TRADING MY CHEATING HUSBAND FOR THE LYCAN KING novel Chapter 115

CHAPTER 77: SWEET TORTURE

EMBER’S POV

My heart is hammering. This isn’t the smooth, controlled Rafael I’ve come to expect. The one who never

truly bared his cards. This is something else. Something… darker.

“That wasn’t for you.”

“No?” He leans in, close enough that I can smell his cologne – something warm and spiced, nothing like

Knox’s addictive scent. “Because it felt like a message, querida. It felt like you were showing me exactly

what I’m not allowed to have.”

“You’renotallowed to have it. That’s the point. I’m with Knox.”

“With Knox.” He says it like the words taste sour. “Yes. I saw exactly howwith Knox you were. His hands

under your dress. Your body moving against his fucking c**k like you were already-” He stops, then he

breathes. His wolf is right there, flickering gold in the depths of his eyes. “Do you have any idea what that

was like? Watching you fall apart for him when I-”

He cuts himself off, something dangerous crossing his features.

“When you what?” I demand.

“When I’ve been trying so hard to be a gentleman.” His voice drops, rough and low. “Keeping my distance.

Respecting your boundaries. Pretending I don’t think about you constantly, about what it would be like to-

”

“Rafael.”

“You made it very difficult last night, Ember.” He’s so close now I can feel the heat radiating off him.” Seeing you like that. Knowing you were doing it on purpose. Knowing youwanted me to watch.”

“I didn’t-”

“Don’t lie to me.” His free hand comes up, hovering near my jaw without touching. “You found me across that room. You held my eyes while he touched you. Youwanted me to see. You wanted to torture me.”

My breath is coming too fast. My back is pressed flat against the wall and Rafael is everywhere – consuming all the oxygen in the corridor.

This is wrong. This is so wrong. But there’s something darkly thrilling about seeing his composure crack,

about knowing I did this to him without even trying.

“And if I did?” The words slip out before I can stop them. “What are you going to do about it?”

His eyes flash. For one heart–stopping moment, I think he’s actually going to kiss me.

“I’m going to stop pretending.” His thumb brushes my jaw, feather–light, and electricity sparks down my spine against Sapphire’s wish. “I’ve been patient. I’ve been respectful. I’ve been everything a proper rival

CHAPTER ZA SWEET TORTUBE

+25 Paints

should be. But you’re making it very hard to stay noble, querida, when you insist on tormenting me like this.

“That’s not my problem te manage, Rafael.”

“I know.” His forehead drops closer to mine, not quite touching, his breath warm against my lips. “And the worst part is, I don’t think you even realize the effect you have. You walk around like you don’t know you’re on fire, and the rest of us are just supposed to watch you burn without wanting to touch the flames.”

My wolf stirs, unsettled by his proximity, by the predator energy rolling off him in waves.

His wolf is right at the surface – I can see it in the gold bleeding into his irises, the way his breathing has

gone ragged.

He’s not fully in control right now. And that realization snaps something back into place.

“Get your hands off me.” I let my own wolf rise, putting a growl in my voice. “Now.”

Rafael blinks.

He looks down at his hand on the wall, at the minimal space between our bodies, and something like

shock passes over his features. Like he’s just now realizing what he’s doing.

He steps back. One step, then two, then three, until there’s enough distance between us that I can breathe

again.

“I…” He runs a hand through his hair, composure visibly cracking before he smooths it back into place.” Forgive me. That was…”

“Inappropriate?”

“Unacceptable.” He meets my eyes, and for once, there’s no charm there. There’s only raw honesty and something that looks almost like shame. “I don’t know what came over me. That’s not… I don’t…”

He trails off, shaking his head.

“Get it together, Rafael.” My voice is steadier than I feel. “Whatever you think is happening between us,

୮ isn’t. I’m with Knox. I’ve told you already. That’s not going to change.”

“I know.” He straightens his jacket, the smooth mask sliding back into place, though it fits less comfortably than before. “I know. And I apologize. Truly. You deserve better than being cornered in a hallway by a man

who can’t control his own instincts.”

1

The apology sounds genuine. That almost makes it worse.

push off the wall, intent on leaving before this situation gets any more complicated.

“I should go. Knox is waiting.”

“Ember, wait.”

His hand catches my wrist, gentle this time, a request rather than a demand. I could pull away easily. I

CHAPTER WEET TORTURE

should pull away.

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