Page 132 of In Love and Revenge

Rafael grimaces. ‘Angelo’s relationship with him is worse than mine.’

He falls quiet and his gaze drops to my hand, still resting over his heart. I hold his eyes and dip my head, sliding my hand away and placing a soft kiss over the red, healed skin. He sucks in a sharp breath, and I lift my lips from his chest to gaze up at him.

‘I’m sorry, I won’t—’

‘Do it again.’ His voice is thick like it’s an effort to speak. ‘Please.’

I place my lips over his scar again and kiss it gently. He watches me as I carefully pepper tender kisses down to where it ends, then back up again.

‘Beauty,’ he whispers.

His hand tangles in my hair, and he strokes it back from my face, studying me as I kiss up and down his skin again. The way he’s looking at me has me pressing my thighs together. His eyes are intense, darkened with a mix of gratitude, awe, and desire.

‘If I’m going to get into a fight over a woman ... Then she won’t be just anyone. She’ll be ... mine.’

That’s what he said once, the first time he ever came to my flat. And that’s exactly what he did tonight when he punched that guy. He risked his own safety for me.

It’s time I risked mine for him.

‘I love you.’

His eyes widen as the softly whispered words leave my mouth, like he never expected to ever hear them from me.

‘I’m at the bottom of the cliff too. You don’t have to look up to see me. I’m right beside you.’

‘You are?’ He searches my eyes. And I see the exact moment my confession sinks in and he allows himself to believe it. ‘But you can’t, you—’

‘I do,’ I say, pulling him to me for a kiss.

He hesitates, but as I slide my tongue past his lips he swoops on me, kissing me back until I’m panting. My dress is lifted over my head, and my bra and panties are slid off within seconds. I don’t know whose hands are doing what any more. We’re a tangle of limbs, touching, stroking, caressing.

‘Tell me again,’ he urges, his brow knotted as if he’s confused as I lie on the bed and he climbs up over me.

My thighs part around his hips on instinct, allowing him to bring his body flush to mine.

‘Tell me again, Aurora,’ he pleads, his tone filled with a desperate need.

‘I love you,’ I say as he slides inside me.

‘Again,’ he begs.

‘I love you,’ I gasp, submitting to the delicious feeling of having him so close and deep.

‘Again.’

I hold his eyes as he moves in and out of me with aching slowness, every cell in my body vibrating with golden energy.

‘I love you, Rafael Francis Fairfax.’

He groans. ‘You remember that?’

‘I do.’ I bite my lip in a smile as he pulls almost all of the way out, then slides back deep inside me where he belongs.

My eyes roll and I whimper beneath him.

‘Aurora?’

‘Yes,’ I answer breathlessly as he keeps his pace, moving inside me with perfect strokes.