looked like. It was friendly but quiet. It was calm and gentle. And it didn't need to gather an audience. She smiled at him, nonetheless.

"So, you're enrolled in the university then?" she asked and glanced at the wall clock. She had dinner in the old oven in their apartment. She still had time.