Page 140 of In Love and Revenge

‘Wow! How did you get all of this so fast?’

Rafael jots something down on another Post-it and reaches over the table, slamming it on to a piece of paper. ‘I couldn’t sleep,’ he grumbles.

I run my fingers up his bicep, loving the strength that ripples in the muscle as it flexes beneath my hand like he can’t stop his body reacting to my touch.

‘Come back to bed. You’ve got work in a few hours.’

‘I’m taking the day off.’ His brow is set in a deep frown of concentration as he surveys the papers.

My heart soars at the determination on his face. ‘To work on this?’

He turns his head, pressing a kiss to my temple, but doesn’t answer.

‘Rafael?’ I urge.

He keeps working, so I snake my hand up to his cheek and turn his head to face me. His eyes are bloodshot, and he looks like he hasn’t slept for a week, let alone one night.

‘Come back to bed,’ I whisper. ‘You need to rest.’

He sighs, looking into my eyes with an adoration that makes warmth blanket my chest.

‘Aurora, you haven’t rested since your father was convicted. And I’m not going to rest now that I know he’s innocent.’

‘You’re doing this for me?’

‘Yes ... And because it’s the right thing to do.’ He turns away again.

I can’t help it, I break into a wide smile. ‘And to think we used to hate one another. And you thought he took your money,’ I tease.

He keeps scowling at the papers like they hold the answer, if he can only find it.

‘Rafael? Did you hear what I said?’

‘I heard,’ he clips.

I roll my eyes. I love that he’s doing this, but I don’t want to see him make himself ill by not taking a break for an hour or two.

‘You say it like it amuses you,’ he adds, his attention still fixed on the tabletop.

‘That we hated each other, and now we’re ...’ I snuggle into his bicep with a soft sigh as the heat of his skin warms me.

‘And now I’m in love with you and dreaming of the day you’re my wife and the mother of our children and share every penny I have to my name?’ he finishes.

‘What?’ My voice clogs my throat.

Rafael looks at me from beneath lowered brows. ‘What’s wrong?’ His expression morphs into worry as he scans my face.

‘Um ... nothing. You sound very sure, that’s all.’

‘I am sure. I love you,’ he replies seriously. ‘What else could I possibly need to be surer? I want to marry you, Aurora. But first, we’re going to get your father out.’

‘We are?’ Hope lifts my voice at how confident he sounds.

His eyes flick back to the paperwork and a muscle clenches in his jaw. ‘My wife is going to dance with her father on her wedding day.’

I blink at him, unable to speak from the emotion bubbling in my throat. For months no one except Dove has believed me. And now, not only does Rafael believe me, but he’s making it his mission to help me.

He isn’t going to stop until my father is free.