AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The woman in front of him had haunted him for over twenty years. He supposed it made sense that she was a goddess because he had never gotten over their encounter. He had tried to date over the years, but every kiss was compared to hers. No one had made him feel the same reckless, giddy rush that her presence created in him.
He had begged his father to tell him who his mysterious rescuer was, but Michele had always claimed he never knew her identity. If Rafael had known whom the white card belonged to, he wouldn't have waited until his life was in danger before calling her. One thing Rafael did know for sure—now that she was in front of him once again, he wouldn't let her get away so easily.
5
Bellona followed Rafael through the house and into the master bedroom. He pulled a leather overnight bag from the bottom of a cupboard and started filling it.
"Remind me again why I need a bag of things when we are meant to be going back to my house?" he asked.
"Because plans can change fast in this sort of situation, and it's good to be ready. Have you stayed in practice with self-defense and shooting?"
Bellona could see by his trim physique he was still working out, but all the gym muscles in the world meant nothing in a real fight.
She tried not to look at the large bed that took up most of the room. She didn't need to be thinking about Rafael in it.
No wife, no kids. Bellona was still trying to process that. She had been so sure he would have a family. She had thought she would be able to use it as an excuse to stay away from him. That it would be a good barrier that she wouldn't ever cross. No such luck. She didn't realize she was staring at him until he started laughing.
"If I didn't know better, I would say that you are checking me out right now," Rafael teased her.
"But you do know better. I was just trying to figure out what's wrong with you that no human female wanted to marry you," she replied, unfamiliar heat spreading up her neck.
Rafael's grin widened. "I had plenty of offers. I turned them down. It's one of the reasons Rita wants me to suffer."
That got Bellona's attention. She straightened. "Explain."
"It's nothing. Before everything went to shit, Rita came to me with an indecent proposal. She offered to marry me, give me an heir, and combine our business to take over Rome," Rafael replied, heading into the adjoining bathroom.
Bellona followed him. "That's not nothing! You turned down the woman, and now she's doing everything to make you suffer. You should have led with that."
"I didn't think she was serious about it."
Bellona cast her eyes to heaven. "Fates, give me strength. You wounded her pride, you fool. Don't you know the saying about hell hath no fury like a woman scorned?"
"That implies there are feelings involved. There aren't." Rafael turned to her. He was only a little taller than she was, and he was close enough that she could see every fleck of green in his eyes. "Rita wants my money, not my dick and certainly not my heart, just like everyone else I tried to date. It's why I stopped bothering. People only ever see the name and the money."
There was a touch of hurt in his tone that spoke of experience, and Bellona suddenly wanted to kill everyone who had made him feel that way.
"Their loss, Rafael. I'm sure your dick is lovely," she said, wanting the teasing light back in his eyes.
"It is. Let me know if you would like me to introduce you sometime. I think you two would really hit it off," he replied after a beat.
Bellona was still laughing when the bedroom windows shattered with gunfire. Rafael pulled her down to cover her, and she had to shove him back.
"I am immortal! I protect you!" Bellona shouted over the noise. She summoned her shield and held it up. "You stay behind me as close as you can."
"There's a tunnel down in the cellar for bringing in large casks," Rafael said, picking up his bag and pulling out a handgun.
"Just don't shoot me in your enthusiasm," Bellona said, eyeing the weapon. She lifted the shield. "Are you ready?"
"I am. The cellar is connected to the pantry." Rafael wasn't panicking, which was a good sign.
Bellona pulled him closer. "Watch our backs."
Rafael nodded, and Bellona waited a few more seconds until there was a break in the gunfire. The assholes were reloading, so she didn't waste any time as she moved through the house.
There was broken glass and blown-up furniture everywhere. They were completely surrounded.
Bellona would have loved nothing more than to jump through the nearest window and show them what true violence was. She didn't dare leave Rafael alone for a single second. Revenge would have to wait.
