Page 35 of Endlessly Raphael
“I’m not alone. I’m surrounded by people who care about me. They would give their lives for me. As far as carnal desires go, those are easy enough to quench.”
“I like the way you talk. Sometimes you sound so old school. Like, who says carnal desires?”
“I do.”
“Yeah, it’s cool. You’re unique, Raphael.”
“You have no idea.”
“Guess I’ll find out.”
He only smiles in response. As we leave behind the shitty area and head into the much nicer one, the ball of tension in the pit of my stomach unravels. I didn’t expect to meet someone better off than me, but what a treat. Just being able to sleep without the constant sound of gunshots, screams, and distant sirens is amazing, even though it’s only been one night so far.
Raphael stops at the light that leads onto the freeway. As we wait for it to change, there’s a scuffle of some kind on the side of the road. Raphael notices too, lowering his window to see more clearly.
It appears to be a man and a woman in some kind of argument. The man has the woman’s arm in his hand, shaking her while she yells at him. But then he hauls off and punches her dead in the face.
“Oh shit,” I murmur.
Raphael slams the car into park and is on his way over there before I’ve even processed the scene. Without hesitation, he puts himself between the two people, shoving his finger into the man’s chest. The man pulls a knife from his back pocket, and I gasp as my stomach clenches, but it turns out I don’t have anything to worry about.
Raphael grabs the man’s hand and squeezes it until the knife clanks to the ground. The man sinks to his knees, clearly in pain. Based on the man’s wails, I’m pretty sure Raphael just broke his hand.
I watch, completely transfixed, as Raphael helps the woman to her feet and tends to the bruise on her cheek. He points in the direction of the car, but she shakes her head before taking off in the opposite direction. Then he kneels, speaking to the man again. I can’t hear him from here, but his expression is intense and the man nods rapidly.
A shiver of excitement mixed with apprehension moves down my spine. Raphael is a total badass. He marches back to the car, his long jacket flapping behind him, and slides into the driver’s seat, then takes off just before the yellow light turns red.
“Sorry about that,” Raphael says. “I had to deal with it. I don’t tolerate abuse.”
“Don’t apologize. That was awesome. Did you break his hand?”
“Yes.”
He still looks pissed, but me? I’m fucking turned on. I reach across the seat and rub his thigh.
“You’re a total badass and you saved her.”
“For tonight,” he says, his tone and expression softening as he glances at me. “She’ll likely go back to him, but hopefully he’ll remember my lesson.”
I slide my hand down his chest to his crotch. “Mmm, new turn-on unlocked.”
“I’m sorry?”
“Sexy, dangerous man with a savior complex. I like it.”
Raphael scoffs a laugh. “I don’t have a savior complex.” He fixes his gaze on me. “But I am dangerous.”
“Should I be scared of you?” I drag my nose along his cheek. “Are you the big bad wolf coming to blow my house down?”
A tiny crease appears in his brow, but he shakes his head. “I have no cause to harm you.”
“So you have to be provoked?”
“Yeah.”
“I knew there was a beast underneath your pretty surface. The way you let go in bed was a big hint. Tonight was another clue. How violent can you get, Raphael?”
“You don’t want to know.”