Page 101 of In Love and Revenge

‘Good. That makes this easier.’

He slides past me, the front of his suit jacket brushing my chest.

‘What are you doing?’ I screech as he retrieves the suitcase from beneath the bed, then places it on top of the duvet and unzips it.

‘Packing,’ he grunts.

He pulls his suit jacket off, tossing it to one side, then rolls his shirt sleeves up his forearms. I hate that my gaze drops to the veins protruding beneath his skin.

‘I’ll do my best to keep things from creasing, but I’m warning you, I’m about one step away from losing my goddamn shit right now, so I’m not in a gentle mood.’

‘What are you talking about?’

He strides over to my clothes rail, widens his arms, then lifts all of the hangers off at once, before marching back to the open suitcase with them.

‘Rafael!’ I press when he ignores me.

His sinful lips purse as he takes my gold sequined top from its hanger and folds it with extreme care, placing it inside the case.

I whip it back out and he turns, glaring at me with stormy eyes.

‘You can’t come in here and start touching my things. Who the hell do you think you are? And where the hell do you think I’m going?’

Realisation dawns on me, making anger fire in my gut.

‘Oh, I get it. This is because you’re my landlord now, isn’t it? You think you can evict me because of what my fatherdidn’tdo?’ I throw my arms out. ‘I’m sorry you lost so much money, okay? I’m sorry you probably had to downgrade from a private jet to first class on a regularairline, and, shock horror, perhaps even have to consider whether you need that sixtieth navy Brioni suit that’s identical to all of the others hanging in your giant walk-in wardrobe at your office. But it doesn’t mean you can come in here and force me to leave without warning. Ask yourself this? Why would my father ever take that amount of money? He had a good job. He was paid well. We had everything we needed. There’s no logical reason he would need hundreds of millions of pounds.’

My words cause him to pause, his jaw clenching like he’s thinking.

‘Oh. Am I saying something that makes sense? Am I getting through that thick skull of yours?’

‘You’re being a brat,’ he grumbles, continuing to pack.

The calm way he keeps folding my clothes makes me see red.

‘And you’re being an arsehole! I hate you!’ I scream.

He turns so fast, pulling me to him by my upper arms, that my breath flies out of my lungs and leaves me panting.

‘And I bloodycareabout you!’ he thunders. ‘I care about you far more than I’d like to admit. Far more than I ever saw coming.’

I stare into his wild eyes as he pants, holding me against him. Our faces are inches apart, and his eyes drop to my mouth.

‘You’re not living in this shithole any more. You’re coming home with me,’ he barks.

‘What?’

Him turning up here to throw me out makes more sense than this.

‘I want you, Aurora. Ineedyou. And that’s precisely why I’m here. This place isn’t safe.’

‘It’s fine. I’m not in any danger here.’

He slams his fingers against his chest. ‘It’s not undermyroof withme. Therefore, it is notfine. And as for danger? I’m in dangerof losing my goddamn mind if I have to sleep another night without you.’

I don’t know what makes me do it. Madness, I guess. Being caught up in the heat and explosive energy of the moment. But I lean towards him, just a touch. A tiny little movement, accompanied by my gaze dropping to his mouth.

And he swoops on it like an invitation.