Page 37 of Disciplined: His Forbidden Crush

“Unfair?” Summer choked out, anger bubbling beneath the surface despite the soothing embrace. “Keeping me locked up on my father’s orders is unfair!”

Rafael tightened his hold on Summer, but he didn’t argue.

A part of Summer wanted to lean into the embrace, to let Rafael’s warmth and strength wash away everything else. But another part, bruised and battered, was full of helpless resentment.

“Rafael, I...” Summer began, searching for the right words. They felt just out of reach. He desperately wanted to believe that Rafael cared, that Rafael would have listened. But the lingering sting of this situation and the suffocating grip of his father’s control made it so much harder to trust.

“Shh,” Rafael murmured into Summer’s hair, his breath warm. “The world hasn’t ended.”

To Summer’s mortification, Rafael helped him pull up his jeans, and then folded him in his arms. Summer was both comforted and shamed by the embrace. The tenderness in Rafael’s touch felt like an undeserved salve to his aching body and wounded pride. When Rafael spoke again, his voice was rough.

“I’ll take the money to your friend. If you trust me to,” he said, and Summer’s heart swelled with relief and gratitude.

“Of course I do,” Summer whispered, wiping away tears that threatened to spill over once more. He took out his wallet and produced his bank card, pressing it into Rafael’s palm. “The PIN is six-nine-nine-zero.”

Rafael’s eyes widened in surprise at the sudden show of faith, but he accepted the card with a curt nod. He guided Summer to the couch, easing him onto the soft cushions before running his fingers through Summer’s hair. The gentle strokes seemed to convey a silent apology for the harsh punishment moments earlier—an apology that Summer wasn’t sure he accepted.

“Give me the address,” Rafael demanded, tucking the bank card securely into his pocket. Summer hesitated for only a moment before providing the information, an incredulous hope welling up inside him as he watched Rafael prepare to leave.

“Thank you,” he murmured, his voice breaking with emotion. As Rafael’s gaze met his own, Summer saw a flicker of something that gave him hope.

“Stay put,” Rafael ordered, his voice firm but gentle. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

And he left. Summer curled up on the couch and hoped.

Chapter Fifteen

Rafael drove through the narrow, litter-strewn streets, frowning at the squalor as he searched for a parking spot near the address Summer had given him for his friend’s house. The neighborhood was rough, with graffiti-covered walls and broken windows, the kind of place that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He finally found a spot several blocks away, cursing under his breath at the distance.

“Fuck it,” he muttered to himself, checking the wad of $700 cash in his pocket. His height and fuck-off attitude should be enough to deter any would-be muggers. Still, that familiar itch between his shoulders reminded him of his time in prison, when constant vigilance was required just to survive.

He couldn’t help but reflect on how different his current situation was from being locked up. He’d expected life in Summer’s apartment to feel like another prison sentence, but instead, it was strangely pleasant. Cozy, even. Safer than prison, and he wasn’t locked in.

But Summer was. Rafael had to admit that he’d been depriving Summer of his freedom by keeping him locked up in the apartment. The comparison made him uncomfortable. Wasn’t he just doing to Summer what had been done to him? Was he no better than his captors?

He shook his head, trying to shake off the guilt. But it clung to him, persistent and heavy. For a moment, he almost considered letting Summer go, giving him back the freedom he deserved. But then reality set in—Summer’s father, was the one who called the shots. Rafael didn’t have a choice.

“Can’t fuckin’ change it,” he told himself, squaring his shoulders. “All you can do is live with it.”

It wasn’t his place to question Garcia’s orders or to free Summer. All he could do was try to protect him in whatever way he could, even if it meant keeping him locked away from the world.

He finally reached the apartment building he was looking for, a shabby construction that had seen better days. He climbed the stairs two at a time, wanting this to be over. When he arrived at the correct door, he set his feet square and knocked.

“Who is it?” a woman’s voice said from inside, wary but sharp.

“A friend of Summer’s,” he replied. Best to keep this encounter short.

The door swung open. The woman Summer had called ‘Coco’ was a surprise to Rafael. Her outfit was bold: a tight, red leather minidress that hugged her curves perfectly, showcasing her ample cleavage. Thigh-high black boots with stiletto heels elongated her legs, and her brightly dyed hair cascaded down her shoulders like a waterfall of color. Silver hoop earrings glinted in the dim light, catching Rafael’s eye. She was the epitome of a prepago, an escort dressed for work.

The way she looked at Rafael, clearly he was as much of a shock to her as she was to him. “You’re friends with Summer?” she asked, looking doubtful.

Rafael figured she’d clocked him for a cartel member just as well as he’d clocked her. “He wanted me to give you this.” He handed her the wad of cash, his eyes never leaving hers.

“Seriously?” She looked at the money incredulously, then back at him. “How do you know Summer?”

“Doesn’t matter,” he said dismissively, not wanting to delve into their complicated relationship. “Just take the money and good luck.”

“Wait,” Coco said, grabbing his arm as he turned to leave. “Are you treating Summer right? He’s...special, you know.”

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