the foiled plan (WAR OF SINS BOOK 2)

Chapter 3

Rafaelo's POV

It's not like you to drink, Raf," Carlos' voice echoes in my ear as he slides in the seat next to me at the makeshift bar we'd built at the warehouse.

"I screwed up," I admit, taking another swig of vodka.

As soon as I'd concluded my meeting with Cisco, I'd checked again on Noelle to see she was fast asleep. Only then did I dare leave the house, knowing I needed to blow off some steam.

Because as things stand... I messed up. I more than messed up.

"What are you talking about?"

"The plan to take out both Noelle and Michele. It backfired," I take a deep breath.

"What?" He frowns.

The plan had sprung out from a need to prove to myself that Noelle didn't matter to me. That she isn't compromising my focus and my commitment to get revenge.

So I'd reached out to Cisco with the outline, not expecting him to actually agree to it. The plan had been rather simple. I would use Noelle as bait to arrange a private piano recital, hyping it up in select circles by dubbing Noelle one of the prodigies of the modern age. The rumor would go that she is a reclusive pianist and this would be her first appearance in front of a public audience. With Michele's propensity for both grandiosity and classical music, this would be right at home for him and would serve to draw him in the open.

The idea had worked perfectly. As it stands, Michele has already taken the bait. Our last report indicates that he purchased tickets through a third party, with Panchito being able to track the transactions clearly and ascertain that the buyer is, indeed, Michele.

"I don't get what the issue is. Michele's already on board with it," he asks as he pours himself a glass.

"The issue is," I laugh sarcastically, "that I just found out that Noelle is innocent. Entirely innocent."

His eyes widen at my statement, and I quickly go over my findings, including what I'd found out from Cisco.

"Holy shit," he curses, clearly shocked.

"Indeed," I drawl. "So you see, I find myself in a quandary. Cisco doesn't want to cancel the plan, and I don't want to go through with it and risk Noelle's safety."

"If he's threatening you, then the best you can do is make sure she's protected at all times," he adds grimly. "We'll help you with that, and I'm sure Cisco will mobilize his men too. After all, she is his sister."

"Yeah, that doesn't seem to help much where Cisco is concerned," I mutter drily.

"So what now?"

"Now? I don't fucking know," I curse out, taking the bottle and filling the glass to the brim. "Worst of all is that all this time I've been picking on an innocent. Fuck..." I shake my head.

Tipping the glass, I enjoy the burn of the alcohol, the only thing that seems to give me a modicum of peace now.

"Is it only that?"

"What do you mean?"

"I know you, Raf. You wouldn't be here, getting sloshed just because of that. So spill. What else is bothering you?"

"Nothing..." I mumble.

"Raf," he purses his lips. "I'm going to be brutally honest with you, which maybe, I should have been from the beginning."

"What are you talking about?"

"You like her. You like Noelle."

"What..."