Raif

For those who have read Secrets, you know the story is told from Leah’s POV. This page is dedicated to telling the beginning of the story from an array of characters…

~ Raif ~

Raif crouched between the lush, fragrant rose bushes and watched as David’s truck drove away. Not even the throne pulling harshly at his shiny blond hair could dampen the feeling of excitement raging through him. Raif was as ready to get David out of his life as Donovan was to get out of town.

David had been a throne in his side since he came to Serenity twenty-three years ago. Thanks to Judith, he’d become a permanent fixture while Raif had been busy in New York setting up a construction company for Donovan. Why a tantalizing woman like Judith wanted such a depressing man to be part of her life was beyond him. All the man ever did was brood and work.

He’d worked some much in fact, Donovan no longer trusted Raif to handle any of his financial affairs. Sure David was brilliant, but that didn’t mean he had to control every economic aspect of Donovan’s life. His total involvement in every venture Donovan invested in and Raif’s exclusion from it had become the main point of content between them.

Besides work, Donovan made it a point over the years to keep him close. He assured Raif it was only because he needed to retain David’s complete trust. Until a few nights ago he’d harbored serious doubts. Trust was overrated and no amount of butt kissing was worth what Donovan had been doing all these years.

Or so he thought.

All was explained the night Donovan finally came clean. David’s half-breed daughter was to serve as payment for the years her father had been in Donovan’s keep. With a mother like hers, Donovan knew she would grow up pure, capable and loving. He also knew she’d be completely ignorant to what she was. Once his plan was set in motion she’d need a savior. Donovan stood ready to be just that.

“Good riddance,” he mumbled as the taillights faded from view.

He emerged from his hiding place to find Judith. He knew getting Michael to listen wouldn’t be hard. Not many can resist a chance to humor the younger generations. Especially when the one listening made the one talking.

There was no doubt in Donovan’s or Raif’s mind that Michael would be able to ignore such a rare creature. Raif’s part was to keep Michael thinking he’d turned his back on Donovan, do whatever Michael asked until the girl was safely behind the doors of Serenity.

Time away from home was worth it if Donovan got what he wanted. David disappeared. And he would finally be able to claim Judith as his own.

Character from Secrets, Book One of the Serenity Series.