Page 155 of Wanted

Finally bending over, Raphael sets my butt on the edge of the bed and his arms loosen.

He tries to pull away, but I refuse to let go of him.

“Alena,” he says sternly.

I don’t want to make him any angrier, but I alsoneedto touch him.

Sighing, Raphael stills for a moment, as if thinking. Then he begins to lower down to his knees.

I open my tear-filled eyes and peer at him in surprise.

Why is he kneeling before me?

Shouldn’t I be the one kneeling before him?

“No,” he answers, reading my thoughts.

He’s probably been reading my thoughts this entire time, yet I still can’t read his.

His eyes meet mine for a split second then flick away. “Because I’ve blocked you out.”

I feel like he just stabbed me in the chest.

He did it on purpose?

I thought it was because I was still healing and hadn’t regained the ability yet.

“Why?” I ask.

His jaw clenches then relaxes. “It wouldn’t have been good for you to know what I was thinking.”

“So, you’re allowed to read my thoughts, but I’m not allowed to read yours?” I press.

He doesn’t answer and continues to refuse to look at me, staring off into the distance.

And I have no idea what he’s thinking.

My shame quickly begins to turn into anger. How dare he shut me out but keep helping himself to me!

“How dare me?!” Raphael says angrily and finally looks me in the eyes. “How dare you put yourself in danger like that!”

Grabbing me by the face, his hands cup firmly around my cheeks. “You could have died!”

“I didn’t—” I try to argue back.

“Ambrose warned you! And Asher ordered you! He fucking ordered you!” Raphael shouts at me, but it’s not a shout of anger.

It’s a shout of pain.

“Do you know what would happen to me if I lost you?!” he goes on.

I’d shake my head if I could.

His stare fills with torment as if just imagining my death is unbearable. “I’d die from the sheer pain of it. My soul would fucking disintegrate in anguish!”

My throat tightens and my eyes swim with tears.

Choking up, he rasps, “I love you, and I can’t exist without you. I wouldn’t want to exist without you.”

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