A Healing Heart - 13. Chapter 13

13

Talin drove to Raphael’s too fast. The fear that had crippled him before now raged inside him. It fanned a deep raging fire, one that wanted truth, if nothing else. Gabriel was dead. He couldn’t change that.

However, he mourned the loss of his sweet Gabriel who’d done so much for him. If he was to die, then he wanted the truth for why he’d had to watch Gabriel bleed out to death.

Talin gripped the steering wheel tight. He stared at his hands wondering how far Vlad’s poison had gone. How quickly was it racing through his body? How much damage had it done already?

Dimitri would mourn him after all. A soft sigh escaped when he remembered his promise on the Anastasia not to mourn Dimitri. He hadn’t counted on Dimitri being the one to mourn him.

But—Dimitri wouldn’t mourn him for long, he decided swallowing hard.

At least they had managed not to jump too deep in to their relationship. Dimitri would hurt…for a while, then it would go away as it should. Then Dimitri would find another, live happily. That thought pained him.

Talin swallowed hard and nodded to himself. He’d done the right thing walking away from Dimitri.

Driving into Raphael’s property, his thoughts returned to Vlad’s comments about Gabriel’s death. Her words had surprised him, but Raphael’s panicked expression had shocked him more. One look and he’d known Raphael was hiding something from him.

All this time, Talin thought as he parked Katerina’s car carelessly.

He ran up the steps to the front door and flung it open without ringing the doorbell. He found Raphael in the living room talking to two of the men he’d come with to Kat’s restaurant.

When they saw Talin, both men excused themselves and left quickly.

“Why aren’t you with Dimitri?” Raphael asked him with a casual glance. He sipped wine from a glass on the coffee table, as though Talin’s presence were an afterthought. “Life is short, Talin—

“I don’t need advice from you,” Talin said barely able to restrain his rage. “What do you know about Gabriel’s death?”

“The same things you do,” Raphael said.

He sat back in the armchair, his gaze on Talin.

“We’ve been over this a million times. The police caught Gabriel’s killer and he got what he deserved when he was stabbed in prison. What more do you want, Talin?”

“Tell me what Vlad meant, or I’ll go find her,” Talin said. “You know I will.””

“Damn it, Talin,” Raphael glared at him. “One minute, I’d like you to take one minute in your life to consider how difficult this is for me. It’s annoying watching you live like a commoner when Gabriel spent his life creating an empire for you. It drives me insane when you get like this. Don’t you think it’s enough knowing how Gabriel died? Why do you need to know why?”

“I want you to tell me the truth,” Talin said quietly.

Raphael stared at him.

When he didn’t speak, Talin wiped a hand down his face with a sigh.

“I’ll forgive you,” Talin said. “Whatever it is you did, I’ll forgive you.”

“You, forgive, me.”

Raphael scoffed and got up, his leg grazing the coffee table, the resulting tremors shaking his wine glass.

“Who do you think you are to say that to me?”

Raphael’s green eyes, so familiar, yet not…there was anger deep inside.

Why had he never seen that? Talin wondered.

“Raphael,” he started.

“Don’t!” Raphael hissed. “You piss me off. The sacrifices my brother made for you, what do they matter now? He’s dead, and you stand here accusing me with your eyes. He was my brother first, Talin, before he became your lover.”

Talin stood still, not saying a word. Raphael seemed caught on the edge of a storm.

When Raphael cursed and paced the length of the coffee table between them, Talin spoke in a gentle tone.

“Tell me what’s going on?”

“I’m doing my best to keep you alive, that’s what. It’s what Gabriel would have wanted,” Raphael said. “Yet, here you are, stubborn as ever. Are you really going to let Vlad poison you?”

“We’re not here to talk about me. What else is going on, Rafa? Why does Vlad say you know why Gabe died?” Talin asked.

Raphael held his gaze for a moment, then he looked away with a soft curse.

“Gabriel worked at making sure you never found out the truth.” Raphael shrugged. “Perhaps, it’s time, and we’ve all been trying to delay the inevitable.”

At the mention of Gabriel, Talin crossed his arms against his chest, suddenly afraid of what Raphael might say.

“We don’t have a fancy name for our club,” Raphael confessed with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, “there’s Bratva, Triad, Yakuza or whatever.”

Raphael scoffed.

“We’re just family,” Raphael said. “I always thought naming a criminal organization was a tad self-centered, and so fucking obvious.”

“Explain better,” Talin said, his legs turning rubbery.

“We, the Yun Family, we work on the wrong side of the law, Talin,” Raphael stated. “We have been for generations. Have you never wondered why Gabriel would leave Pan Limited to you?”

“I thought he forgot to update his will,” Talin said in a whisper. “Gabriel was—

“Part of the family,” Raphael said.

“No.” Talin shook his head. He’d known everything about Gabriel. Every micro-expression the man had made. “No.”

“Talin,” Raphael moved around the coffee table, coming to place his hands on Talin’s shoulders. “Think back. Did you ever meet our parents?”

Talin met green eyes, so similar to the ones he’d loved. He shook his head.

“No.”

Gabriel had always pushed it back when he’d offered to even travel with him to see them.

“We never got around to it,” Talin said now. “We were always too busy.”

“Don’t you think it odd parents would leave their two children to a butler in a foreign country?”

Talin frowned. He closed his eyes, because he’d once pressed Gabriel for an explanation and gotten a shrug.

“Gabriel said your parents were too busy with work. They couldn’t come to the US.”

Raphael let go of him, and stepped back.

“Excuses,” Raphael said. “Our parents couldn’t come, they worried someone would harm their precious heirs. So we were kept safe until we turned eighteen. Gabriel and me, we were both meant to return to our family home when we were off age. Gabriel chose Cornell because of you.”

“But you didn’t,” Talin said remembering that Raphael hadn’t come along with them to Ithaca. “You stayed in Manhattan.”

“That’s what Gabriel wanted you to think,” Raphael said with a smile. “I didn’t stay, I chose the family business, Talin.”

Talin took in a deep breath.

“What is the family business?” he asked afraid of the answer.

Raphael smiled. “Nothing as bad as what Vlad is plotting away in her lair.”

“What is it?”

“We’re into shipping. We don’t discriminate on the type of merchandise. We don’t care who we’re working with. As a result, we’ve ended up with an impressive list of unsavory business partners that the law would arrest us for.”

“And Gabriel knew all this?” Talin asked, staring at Raphael. “Of course, he knew…”

“Talin,” Raphael said. “He loved you to the point that I thought I’d lost my twin to you. He never wanted what our family does to touch you.”

Talin thought he heard bitterness ring in Raphael’s voice and it shook him to the core.

Talin stepped back, his knees weak, he sank into the nearest armchair.

“Gabriel’s death—

“Was a mistake,” Raphael said, turning away from him. “The deal Ilia brought to Pan Limited was a small part. Vlad wanted an alliance with our family. They asked Ilia to reach out to Gabriel through Pan, thinking it would smooth the way into a partnership.”

“And so?” Talin asked. “You wouldn’t have agreed—

“I wanted the deal,” Raphael said with a sigh. “Vlad had power, and friends I wanted, but our father didn’t want the deal. He said we were doing fine without adding on trouble like Petrov. I asked Gabriel to back me in the decision, but he wouldn’t. He agreed with father. As for the Pan Limited deal, he wanted to hear what you had to say…”

Talin frowned. “What did what I have to say have to do with it?”

“Gabriel ran all major decisions he ever made for Pan Limited through you,” Raphael said as though it was common knowledge.

Talin felt the hollow in his chest grow. Gabriel had come to him with loads of questions every time he wanted to make a major change. Talin had thought Gabriel wanted to include him so that he didn’t feel left out.

“Pan Limited was yours from the start,” Raphael said. “Never mine or Gabriel’s though he ran it. He said it was the one good thing he created in his life, and it had come from you. That poor bastard,” Raphael cursed under his breath. “We argued the day before he went to meet Ilia. I was livid with him. So that evening; I went out and got drunk. I bitched about my brother to a bunch of friends at the bar. I didn’t know what I was saying.”

“And?” Talin asked.

“The next thing I know, Lucian Pajari is calling me to warn me that Gabriel’s life is in danger.”

“What?”

“Someone from Vlad’s camp was in the club with me. They took my ranting seriously, and thought if they removed Gabriel, the deal would go through.”

“You!” Talin got up. “What did you say that would make someone think you want Gabriel dead? He was your brother, Raphael. Your twin.”

“I know that better than you,” Raphael said. “I know—

“No, you don’t,” Talin said kicking the glass coffee table. He sent the wine glass flying to the marble floor, the glass shattered. “You don’t know anything. Gabriel was my life. He might have been your brother, but he was my husband. You took him away from me.”

“Talin.”

“Why didn’t you save him? If Lucian warned you, why didn’t you save him?”

“I called Gabriel,” Raphael said. “I did Talin, but I was too late. The hit man was already at your house.”

“You bastard,” Talin ran a hand through his hair.

What was he supposed to do with this?

Good God, what was he supposed to do with this?

He’d wanted it to be Petrov. He’d wanted it to be Vlad, and then he could shoot her without remorse. But Raphael….Gabriel’s beloved twin…he closed his eyes, tears tracking down his cheeks.

“Talin.”

“Don’t,” Talin shook his head. “I—that is why you didn’t want me finding out who’d hired that man. The man who was put in jail for Gabriel’s murder, he wouldn’t talk to me. You warned him not to talk to me, didn’t you? Did you have him killed?”

Raphael looked away and Talin felt a knife twist in his chest.

“Finding out who killed Gabriel, would have meant you discover about us. Gabriel never wanted the Yun Family business to touch you. I did what I needed to do.”

“So, you lied to me.”

“What would you have done?” Raphael asked. “If you’d found out the truth then, what would you have done? You were fucked up, Talin. You couldn’t even function—

Talin wasn’t aware of having reached Raphael. He swung his fist with all his might, punching Raphael’s left jaw. When once wasn’t enough to purge his rage, he punched him again, and then again. With strength he didn’t realize he had, he pushed Raphael to the floor, and lost his mind.

***

“Better for both of us,” Dimitri scoffed.

Talin was dreaming if he thought that would get Dimitri to stop caring.

The punk, Dimitri cursed under his breath and increased speed. He’d driven Katerina home. Driving too fast for her taste, she’d let him know it too. He’d ignored her protests, and the moment she alighted at the marina, he took off already tracking Talin’s phone. His paranoia was paying off, he thought. Sean had shown him how to install a tracking app on Talin’s phone. He hadn’t thought he’d ever use it.

Dimitri glared at the map on his phone and wondered what Talin was doing out in the elite suburbs of Colston. He’d thought Talin would drive back to the club. At least there, they could fight without anyone interrupting. Gods, he wanted a good fight with Talin.

How dare he walk away?

Hadn’t they promised not to mourn each other?

How could Talin accept his death without a single protest?

He still couldn’t breath right at the thought of Talin poisoned.

Dimitri turned into the Seven Hills area weaving through traffic like a maniac. He worried that Talin might decide he had nothing to lose.

What had Raphael said?

Talin was not as strong as he pretends to be.

Dimitri slowed down when he reached an expensive looking residential area. He turned on to a Maybelle Drive driving past a high black gate that loomed in the night. His gaze returned to the gps app on his phone. Talin’s phone was one minute drive away. He kept going to the end of the street and stopped before a white tall gate. Dimitri frowned when three men appeared from the shadows and stood in front of his car.

They looked like guards. He didn’t like the guns they held. One of them stepped up to the driver’s side and knocked on his window. He let out a soft sigh, and lowered the window.

“Wrong gate,” the man said without asking for his name. “Please turn back.”

“I’m looking for Talin Sato,” Dimitri stated, thinking this was Raphael’s residence. “Do you want me to call Raphael to confirm?”

“Yes,” the man said without blinking an eye.

Dimitri reached for his cell phone, hoping to change the guard’s mind. He didn’t have Raphael’s number. He scowled at the man, his finger hovering over the screen. The guard didn’t flinch, waiting for him to make the call.

Damn it, what happened to being scared of talking to the boss enough to open the gate?

The guard’s radio crackled with static, and he reached for it. He moved away talking quietly and a moment later the gates opened.

“You’re cleared,” the guard said, turning to him.

Dimitri dumped his phone on the passenger seat and drove in before they changed their minds. Someone was watching the surveillance cameras.

He found Katerina’s car packed outside a huge three-story house. All the lights in the house seemed on as though the owner didn’t worry about power bills. Dimitri got out of his car and stopped by Katerina’s car. Opening the driver’s side, he reached in and got the keys Talin had left in the ignition.

Slipping them into his pocket, he slammed the door closed and turned to the mammoth house. Raphael’s style was a tad too modern for him. Walking up the steps to the front door, he expected a guard to stop him, but no one appeared.

Dimitri opened the glass door and walked into a lavish hallway that flowed into an equally opulent living room. Beyond that there was a staircase, and a corridor.

How the hell was he going to find Talin in here?

“Untie me,” Talin’s angry voice reached him.

Dimitri entered the living room and stopped short.

Talin sat in a straight-back chair, his arms tied with duct tape behind him.

Raphael held a white towel packed with ice to his jaw. He paced around the chair like an angry lion. His left eye was swollen.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Dimitri demanded.

“So glad you could make it,” Raphael said glancing at him. “Take your boyfriend and get off my property.”

“I’m not leaving with him,” Talin stated. “You’re not kicking me out of here. I own the house.”

“So what?’ Raphael asked, stopping to glare at Talin. “You don’t care what happens to me, or Pan Limited. You just want to die. Isn’t that right? Go back to your club, Talin. Bury your head in the sand like the coward you are.”

“Untie me.” Talin struggled tugging at his arms, and Dimitri had had enough.

No one tied up Talin.

Dimitri pushed Raphael out of the way, and got to work on freeing Talin. Talin’s fingers were bruised, there was blood on his knuckles. He glanced at Raphael.

“What’s happening here?” he asked, slowly pulling off the tape when he reached Talin’s skin.

“Raphael killed Gabriel,” Talin said, his tone dripping with anger, but Dimitri heard the grief lacing those words. “He killed him, Dimitri.”

“I did not,” Raphael stated. “He doesn’t want to see who the bad guy is here.”

“Bad guy? Is that how you want to put it?” Talin winced when Dimitri tugged off the last of the tape from his wrists. He lunged to his feet, and Dimitri had to move fast, grabbing Talin’s left arm as he tried to reach Raphael.

Dimitri wrapped an arm around Talin’s waist.

“Baby, calm down.”

“I don’t need to calm down.” Talin met Dimitri’s gaze at last. “He killed him. Gabriel is dead because of Raphael. Can you even believe such a thing?”

Dimitri wiped the tear streaks on Talin’s cheeks.

“I’m sorry.”

“Sorry doesn’t change anything. You have a gun, don’t you?” Talin asked his tone too serious for Dimitri’s comfort. “Give it to me.”

“No.”

“Give it to me,” Talin said, his hands coming to Dimitri’s waist, his fingers searching his waistband. Dimitri was glad he had left his gun in his car.

“No. You’re not yourself right now, Talin.”

Talin pushed against his chest, meaning to move him, but Dimitri stood firm.

“Do you care about me?” Talin asked him then.

“You know I do. I’m pissed at you for leaving me the way you did at the restaurant. How can you say we’re over?”

Talin closed his eyes.

“If you care for me, even a small part, you’ll shoot Raphael for me.”

“Jeez, Talin,” Raphael said behind Dimitri. “You want me dead?”

“You should have been the one who died,” Talin shot back, looking over Dimitri’s shoulder to glare at Raphael. “You should have been the one we buried, and not Gabriel. You should have been—

Dimitri wrapped tight arms around Talin, and held him. He sank his fingers into Talin’s hair and rocked him. Talin stood stiff, but then he sagged against Dimitri and a harsh sob escaped. Talin buried his face into Dimitri’s shoulder, and cried.

***