Chapter 5: You're mine now

Raphael walked out of the bathroom, his movements confident and measured. His damp hair was still tousled from the shower, droplets of water clinging to his skin, tracing his sculpted muscles as he entered the room. Before he could even reach the bed, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen, but before answering, he smacked my butt hard. The sound echoed in the quiet room, and my eyes widened in shock. My cheek flushed instantly, a hot rush of embarrassment spreading through me.

He winked, his eyes gleaming with mischief, as he picked up the phone, placing it on speaker. His voice dropped into a low, commanding tone as he threw the phone onto the bed, stepping closer toward me.

“Report,” he muttered, his eyes never leaving mine.

The person on the other end trembled as they spoke, their voice shaky and panicked. “The warehouse in block 9… it’s been set on fire.”

 Raphael’s step faltered, his face hardening. He reached for his phone and pressed it to his ear again. “Who did it?”

“Martin,” came the reply, cold and clipped.

Raphael’s eyes darkened to the color of storm clouds, and in a swift, violent motion, he flung the phone across the room. It shattered against the wall, the sound making me flinch. I winced, not from the phone, but from the anger radiating off him. A whimper slipped from my throat, but I quickly silenced it.

His gaze shifted to me, the intensity in his eyes almost suffocating. “Change,” he said, his voice leaving no room for argument. “We need to go.”

I nodded, not wanting to disobey him. With a quick glance toward the wardrobe, I pulled out the clothes I had discarded earlier and walked into the bathroom to change. My heart pounded in my chest, the adrenaline from the sudden shift in energy making my palms sweat.

 When I emerged, Raphael was already dressed, his expression cold as stone. Without a word, we made our way outside, his bodyguards trailing behind us like shadows.

The car was waiting for him, sleek and black, the engine already revving. He pulled me into the front seat with him, and five of his bodyguards piled into another car. The engine roared to life, and we sped off into the night.

I could barely keep up with the madness. The car swerved through the streets at a terrifying speed which Raphael barely seemed to notice, as he had his focus pinned to the road.

 He kept taking fast and furious turns, the tires screeching as we slid sideways, narrowly avoiding other vehicles. My heart raced, my body pressed against the seat, hands gripping the edge of it as I tried to steady my breath.

Then, in a split second, the car screeched to a halt. My body jerked forward, and I gasped, my heart stopping in my chest as we were almost thrown under a truck. The screech of the tires still rang in my ears as I sat there, trembling from the close call.

Raphael’s cold gaze suddenly shifted to mine. “You good?” His voice was clipped, demanding an answer.

I nodded quickly, even though I wasn’t sure. “Yeah… just… just a little shaken.”

He smirked, his hand reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering a moment longer than necessary. Then, without warning, he pulled me in for a kiss, his lips crashing into mine with a heat that almost made me forget everything around us. His hands tangled in my hair, pulling me closer, and for a moment, everything else disappeared.

But just as quickly, he pulled away. “Stay in the car,” he said, his voice steady, before hardening. “Don’t move.”

Before I could say anything, he was out of the car, his bodyguards already on their feet behind him. They made their way toward the burning warehouse in the distance, the black smoke rising into the sky, thick and ominous. I could see the flames licking at the night air from far away.

I watched them walking away and my own curiosity built up.

 Why bring me here if I wasn’t meant to see what was going on? 

There was nothing but the crackling of fire and the occasional shout in the distance. I glanced around—no one seemed to be nearby.

I couldn’t resist. I unlocked the door quietly, slipping out of the car and then, as I lifted my gaze, I froze.

Martin stood there, a wicked smile curling on his lips. “Hey, pretty,” he drawled, his voice dripping with amusement.

I backed up, my heart racing. My hand gripped the car, trying to steady myself. “Get away from me,” I spat, my voice trembling. “Raphael will kick your ass.”

Martin only smiled wider, stepping closer with an almost predatory gleam in his eyes. “After that kiss, you think you’re going to get away unscathed? Think again,” he said, his voice turning cold. “No one gets away from me.”

Panic flared in my chest, my breath catching in my throat. 

As if my badluck was fit enough, of all men I had to end up kissing Raphael's rival.

I turned, ready to dash back to the car, but before I could reach the door, I felt something cold pressed against my nose. I gasped, but the world spun in dizzying circles. I fought against the pressure, my body thrashing, but it was too late as everything started going dark.

The last thing I heard before everything went black was Martin’s cold voice whispering, “You’re mine now.”