The tension in his body, like he was still ready for a fight. The exhaustion in his face, the slight edge of vulnerability he never let anyone else see.
And the way his eyes held on to me like I was more important than whatever hell he’d just walked through.
My anger disappeared completely and I forced myself to listen, to process his words more carefully.
“Was it bad?” I asked, softer now. Cautious.
He nodded once. “Avery played smug. But he’s scared. He knows what’s coming for him.”
I exhaled, slow and shaky. “Good.”
The weight in my chest didn’t vanish, but it shifted. Became something different and lighter.
He’s back. He’s safe.And honestly, that was all that mattered.
Rafael stepped closer. Close enough I could feel the warmth of him. “You’re pissed.”
“I was,” I admitted. “Still am… a little. But more than that?” My throat tightened. “I’m scared.”
His brows furrowed. “Scared?”
I reached out without thinking, fisting a hand in the front of his hoodie.
“Scared that you wouldn’t come back. That something would happen to you, and I wouldn’t know. That I’d never get to see you walk through that door again,” I told him.
He didn’t say anything. Not with words.
He stepped in and cupped the back of my neck with a hand that trembled, just barely. And then he kissed me. I gave in, savoring the familiar taste of him.
It wasn’t desperate, wasn’t wild. Just real. A little rough. A little shaky. Like he didn’t quite trust himself but couldn’t not touch me.
How could I continue to stay mad at my grumpy bear?
I melted into him, arms wrapping around his solid waist, my chest pressed to his like I could hide there.
His other hand slipped beneath my shirt, warm fingers tracing the dip of my spine, grounding me in the way only he could.
“I hate how much I missed you today,” I whispered into the crook of his neck.
His breath hitched, and a low growl rumbled in his chest. He pressed his forehead to mine.
“I know. I missed you too,” Rafael said.
His lips found mine again, hotter this time. More urgent. My fingers curled into the fabric of his hoodie, tugging him closer, until I could feel the hard lines of him everywhere.
The muscles under my palms. The heat of his mouth, his breath, his need.
We kissed like we were both trying to make up for lost time. My back hit the wall behind the counter, his hands braced on either side of me.
I moaned into his mouth, my wolf rising beneath my skin like a flame licking toward oxygen.
“I should be mad,” I murmured, “but all I want right now is you.”
His hand cupped my jaw, thumb brushing along the curve of my cheek. His touch was warm, grounding, reverent.
“I’ll make it up to you,” he said, voice thick with promise.
“Okay,” I breathed, already leaning into him, already wanting more.
