Filed to story: Bring It On My Mafia Life Novel (Rhea & Lukas)
However, all good things must come to an end because Rhea felt the basic need to breathe. The both of them pulled apart, their chest heaving heavily as if they had run a marathon.
Rhea glanced up and when her eyes met Elijah’s, heat rushed her cheeks. Gosh, she just kissed him? Oh my God!
…..
“Where did you learn to kiss like that when you’ve never had a boyfriend?” He asked, his face just a mere inches away from hers.
“I don’t know. I guess watching romantic movies finally paid off,” Rhea replied breathlessly.
“Yeah, indeed. It did,” Elijah said, smoldering heat in his gaze that made Rhea’s breath hitch in her throat.
She took away her gaze asking, “You said you were not going to touch me without consent, yet you kissed me when I didn’t ask you to?”
“It was your punishment,”
“Punishment?” She was surprised.
“For not trusting me,” He explained, still staring intently at her even when she turned her face away. Did he like her face that much?
“Oh,” Rhea said, tugging her hair behind her ear. But all that did was to give Elijah a view of her sexy neck that made him gulp. Rhea was the epitome of sexiness.
“I might be many things, but my intention towards you is pure. I truly want to help you, Rhea,”
Rhea sensed the sincerity in Elijah’s words and that was what made her even more scared because she was slowly falling for him. He was everything she wanted in a man, except that his line of work worried her.
She knew how the criminal world worked and it was all violence and vengeance. Ruth’s husband had paid the price for it and she has seen how Ruth lived with it. Rhea was afraid to give her heart only to lose it.
Her father who loved her, left her, Rhea wasn’t sure she would take it if Elijah stirred up her world only to crush it. She can’t love someone she would lose.
Her attention was drawn when she felt the heat of Elijah’s mouth on her neck and she let out a blissful sigh. It felt like home.
Elijah continued to kiss up and down her neck, suckling on her delicate skin. It wasn’t until a moan escaped her throat that she realized what she was doing and her decision.
“I’m sorry, I can’t do this,” Rhea apologized, getting off the seat and forcing Elijah to stand up straight as well. She put some space between them and didn’t look him in the eyes, knowing that made her weak.
“Why?” Elijah asked her, unable to understand why she was holding back, “You feel attracted to me just as I am to you. Forget about the whole damn permission thing, not when you’ve been eyefucking me. Nor do you have someone in your life or do you have someone in your heart..?” there was a cautious look in Elijah’s eyes as he realized that possibility.
“No!” Rhea shouted when she saw the way his gaze narrowed at her, “There’s no one in my heart… but you,” Rhea had to swallow past the lump in her throat confessing that.
For a while, Elijah didn’t say a word, he just stared at Rhea in disbelief upon that confession. An uncountable number of emotions flickered through his eyes.
“Then….” Elijah said, stepping towards her while she stepped backwardly. Yet he didn’t stop moving until he successfully backed her against the kitchen Island.
Rhea looked behind, there was no way to go and upon turning around, there was Elijah who boxed her in, looking like a predator and she was the prey.
“Why can’t you do it? Why can’t you love me, Rhea?” Elijah finally asked the question, pressing his body up against it. He was aroused by her.
The lump in Rhea’s throat grew, what has she landed herself into? She really didn’t want to hurt him.
“Speak to me, please, Rhea. Your silence hurts more,” Elijah looked so vulnerable it made her chest constrict.
This was crazy! Rhea screamed in her mind. This was absolutely crazy! They barely knew each other, how could he love her that much? If it wasn’t the fact that this man risked his life saving her, Rhea could have sworn this was a scam.
“You’re right. I like you,” Rhea finally admitted her feelings for him, “However, I’m scared,” she said.
“Scared of what, Rhea?”
“Don’t you get it? You’re in constant danger because of your work,” She laughed, “I don’t even know what you look like. Not that I care about your facial appearance or something,” Rhea said and noticed the raise of his brow.
Elijah was ready for a little argument or would she say, truth game especially when she rejected Big Joe because of his height. Although that’s not entirely the reason – they forced her against her will for Christ’s sake.
“Okay, I do care about what you look like,” She finally said the truth, “But the point is, there’s going to be intimacy between us and I can’t do that with a man who hides his face away from me”
Elijah palmed her face, keeping her gaze on him as he spoke, “I keep my face hidden from you, not because I don’t trust you, it’s for your safety, Rhea. There are many people I’ve offended and they would do everything to get the picture of what I look like from you,”
“Then what’s the point of even keeping your identity from me when they would still torture me to get the truth?” Rhea asked, a bit of panic creeping inside of her.
“You’re not the only woman I’ve been with, Rhea,”
It seemed like someone stabbed a knife into her chest when Rhea heard that statement. Although he told her initially that he had been with other women, it didn’t hurt then the way it hurt now. What was happening to her?
“They’ve questioned them and found nothing relating to me. My enemies already know it’s my modus operandi to keep my lovers in the dark and wouldn’t even bother with you at all thinking it’s the same case,”
“Funny but Isn’t it the same case?” Rhea sneered, “I don’t even know what you look like?”
“You know what my eyes look like,”
“What?”
“My real eyes, that’s what you’re staring into right now,” Elijah said and Rhea looked up, stunned.
Those electric blue eyes were real. And for some reason, it comforted her that she was the only one who knew that. Not even the other women.
“Oh God, no,” Rhea suddenly groaned to his surprise, “Isn’t this more reason why we shouldn’t be together. You’re a flame, Elijah and I’ll only get burned being with you,”
“Not if we leave together,”
“What?” Rhea did not hear right.
“My enemies would not be able to reach you if we leave the country together,” He offered her a chance to be with him.
“You must be joking,” Rhea couldn’t believe what was happening. It was surreal.
“No, I’m not, Rhea,” Elijah said, then sighed, “I’m tired of this life; I’m tired of running without looking over my back. I want to rest now with the woman in front of me,”
Rhea didn’t blink, she just stood dumbfounded. She knew what he was offering and that shocked her more. He was willing to give up his life for her. What charm have you placed on this poor soul, Rhea?
“So tell me, Rhea, would you run off with me? For better, for worse?” He offered, stretching out his hand.