96

Ninety six

*Freya*

"You just thought of something and blocked out your mind. For you to do that, it means you don't want me to know about it." Rafe sounded offended.

"Well..I.." I thought of what I could say to save myself

"Just tell me….What are you thinking about?" Rafe's voice was like a velvet caress, his eyes boring into mine with an intensity that made my heart race. I had to think fast. If he knew I was dwelling on Kelly and Jessica's mean-spirited antics, he would be furious. He despised them for their cruelty towards me.

I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as I summoned up the right words to distract him. "I was just thinking about how much I love you," I said, my voice soft and sincere. "And how thankful I am that you didn't die when you sucked the poison out of my body."

He smiled, his fangs glinting in the dim light of the room. "You have nothing to worry about, Freya. I will always protect you."

The tension between us was palpable, like a physical force that