Page 71 of The Dark Obsession

Rafael’s chest tenses and fist clenches at Adriel’s words, the lock clicks loudly on the balcony door.

Adriel stands next to Rafael. “You can’t let this go on—”

“Go check that Lucy is okay,” Rafael orders.

Adriel’s departure is almost silent.

My insides tremble, sending shivers through my body.

“What happened?” Rafael whispers, his fingers running through my hair. Sweat drips down the side of his reddened face, his white shirt see-through from the rain outside. His whole body tremors as he waits for my answer, his eyes darting between my face and the balcony door.

I struggle to word what happened. “He told me if I resisted him, he’d gut me.”

Rafael pulls me into his shaking arms, his muscles on the verge of exploding.

“He grabbed my face and kissed me.”

Rafael exhales loudly, his eyebrows creased. “That disgusting.”

“He threw me on the bed and licked my cheek down to my neck.”

Rafael looked at my face where my fingers ran. “He licked your blood?”

“What?”

“Your face is bleeding. He licked the blood.”

I scrunch my nose. “He moaned when he licked me, as if he really enjoyed it.”

A string of swearwords flow from Rafael’s mouth.

“How did you know to come to me?”

Rafael stomps around his room. “What?” He walks to the balcony door. “Oh, because we thought it through. He could have access to a key.” He opens a drawer next to the balcony door. “This is where I keep the spare— It’s gone. He must have taken it the night he smashed the door.” Rafael yanks out the drawer and throws it against the hard floor. It crashes loudly and smashes into several pieces. Pieces of clothing splash across the room, covering the floor.

I sit up straight and hold my breath as Rafael bangs his fists hard against the wall. The glass balcony door shudders, threatening to shatter. I can’t even swallow. Rafael’s calm composure is gone and replaced with what looks like uncontrollable anger. “Raf,” I squeak.

Rafael takes several deep breaths before looking at me. “He fucking hurt you, under my watch!”

“I’m okay.”

He watches me shrink and tuck my knees into my stomach. His piercing eyes soften.

My stomach aches with tension as he approaches me. I’m not scared of him hurting me. No, I’m terrified for Dale, for anyone who ever tries to hurt me again.

“I’m sorry,” he mutters and sits at the very end of the bed.

My eyes are stuck on his. I can’t seem to blink. He doesn’t move any closer, instead, he searches my face for a long moment, for any signs of fear, then slowly rests a hand on mine. “I want you to take a shower again, try to calm down, then come to eat a little bit.”

“Not alone,” I whisper, my hands shaking on my lap.

He regards me with sad eyes. “Come on.” He takes my hand and leads me to the bathroom. He removes his shirt in one swift movement and leans into the shower to turn it on. Every muscle in his upper body contracts, his chest heaving. He walks towards me.

I stare ahead, my nausea still coming in waves.

“Are you ready, Rose?” He’s homed in on my eyes.

“I am,” I whisper and lose myself in his eyes. “I need to get him off me.”

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