CHAPTER 189: KISS WITH RAFE

Rafe’s POV

After a quiet dinner, we all drifted outside into the garden. It was still early, and no one seemed ready for sleep. The lounging chairs had already been arranged in a broad circle around the fireplace, where Roman and Jason busied themselves with the wood and kindling.

Kael stayed with Raven, allowing the boy to watch and learn about what the other two were doing, guiding him with the patient air of a father teaching his son.

Lucian had let Fluffy loose, finally giving the pup some attention after neglecting him for days. Though Fluffy had always been Lucian’s, Eira had claimed him as her own now, and everyone knew it.

"Want to try it?" Jason asked, holding a few small logs out to Raven.

Without hesitation, Raven stepped forward and arranged the wood neatly.

"Good," Jason praised, nodding approvingly. "Now, we have to light the fire..." He crouched down, explaining step by step as they lit up the fire.

I arched a brow. Since when had Jason changed like this? On the journey home, he had cared for Raven in silence, almost distant, but now he seemed like an attentive guardian. Not bad. Only if he could manage to speak to Eira as well, so he wouldn’t look so damned isolated from the rest of us.

Eira sat quietly in one of the chairs, her gaze fixed on Raven. I had brought warm sheets for her and the boy in case the night turned cold.

With Raven occupied, I took one of the sheets and pulled it over Eira. She glanced at me, startled.

"I just don’t want you freezing," I said smoothly. "Kids need to be taken care of well, or they fall sick."

Her eyes flared with anger as she tore the cover off and stood to face me. Her voice was low, restrained so Raven wouldn’t hear. "Stop treating me like a kid."

I didn’t flinch. Instead, I gave her the same infuriating smirk I had always used on her in the past.

"If you keep acting like one, what else am I supposed to call you?" I taunted. "Always grumpy, throwing tantrums, sulking in the corner like a spoiled brat, lazing around as if the world owes you something. Want me to keep listing them out?"

"Shut up!" she spat, her voice low yet fierce. "I will do and act however I feel like. You can go to hell."

Though she tried to suppress her tone, my brothers heard us anyway.

"Better block the kid from their unsightly banter," I heard Lucian say, despite my all focus was on her.

"With an unsightly witch in front of me all the time, I already feel like I’m in hell," I shot back, reaching out to ruffle her unkempt hair. "Messy hair, face always down like you’re about to murder someone, grim expressions as if cursing the entire world all the time. The list is long."

She slapped my hand away with a sharp motion and stormed toward the house. I followed at once.

Just as she stepped through the door attached to the wide glass wall, I caught up and grabbed her hand, refusing to let her disappear into her lonely corner again. I was not going to allow it.

"Running away when you can’t fight back—that’s exactly what a child does," I said coldly.

She spun on me, fury blazing in her eyes as she tugged against my grip. "You bastard."

"You need to expand your cuss word collection," I replied smoothly, meeting her wide eyes without a flinch. "These ones are getting boring."

"Let go of my hand," she hissed.

"So you can keep hiding in here?" I leaned closer, tightening my grip. "Not allowed."

"I can decide for myself."

"You certainly can’t as the child you are. As an adult, I need to guide you—" I countered.

"Stop calling me a child!" she snapped, her voice rising.

Thankfully the door was closed, muffling her words so Raven couldn’t hear, though through the wall of glass my brothers could clearly see us.

"Then act like an adult," I told her, unyielding.

"I don’t need to. I am an adult," she retorted, her breath sharp with anger.

"Then prove it," I challenged.

Her face twisted in defiance, irritation flaring into rage. Her hands moving to undress herself. "You’ve already seen me naked. Want me to take my clothes off again just to prove it? So be it..."

"You talk too much when one action can end it faster," I cut her off, and before she could retort, I silenced her with my mouth on hers.

At the same time, I caught her hand and pulled it away from her dress, stopping her from undressing.

She shoved me back with fury blazing in her eyes. "So you wanted it all along, huh?"

"You think so?" I smirked, unfazed. "Trust me, your scent almost suffocated me. I let you push me away from that kiss just in time or.... Thanks for saving me, or I might have died right there."

In honestly, she wasn’t wrong. I was itching to be closer to her this way, and I didn’t want to miss the chance when I still had drug’s effect in my body to keep me in control. Once it wore off, I won’t be able to do so. And I didn’t have anymore drugs for now.

I wasn’t sure when I will ever be able to be close to her, so I just wished to make the best out of it. And I just did. I got to taste her lips though briefly.

"My scent suffocates you, huh? Then I should kill you now," she hissed. while I was lost in the fire of her expression, the wild beauty of her anger.

In a flash of a moment, she stepped toward me, her hands sliding around the back of my neck. With a sharp tug she pulled me down and crushed her lips to mine.

The suddenness stunned me, but instinct quickly took over. My hands closed around her slender waist, holding her firmly as I kissed her back.

She tried to pull away after a moment, thinking her revenge complete, but before she could escape entirely, I pressed her against the glass wall behind her.

Her furious gaze locked with my calm one, our lips still brushing.

I whispered against her mouth, my breath mingling with hers. "Not enough to suffocate or kill me. You’ll have to try harder—and I’m more than willing to cooperate."

Before she could answer, I claimed her lips again, my body pinning her small frame against the cold glass.

I was aware my brothers might be watching, but they kept to themselves, resuming their tasks as if nothing had happened.

This was my moment with her—one I might never have again.