AllFreeNovel
Share Us
NOELLE
His arms arearound me as he gathers me close, picking me off the chair as if I weighed nothing and cradling me to his chest.
"You're fine. You're fine," he chants in my hair, his voice haunted, almost lost. "Goddamn it, pretty girl, I thought I lost you. I thought…" he chokes on a sob as his arms tighten even more around my battered body.
The discomfort from before is still there, but I stifle a cry of pain as I simply absorb his presence—the physical evidence he's here with me.
"You chose me," I whisper, needing the words more than anything in this world.
"I'll always choose you," he brings his big palms to my cheeks, tilting my head back so he can look in my eyes. "I'llalwayschoose you, pretty girl. I love you," he says with so much emotion I can't help but burst into tears, wounding my arms around his neck and bringing my lips to his for a sweet kiss.
I can taste his tears. My tears.
I can taste the love, the sadness, the sorrow.
I can tastehim.
My Raf. My love.Mine.
He's here. He's touching me. He's…
I cry harder, the exhaustion getting to me as I seek to bring my body closer to his, needing the perpetual proof that this isn't a dream. That we're here. After everything that happened, we're here.
He brushes his lips lightly across mine, a heart-wrenching kiss that makes me relive all the horrors of the past—everything I endured to be with this man.
And it all led to now. This moment.
"My, my, my, what a reunion," the sound of hands clapping breaks us apart.
I'm still clinging to him, holding on for dear life. He tries to set me down but I don't let him. I simply tighten my hold around his neck, whimpering in protest.
The screen in front of my chair blares to life, Michele's form appearing before us as he claps mockingly, an insidious smile on his face.
"You took a risk, didn't you, baby bro?" Michele arches a brow.
"You…" Raf's chest rumbles with unreleased pressure. He squeezes me to his chest as he takes a deep breath in an attempt to control his anger.
He's hanging by a thread. I can feel him and the fact that Michele pushed him too far.
"Congratulations for passing the test. You've circumvented my plan and made the correct choice. Or, I should hope itisthe correct choice," he smiles mockingly.
"Show yourself," Raf grits out. "At least have the decency to challenge me face to face and leave the innocent out of it."
"Innocent? Who? I don't see any innocents there. Or, maybe, the woman you killed. But you'll never know now, will you?"
Raf narrows his eyes at Michele.
"Ah, you're wondering what I'm talking about. Should I tell you myself or should I let your wife tell you?"
My eyes widen as I realize my mistake. This has never been about choice. It was all about pitting Raf and I against each other.
And he managed, didn't he? Because if Raf hears the madness I concocted… The fact that I would rather take him to my gravewithme than let another woman have him.
I don't know how he will react.
You do. He will look at you like the monster you are.
I thrust that tiny voice inside of me aside. This isn't lost. As long as it's my word against Michele's, nothing is lost.
