Page 32 of Bellona

Rafael pulled out of her and flipped her on her back. "I want to see your face as you come for me again." Her golden skin was flushed and shining with a layer of sweat, making her glow. Her eyes were heavy with lust, and her lips so flush and wet. Gorgeous. "Yeah, that's what I need to see."

He dragged her legs around him, holding her high, and pounded back into her. Her breasts bounced, and he palmed one, teasing her pink nipple, making it flush brighter. He stroked her clit, not slowing his pace as he slammed to her limit over and over. "Come for me, bella mia. I need to see you break for me."

Bellona groaned, golden light flickering under her skin, making her scars glow. "I break for no one."

Rafael only laughed breathlessly and then proved her very wrong. She was elemental as she came again, her whole body moving with a sensuality that had him following her over the edge.

He kissed her over and over, covering her in words of worship that he couldn't hold back. She was his goddess, and he was feeling more possessive than he ever had in his life. Maybe her divine blessing made him feel this obsessed with her? He didn't care as long as she was beside him.

Bellona pulled him down on top of her, her arms and legs snaking around him and holding him tight. Rafael rested his head on the groove between her neck and shoulder.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly, a little worried that she was still lost in whatever her battle rage did to her.

Bellona kissed the top of his head and whispered, "I am now."

18

Bellona stroked Rafael's soft hair until she could think straight again. Every part of her was touching him, and it was better than a weighted blanket because it silenced all the roaring inside of her. She waited until he was sleeping deeply before slipping out from underneath him and going upstairs to shower and change.

Bellona had taken down every trigger-happy bounty hunter she could find around Tirone's mansion, following some back to their dens and finishing them off there. One thing she knew for sure—there would be more.

She had taken Rafael to Tirone's that day against her better judgment, but she wouldn't be so foolish again. Bellona checked that Rafael was still sleeping before kissing him softly. He didn't wake, just smiled in his sleep. She would do dangerous things for that smile. And she was definitely about to.

Bellona ducked out of the apartment and knocked on Set's door. She had bought out the entire level of the building for safety reasons, and having a spare apartment for friends wasn't a bad thing.

Set answered the door with a grin. "Ah, you're back in there. How was the hunt?"

One thing Bellona loved about Set was that he never judged her when she lost control. He just acted like she had ducked out for a while. It helped that he suffered the same battle rage and could understand what it did to her.

"Hunt was fine. The bounty on Rafael has gone up, and Rita wanted to take out Tirone because he'd used up his usefulness," Bellona replied, stepping into the apartment. "She will go after his other partner, Cino, next unless he's got something she wants. I know there will be bounty hunters closing in on him, waiting to see if Rafael visits."

"What makes you so sure?" Set asked, sitting on the arm of the lounge chair and crossing his arms.

Bellona sighed. "It's what we would do, isn't it? What's the point of running about a city when we can sit on someone who knows the target?"

"Good point. Where is Rafael on this?"

"He's asleep, which is how I want him to stay." Bellona scrubbed a hand over her face. "I have to go and see Cino, and if I tell him, he will somehow use his powers on me, and I'll let him come with me. They will end up trying to kill him again. Rafael needs to stay here, and I can't let him convince me otherwise."

Set's smile softened in understanding. "Yeah, Ayla can talk me into crazy things too. It's what happens when you're in love with them."

"I'm not..." she began and stopped. "Am I?" Bellona had never been in love before. She didn't know where to start. "Fuck, am I?"

"Yeah, Bells, I think you are. Sorry to break it to you. Don't freak out about it. Forget about it for now," Set said because he could clearly see her starting to panic. "Tell me about your plan."

So Bellona did, and by the end of it, Set was rubbing his stubbled chin with a thoughtful expression.

"It's a good plan, but I agree we need to keep Rafael in the apartment because he'll lose his shit. I'll watch over him for you. He's not going to like it. He was a wreck worrying about you this afternoon."

Bellona sat on the floor and put her head against the wall. "How did I end up with such a tender-hearted man? I will break him with who I am, Set."

"You need to give him a bit more credit than that. He's seen you in full rage multiple times now and hasn't gone anywhere. He's mad about you. Do you realize that? If I had to guess, he has been since you saved him twenty years ago." Set moved and sat down beside her. "You leave an impression, Bells. He's not running, and you're going to have to sort out how you feel about him sooner rather than later."

Bellona flopped her head on her best friend's shoulder. "I already know how I feel about him. I don't want anyone else to have him, and I'm too selfish to let him go for his own good."

"Think you will find he's not interested in being let go. If I can make it work with Ayla, I'm sure you can make it work with Rafael. It's nice to have someone to come home to and who cares about what happens to you," Set replied.

Bellona was silent for a long moment. She admitted softly, "He stops the screaming, Set. It's been there for my whole existence, and for the first time, it's gone."

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