Surrender 01 - Surrender

than that. Rafe didn't need them to know one another at all.
    “I just wanted to let you know what happened to Ari, but I need to get back to her now,” Rafe said uncomfortably.
    “You didn’t say what happened. You only told me that she was doing fine after surgery,” Sandra pointed out. Rafe didn’t want to be the one to tell the woman that her daughter had been shot, but he didn’t see a way to get out of it.
    He took a deep breath and explained the shooting incident in the cafeteria. Sandra’s eyes widened, and her pale skin turned even whiter, but she managed to keep herself under control as he explained the events of the day before.
    “It’s a good thing you were there,” she finally said after a long pause.
    “I was the one who insisted she go there in the first place,” he replied guiltily. Self-recrimination ate at him.
    “I’d say that’s a good thing, as well, Mr. Palazzo. My daughter hasn’t been taking the best care of herself lately. I’m grateful you were there and amazed you managed to get her to eat. I’ve been trying to force food into her all weekend. If you’ve known Ari for any length of time, you must know how stubborn she is.”
    Rafe smiled at Sandra. He agreed fully with her on that point — her daughter was beyond stubborn and a downright pain in the ass. It was unfortunate that he enjoyed that quirk in her personality.
    “She certainly is, but I’ve managed to bend her to my will on occasion,” he said with a wink.
    “Hmm. That’s interesting, Mr. Palazzo. Will you keep me updated on how she’s doing until the doctor lets me see her?”
    Rafe shifted in his seat. He wanted to spend as little time as possible with Sandra . For one thing, he found himself enjoying her company, and that wasn’t good. For another, it would be far harder for him to have the type of relationship he wanted with Ari if her mother was involved.
    He’d been taught to respect family, and if he knew Sandra, and then bind her daughter in as his mistress, it would gnaw at him. The situation continued to become more complicated with each passing day. He wished he could cut all ties — he wasn’t ready to do that just yet.
    “I can make sure the nurses keep you informed.”
    “Oh, I’d much rather hear from you personally since you’ll be with my daughter,” she said as she looked at him with hurt eyes.
    Damn it!
    “I’ll keep you informed, Ms. Harlow,” he conceded.
    “Thank you, dear, and you can call me Sandra. We’ll be seeing each other often over the next few days.”
    Rafe looked at her in surprise. There was a spine of steel beneath her weakened body. She was clearly letting him know that he’d better update her more often than he’d been planning.
    “Well then, get some rest, Sandra, and please call me, Rafe,” he said before standing and walking out her door.
    Instead of heading right back to Ari’s room, he stepped outside the hospital and let the cool breeze slap him in the face. What in the hell was he doing? He was starting to get in way too deep.
    What he should do was call his driver and leave right now. It was time to cut ties with Ari and her mother . It was time to hire a new mistress — one with no family — and get his life back to normal. He shook his head as he stood there undecided.
    “Raffaello Palazzo, you are in so much trouble.”
    Rafe groaned as he turned toward his sister, who was tapping her foot and staring at him with fire blazing in her eyes.
    “Hi, Lia. How are you?” he said with resignation.
    “I’m pissed. That’s how I am. I can’t believe you were shot and you didn’t bother to call us!”
    “Mom’s going to have your head on a platter, you know?” Rachel piped in as she walked up and threw her arms around his waist. “We’ve been so worried.”
    “I’m fine,” he promised, feeling guilt consume him .
    “Well, we’d better go find Mom. She’s furious with you,” Rachel warned.
    “Where is she?”
    “In Ari’s room with Dad. That’s where the staff said you’d been all night. When you weren’t there, Lia and I came searching for you, but Mom was sure you’d return, so they waited there. I think she just wanted to be with Ari. She seems to like her.” Rafe didn’t like implication of his sister’s words. He in no way wanted his family trying to turn this arrangement he was planning with Ari into more than it was.
    Rafe’s heart picked up speed as he turned back to the door. He really didn’t want his mom