⭐ Rafe's POV ⭐

We were trained assassins now.

I mean I won't be surprised if dad or uncle tell us that for our next task we have to assassinate a few people.

One and a half months of training, learning how to fight, how to shoot and what not.

But...I am kinda enjoying this too, knowing how to punch properly and all. If only I had learnt all this earlier, there were a number of people I felt like beating up.

"Ouch!" I placed my palm over my jaw where Leona punched me and I stumbled back a few steps due to the impact.

She grinned seeing me in pain. "You were lost in your thoughts."

I shot her a glare. "Seriously? You didn't have to punch so hard." And I sat down on the floor holding my jaw.

It really hurt. Damn, she's getting stronger.

She sighed and sat down in front of me and gently removed my hand from my jaw to inspect the bruise that was forming there. "Let me see."

"It's not that bad..." She remarked. "No need to be dramatic about it."

She was about to get up but I grabbed her hand and pulling her down, tackled her to the ground, pinning both of her hands at the side of her head making her eyes widen in surprise.

"We have to attend a charity event tonight and you gave me a bruise." I complained, glaring at her.

She gulped and turned her head sideways. "S-so what...no one is... going to notice it. Now...now get off me..."

"What if I don't?"

"Then I am going to kick you in your balls." She warned.

But unfortunately for her, I had locked her legs between mine.

"Try it." I whispered, brushing my lips against her ear and very slowly and teasingly, ran the tip of my nose under her ear to the base of her neck and she let out a shaky breath.

By then her eyes were closed and she was sucking on her bottom lips breathing heavily. The sight infront of me was heavenly and it took everything in me to not lose control.

Before I could lose control completely and do things which I shouldn't, I lifted myself off her and got up and her eyes opened slowly and widened immediately realising what happened.

My lips twisted up into a smirk. "Did you expect a kiss, Mrs Andrews?" I teased.

She sat up straight quickly and glared at me, her cheeks coated in a shade of pink.

I extended my arm towards her to help her get up but she slapped it away and got up herself and wasted no time in leaving from there, slamming the door shut.

I smiled to myself remembering her flushed face.

Not a second later, I heard Leona scream.

God. What happened now?

I instantly ran out of the gym to see what happened and stopped seeing her standing there with her hand over her heart.

"Who the hell barges in someone's house like that?" She yelled and I followed her gaze to the dining table where sat Westly.

"I came to see my bestfriend." He help up both his hands in defence.

"Westly!" I shouted excitedly and running towards him, engulfed him in a tight hug.

He hugged me and I heard Leona muttered. "You both are crazy." And then I heard her retreating footsteps.

I pulled back from the hug, smiling widely. "When did you come back?"

"An hour back...I came directly here so I could surprise."

"Well...I didn't miss you to be honest", I said making him chuckle.

"I know, I didn't miss you either."

The smile never left my lips as I took a seat and he sat beside me and I narrated him everything that was going on for the past one month or so.

.

.

.

I adjusted my bow tie, standing in front of the mirror as well as my black coat. And glanced at the small calender lying on my nightstand; four more months and we will part our ways. For some stupid reasons, I didn't like that. I didn't want this to end.

I remembered what Westly said earlier today. You like her. But I don't...I...

I don't have time for this right now.

So, I took a deep breath and walked out of my room and towards Leona's and knocked on it. "You better be ready this time. We can't be late for this."

To my surprise, the door opened and Leona stood there, ready for the first time in her life.

My eyes trailed down her body, taking her in as my heart skipped a beat.

She took a few steps closer to me until our chests lightly brushed against each other and I stared down at her. She leaned closer and brushed her lips near the corner of my mouth and my eyes involuntarily closed.

"Were you expecting a kiss, Mr Andrews?"

My eyes opened immediately to see her smirking. I was too stunned to reply and chuckling, she turned around and walked down the stairs.

Damn. Did I really expect a kiss?

I placed my finger near the corner of my mouth where her lips touched as I realised how fast my heart was beating.

I am going crazy. I thought as I walked down, following her. I am definitely going crazy. I need to see a doctor.

.

.

.

The car ride till there was kinda awkward but thankfully that ended as soon as I stepped out and she followed after me and I wrapped my hand around her waist and we walked through the sea of reporters and inside the venue.

My hand dropped from her waist as we got inside. I soon spotted Raven there, along with her fiance who were coming towards us as well uncle Matt and aunty.

"Tell me, uncle...", I said as he came to us. "Whom do we have to assassinate tonight here?"

He shot me a glare. "Are you serious, Rafe? Why will you have to assassinate someone?" His voice was low so no one could hear other than our group.

"You are asking me? You are the one to get us trained like assassins."

He rolled his eyes. "It's just for your safety because we don't know what Carl Abraam will do next. Who knows he will have you or Leona kidnapped then at least you can keep yourself safe." He explained for the first time.

"You couldn't have told us this earlier?" Leona asked.

"I forgot..." He smiled sheepishly.

I rolled my eyes and looked around the hall while Raven dragged Leona and her mother to somewhere and I stood there talking with uncle and Raven's fiance.

A few minutes later, Raven's fiance, even excused himself and left leaving me alone with uncle.

"So...four more months before you both are free." Uncle reminded making me sigh.

"Hmm..." My eyes searched the hall looking for Leona until they landed on her, standing along with Raven and aunty, laughing softly at something Raven said.

Seeing her laugh, my lips automatically curled up in a smile.

"Make her yours, son before it's too late." Uncle spoke, seeing me watching her. "Before someone else makes her his."

I don't why but I felt angry and I said sharply, "Like your son?"

Uncle raised a brow. "My son? What did he do?"

"He has been flirting with her and trying to make me jealous on purpose. Even said that he will marry her when the contract ends." I told him everything.

"He's just riling you up, Rafe."

"I know. But if he does anything to piss me off, he is so dead. Tell him to stay away."

"So, do you accept that you are jealous over her? That you have feelings for her?"

"I'm not jealous. And neither do I have any feelings for her." I stated.

Uncle shook his head and sighed. "No wonder you are Nelson's son. You both are idiots."

I scowled at him and opened my mouth to say something when he pointed in some direction saying, "Who's that?"

I followed his gaze and my jaw clenched seeing Leona on the dance floor, dancing with that fucking Black. The one who was staring at her during a meeting a month or so ago.

"I'll be back." I muttered to uncle and started to walk towards their direction and heard uncle chuckle behind me.

How dare he dance with her!

I took long strides and reached them, since his back was towards me, he couldn't see me coming but Leona did and she rolled her eyes as I grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back from her, a little harshly.

I narrowed my eyes at him as he looked at me in shock. "Mr Black, I think you didn't get my message last time." My voice lowered and I gritted my teeth. "Stay away from my wife."

"Mr Andrews, I took your wife's permission to dance with her which she granted. I don't see the problem in it."

"But I have a problem, so fuck off from here." And I stepped in between them and pulled Leona closer to me by wrapping my arm around her waist and intertwined my other hand with hers as she hesitantly, placed her other hand over my shoulder.

I gently started to sway us together to the slow music playing in the background, keeping my gaze on her while her eyes were lowered.

I gave her waist a light squeeze. "Look at me, Leona."

She slowly lifted her eyes and our gaze collided and for the first time, she wasn't glaring at me. There was some unreadable emotion swirling inside her eyes.

After a few seconds of staring at me, she blinked and looked away. "Why did you chase him away?"

"Why? You were enjoying your dance, huh?"

"I'm just asking a simple question."

"He's a playboy, Leona. I don't want you near him, he's not a good person." I explained softly and then twirled her around.

"There are just four months left..." She trailed off.

"I know."

"You need to stop calling me your wife. It seems as if we are married forever. All this will end soon and I am not your wife." The gentleness on her face faded away and her features hardened.

My eyes narrowed. "You are my wife. And I am your husband."

She shook her head. "You are not my husband. I don't consider you that."

I leaned closer and whispered in her ear huskily, "Whether you consider me your husband or not...deep down you know it that I am your husband. We got married, Leona. Stop fighting it."

"And for the next four months, you will remain my wife. You will remain mine and no one, not even your best friend can take you away from me."

I slowly leaned back, her mouth was slightly parted in surprise, her big, chocolaty eyes staring at me with lots of emotions.

And I gave a final statement with a mischievous glint in my eyes. "You are stuck with me for four more months, baby. And I am going to enjoy every minute of it."