All Chapters of Love Among Thorns : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

(Rafael’s POV)The old farmhouse creaked under the weight of the wind as Rafael stood by the window, phone pressed tight to his ear.Dominic’s voice crackled through the line, low and tense.“They’re getting close, boss. The trackers found movement along the east highway — familiar cars, unmarked plates.”Rafael’s jaw tensed.He had expected this.He had prepared for this.But knowing his enemies had narrowed the hunt — knowing they saw Amara as the key to break him — filled his veins with a cold, feral rage.“Increase patrols around the safehouse,” he ordered. “Double the rotations. No one gets near her.”“And the girl?” Dominic asked. “She still in the dark about—”“She knows enough.” Rafael’s voice was a quiet growl. “And that’s all she needs.”A pause.Then, softer: “Have the site foreman send me the latest update on the property.”Dominic let out a low whistle.“You’re serious about this.”Rafael said nothing.He didn’t need to explain himself — not to Dominic, not to anyone.He

The house felt quieter than usual when Rafael finally released her, but only just.It was the kind of quiet that crackled — like the air before a storm breaks.Rafael slid his hand down her back as he stepped away, his fingers brushing hers for just a second longer than necessary. She could still feel the imprint of his touch when she followed him silently into the dining room.Mrs. Holloway had laid out a simple meal — roast chicken, potatoes, fresh bread — but Amara barely tasted it.She watched Rafael instead.He barely ate.Barely spoke.His mind was somewhere else entirely.Until suddenly, in the middle of the meal, he broke the silence.“I found a place,” Rafael said gruffly, staring into his glass of water as if it could tell him what to say next.Amara blinked. “A place?”He looked up at her then — and something unguarded, something achingly vulnerable, crossed his face.“A house,” he said simply. “Secluded. Strong walls. Good land for a garden.”Her breath caught.“For me?” s

The air outside the safehouse was thick — heavy with the kind of tension Amara could feel in her chest, like a hand squeezing her ribs.Rafael’s hand gripped hers tightly as they moved toward the black SUV parked at the end of the driveway.His head was on a swivel, scanning every shadow, every movement.“Get in,” he ordered, opening the passenger door with one hand while the other stayed buried inside his jacket — where she knew he kept a gun tucked.Amara slid into the seat quickly, heart hammering.Rafael circled around the front of the SUV ——and that’s when she saw it.The flash of movement.A man darting from the tree line, gun raised.“Rafael!” she screamed.Rafael reacted instantly — dropping low, drawing his weapon, and firing in one fluid, brutal motion.The gunman collapsed in the grass without a sound.“Stay down,” Rafael barked, slamming his door shut and throwing the SUV into gear.Tires screamed as he reversed violently, spinning the wheel, sending them lurching backwar

Amara’s POVThe safehouse was quiet, the kind of quiet that made every creak of the floorboards feel magnified.She padded out of the bedroom, wrapped in one of Rafael’s shirts, the sleeves hanging past her fingertips.The fabric still smelled faintly of him — leather, soap, and something uniquely his — and wearing it felt like armor.She found him in the kitchen, frowning down at the ancient coffee machine as if it personally offended him.The sight made something strange and unfamiliar bubble up inside her — a tiny, secret smile she couldn’t quite suppress.“Need help?” she asked softly.Rafael’s head jerked up. For a moment, he just stared at her — bare legs, messy hair, oversized shirt — like she was something too beautiful to touch.Then he cleared his throat gruffly and turned back to the machine.“I know how to make coffee,” he muttered.She leaned against the counter, hiding her smile behind her hand.“You sure about that?”He grunted something unintelligible, wrestling with t

(Rafael’s POV)The house was quiet after Amara had fallen asleep, curled up on the worn couch inside their new home.Her hair fanned out like a dark halo, her breathing slow and even.He watched her for a long moment, feeling that same strange pressure in his chest — the unbearable tenderness that only she could summon.Then he pulled out his phone.It was time.Rafael stepped outside, closing the door softly behind him.The night air was cool and clean, carrying the scent of earth and new beginnings.He paced a few steps into the clearing, then made the call.It only rang once.“Boss,” Dominic answered immediately, voice taut.“Is it ready?” Rafael asked, his tone like steel.“Ready. You sure you want to go scorched earth?”Rafael glanced back at the house — at Amara sleeping safely inside.She didn’t know what monsters still lurked.She didn’t need to.Not anymore.“Burn it all,” Rafael said quietly. “No one left standing. No debts owed. No shadows following us.”There was a brief,