THOMAS
He scrolls through his phone to pass the time while waiting for Melina to return. She stepped out to get him some food as he hated the hospital food. Thomas couldn’t believe she forgave him for everything he did. He really thought she would never forgive him and would always blame him for all her sorrows. He is truly happy she did and intends to spend the rest of their lives making sure she never regrets it.
The door swings open, and Thomas lifts his head up from his phone, shocked but happy that Melina is already back. The smile on his face quickly changes into a frown when he sees it isn’t Melina.
The unwanted guest causally strolls into his room like he owns the place and walks to stand at the foot of Thomas’ bed. Thomas quickly replaces his phone with the gun his father put under his pillow a few hours ago and points it at Rafael.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Thomas asks, growling at him.
“Don’t worry. You don’t have to be on guard. I’ll never kill a bedridden man.” Rafael says, pushing the gun away from his chest area. “It has no honor.” He moves away from the bed and walks to the couch in the room. He unbuttons his Saint Laurent suit jacket and takes his seat, crossing his legs.
“That’s why I’m fucking asking you. What you’re doing here?” Thomas knows Rafael like the back of his hand at this point. The idiot passed up the chance to use a gun to kill him and chose to use his bare hands. Thomas knows he is here for something else other than his life.
“I’ve come to put an end to our fighting,” Rafael says, pulling a cigarette from his breast pocket and lighting it.
“Let me guess; I won’t like what you’ll say next.”
“It depends.”
“What’s the take?” Thomas would gladly take up the chance to avoid a full-on war. The cost of it is far too high to bear.
“Francesca,” Rafael replies after taking a drag.
“Melina’s sister?” Thomas asks, his brows furrowing in confusion.
“Yes, I want her handed over to me. I’ll give your family back New York City and end my obsession to ruin you and your family.”
“Did you smoke some pot before you came?” he asks, looking at Rafael in disbelief. Thomas couldn’t believe he even had the guts to ask him that.
“I’m not playing you, bastard,” Rafael says, uncrossing his legs and stomping his feet on the ground. He flings his cigarette in the process.
“Why?”
“Why is none of your fucking business,” Rafael barks at Thomas.
“Whatever your reason is, it doesn’t even fucking matter. I’m not giving her to you.” The cost of a full-on war is a lot, but it wasn’t worth giving Franky over to Rafael.
“Why? I’m fucking putting everything on the line right now,” Rafael says, jolting from the couch, looking enraged with Thomas’ refusal.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Thomas asks, noticing how on edge Rafael is about wanting Franky. It doesn’t even make sense to him why the fucker wants her, and now he is acting all weird, going crazy about wanting her.
“What’s wrong with me is none of your fucking business. Now tell me why you won’t fucking hand her over.”
“For starters, she’s a fucking human being, not an object you buy off the market.”
“You don’t think I know that,” Rafael yells. Thomas is taken aback by his rage. What the fuck is wrong with him?
“I don’t think you do because if you do, you won’t be fucking asking me to hand her over.” “Secondly, she is Melina’s sister. I’m not fucking doing that to her. I’ll rather go to war with you.”
“James is alive,” Rafael says.
“What!”
“He survived the gunshot, and I’m willing to hand him over for her.”
“The bastard survived,” Thomas says, clenching his fists. He couldn’t believe the fucker wasn’t dead.
“Yes, and I know how much you’d love to finish the job.”
“You couldn’t even imagine,” Thomas says, picturing how he’ll torture James and make him feel ten times worse than he did to Melina, as he promised.
“Hand Franky over.”
“No!” Thomas wishes to kill James slowly, but the price is too much.
“Thomas,” Rafael growls, glaring at him.
“I am…”
“I’ll come with you,” someone says out of nowhere, cutting Thomas short. Both men turn to the door and see Franky standing by it.
“Franky,” Rafael says, approaching her, but she stops him by raising her finger.
“Don’t you dare,” Franky says, glaring at Rafael. Rafael halts in his steps and rubs his palm across his face. Thomas is shocked to the bone. He couldn’t believe his eyes. What the hell happened while Franky was kidnapped?
“Thomas, you don’t have to decide for me. I’m willing to go with Rafael but… not now.”
“What?” Thomas says, shocked.
“When?” Rafael asks.
“Once I find the courage to tell my sister that you have become obsessed with me and would stop at nothing to have me by your side.”
“No,” Thomas argues, but they continue to ignore him.
“Fine, but if you take a lot of time, I’ll come for you myself,” Rafael promises.
“No problem, and also keep your end of the bargain. Once I come to you, leave the Costanzo family alone but hand James over now.”
“Sure,”
“Are the both of you listening? I said no,” Thomas snaps at them.
“Good, please leave; I would like to speak to Thomas alone.”
“Sure, I’ll be waiting, my little firecracker,” Rafael says, kissing her cheeks before walking out. Franky doesn’t show disgust as his lips touch her skin. Thomas was confused as hell how that’s possible.
“Why the fuck did you just do that?” Thomas asks once Rafael is out of the room.
“It’s the least I could do after everything that has happened.”
“We don’t need you to sacrifice yourself for my family. We can afford to go to war with Rafael.”
“I know, but Rafael is obsessed with me and will come for me regardless. Why not get something out of it?”
“How the fuck did he even become obsessed with you?” Thomas didn’t understand.
“It’s a long story, but that’s that. Please don’t tell Melina.”
“The hell I won’t. She’s going to blame herself, and your sister already has enough guilt she’s healing from.”
“I know, thank you, Thomas.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing. Rafael is a man of his word, Franky. He’ll come for you if you don’t go to him.”
“I do, trust me. It’s better this way.”
“Alright.”