FINALLY! Chapter Four is done! All I have to say is – I am so sorry for the wait! And thank you for being so incredibly patient!
Don't forget to comment and let me know what you think, and to all of you who have yet to read my edited chapters, a word of advice: Go back and read them, because you won't understand most of this chapter otherwise!
With Love,
- Torrance Rose x
Rafe had come back to his quarters to find an adorable sleeping Liesel curled up on his sofa, with the main menu of Moulin Rouge repeatedly replaying on the screen of his TV. Switching off the television, Rafe knelt beside the sleeping beauty. She looked so serene when sleeping; all signs of stress or worry wiped clean. Rafe gently slid his arms beneath her, lifting her up and cradling her to his chest as he walked into his bedroom. He wouldn't have her sleeping on a couch when there was a far more comfortable and preferable place to sleep. Placing her delicately amidst his furs and Egyptian cotton sheets, Rafe brushed her silky hair behind her ear and contemplated changing her into something more comfortable. He was sure she could wear one of his shirts as a make-shift nightgown. He was huge in comparison to her slender frame, and knew she'd be dwarfed in anything of his.
Deciding she might feel offended by him undressing her in sleep – humans were so strange and constricting concerning privacy – Rafe decided against it, instead wrapping a thick fur blanket around her.
After pulling off his shirt and changing into a pair of loose navy sweatpants, Rafe slid beside his sleeping Liesel, pulling her against his stomach until he was spooning her. She unconsciously curled into his embrace, causing a sleepy smile to tug at the corner of his lips.
*****
Liesel opened her eyes slowly, suppressing a yawn as she stared transfixed at the gauzy white material fluttering above her head. She'd never felt so comfortable and well-rested in her life. A cool breeze lazily caressed her calf as she stretched her arms up above her head, leisurely running her hands across the soft furs before her fingers brushed against something hard and warm.
Startled, Liesel pulled herself upright and looked around the room. Slowly realisation dawned on her, and, recalling where she was, she turned cautiously to the source of heat beside her. Liesel pulled the furs tightly around her as her eyes trailed up the long, muscled form of the half naked man beside her.
The furs were pooled around his hips, exposing Rafe's long, defined torso. He had a tanned arm pulled up underneath his head, and was breathing deeply in sleep. Liesel bit her bottom lip as her eyes soaked in the Adonis before her. A broad, muscled chest tapered down to lean hips. Her violet eyes sparkled with fascination as they followed the light dusting of dark hair leading from his navel to beneath the loose pants he wore low on his hips, and she gulped visibly. Reaching a tentative hand out, she ran her fingers across the marble hard display of abs, confirming her theory that she could probably jump on his stomach and he wouldn't feel a thing. He was incredibly warm, feverish even, and she wondered whether or not to open the windows further to let in some cool air.
A soft groan brought her logical mind spinning back, and she whipped her hand back from his body. Afraid she'd woken him, she didn't move a muscle as he stretched and rolled over onto his stomach.
This time she couldn't help the sharp intake of breath as he exposed his back to her, eyes widening in shock as she took in the sight of his naked back. Four hideous looking scars graced his deeply tanned form from his right shoulder to the middle of his back. It appeared as if some animal had taken a chunk out of him with its claws, and she shuddered to think what creature could have possibly caused this kind of damage. Each scar was about an inch in width, raked across his back in one feral swipe. She couldn't stop herself from stretching out a cautious hand and running her fingers down across the ugly scar.
Liesel was surprised by the rush of compassion she felt for him at that moment. The pain he must have gone through to receive these must have been unbearable, and in an attempt to sooth him she began to softly stroke the shiny, puckered marks.
She wasn't sure how long she remained like that, stroking Rafe's disfigured back. But soon enough, another soft groan broke the silence and her hand immediately faltered in its rhythmic movements.
"Don't stop," A deep voice whispered sleepily, sending a delicious shiver down her spine.
"You're awake." She stated simply, choosing to ignore his plea as if nothing had happened.
He chuckled softly, rolling over onto his side and propping his head up with his hand.
"What gave me away?" He joked teasingly, raising an eyebrow as he surveyed her defensive stance.
She smiled uncertainly, looking down at her hands as she twisted the fabric between her fingers.
"Look," She began, raising her eyes to his as he watched her curiously, "I know something weird is going on. Why you were there the night I was attacked, how you could have possibly found me, how I ended up here and completely healed..."
She lifted up her shirt for emphasis to show him the smooth, taut flesh of her stomach. Her eyes widened as she ran her hand across where the scar used to be, now completely gone from view. It was like nothing had ever happened.
"I..." Her voice faltered.
Confused and feeling lost, Liesel resumed her attack.
"I don't have any idea what's going on, Mr. Black. But I'd like, no I
demand
that you tell me! I know you must have lied to me, you
must
have! You say I was unconscious for only a day, but I have no wound at all..."
Suddenly, a thought hit her and had her poking him roughly in the chest and gracing him with a chilling glare.
"Was I even stabbed, Mr. Black?! Because I see
no
proof of that! Stop lying to me, all of you, and tell me the truth!"
She was breathing heavily at this point, fists clenched on either side of her.
A drawn-out sigh followed her rant as Raphael rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling and rubbing his hands across his eyes in agitation.
"Nobody is lying to you," he began with a sigh, which she immediately cut into.
"Oh that's right, stabbed only yesterday with no evidence to speak of! You must be telling me the truth then!–"
"Let me finish," He growled, "Nobody is lying to you. We're just not giving you... the whole picture. Yet."
"Yet? And when do you all plan on giving me 'the whole picture' Mr. Black?" She scoffed in a condescending tone.
"Soon enough."
Liesel felt like tearing out her hair at this point, he was being so unreasonable! She rolled up off the bed and stormed over to the door, grumbling obscenities along the way.
"Where do you think you're going?" He called from his relaxed state amidst the furs and cushions.
"To find someone who
will
tell me the truth! And then I'm going home!"
"You're not going anywhere."
He stated it so simply, so casually. It left a chill that rolled down her spine.
"Excuse me?" She whispered, turning to face him from where he sat on the edge of the bed, watching her with an amused expression.
"You, are not going anywhere."
"Do not," She breathed deeply, taking a threatening step towards him, "tell me what to do."
