Elsie’s apartment was a sanctuary, a place where she could escape the world and all its complications. But today, her sanctuary felt more like a cage, the walls closing in on her as she sat on the couch, her phone buzzing incessantly with JJ’s calls. She ignored it, her mind too preoccupied with the argument they’d had earlier.
The knock on the door startled her, and she frowned as she saw Rafe’s figure through the peephole. She hadn’t invited him, and she certainly didn’t want to see him now. But before she could even say a word, he pushed the door open, a concerned look on his face.
“Elsie, are you okay?” he asked, his voice laced with genuine concern.
She snapped at him, her anger boiling over. “What are you doing here, Rafe? How did you even get in?”
He shrugged, his eyes never leaving hers. “I came to check on you. And I have a key, remember?”
She glared at him, her eyes narrowing. “Why would you do that? After what you saw earlier?”
He shifted, his hands shoved into his pockets. “I wanted to make sure you were alright. JJ can be… intense.”
She snorted, her anger still palpable. “Intense? That’s one way to put it. And what did you do after you saw us arguing?”
He hesitated, and then his shoulders squared. “I punched him.”
Her eyes widened, her anger turning to shock. “You what?”
He nodded, his jaw set. “I couldn’t stand there and do nothing. He was hurting you.”
She shook her head, her mind reeling. “That doesn’t give you the right to intervene, Rafe. We can handle our own issues.”
He took a step towards her, his eyes blazing. “I can’t stand by and watch you get hurt, Elsie. I care about you too much.”
She scoffed, her arms crossing over her chest. “Care about me? Or are you just obsessed with the idea of me?”
He flinched, but then his eyes softened. “Obsession? No, Elsie. It’s more than that. You’re the only one who’s ever made me feel this way. No one else compares to you.”
She shook her head, her heart pounding in her chest. “I don’t want to hear this, Rafe. I told you to leave me alone.”
He took another step towards her, his eyes pleading. “I can’t, Elsie. I’m not done. Not until you admit your feelings for me.”
She pushed him away, her eyes flashing. “My feelings? I don’t have feelings for you, Rafe. I never have.”
He didn’t budge, his intensity growing. “Liar. You can’t hide from me, Elsie. I see right through you.”
She refused to meet his gaze, maintaining her stubbornness. “I’m not lying. I don’t love you, Rafe. I never will.”
He didn’t respond, but his determination was evident in the set of his jaw. He took a step closer, his hand reaching out to brush a stray lock of hair from her face. She flinched, but didn’t pull away.
“Look at me, Elsie,” he demanded, his voice low and husky.
She shook her head, her heart racing. “No.”
He didn’t listen, his fingers tilting her chin up so she had no choice but to meet his gaze. His eyes were dark, intense, and she felt a shiver run down her spine.
“Admit it, Elsie,” he whispered, his breath warm against her face. “Admit that you love me.”
She shook her head, her lips parting in a silent protest. But before she could say a word, his lips were on hers, his kiss demanding and possessive. She tried to push him away, but he was relentless, his hands roaming her body as he deepened the kiss.
She moaned quietly, her body responding to his touch despite her attempts to resist. He growled, his hands tugging at her clothes as he pushed her back onto the couch. She didn’t resist, her body moving with his as he made love to her.
His thrusts were relentless, his body pressing hers into the couch as he whispered provocative words in her ear. She tried to deny the pleasure he gave her, but it was futile. Her body was his, her heart beating in time with his as he claimed her.
And as she looked up at him, his eyes blazing with intensity, she knew she was lost. She loved him, despite her best efforts to deny it. And as he whispered her name, she surrendered, her body yielding to his touch as she admitted what she’d been too afraid to say.
“I love you, Rafe,” she whispered, her voice hoarse with emotion.
And as he smiled down at her, his eyes softening with love, she knew she’d made the right choice. She loved him, and he loved her. And nothing else mattered.
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