Rachel didn't realize she had fallen asleep until warmth shifted beside her.
For a second, everything felt soft.
Quiet.
Safe.
Then memory crashed back all at once.
Gunfire.
Selene.
Daniel.
Pregnancy.
Raziel.
God.
Especially Raziel.
Rachel slowly opened her eyes.
The penthouse was dim now, the city lights glowing faintly through the massive windows while rain continued sliding softly down the glass.
And somehow
She was in Raziel's bed.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
She sat up slightly too fast.
Immediately regretted it.
A wave of dizziness hit her hard enough to make her pause.
And before she could fully steady herself
A hand caught her waist gently.
"Slow down."
That voice again.
Low.
Calm.
Dangerously soft.
Rachel looked beside her.
Raziel sat against the headboard, sleeves rolled up, dark eyes already watching her carefully like he hadn't stopped all night.
Which honestly
He probably hadn't.
"…did you sleep at all?" she asked quietly.
"No."
Rachel blinked.
"You're joking."
"I'm not."
Of course he wasn't.
A tablet rested near him, several security feeds glowing faintly across the screen.
Rachel immediately frowned.
"…you were monitoring the building?"
Raziel looked completely calm.
"There was a threat on your life six hours ago."
Fair enough honestly.
Rachel leaned back against the pillows slowly.
The room smelled faintly like him now.
Expensive cologne.
Rain.
Warmth.
And weirdly
It already felt comforting.
That probably said something concerning about her mental state.
Raziel's eyes moved briefly across her face again.
Checking.
Studying.
Making sure she was okay.
Then his gaze lowered slightly.
Toward her stomach.
Tiny movement.
Still enough for Rachel to notice.
And suddenly
The atmosphere shifted again.
Softer now.
More intimate.
Rachel's voice came quieter this time.
"You keep doing that."
Raziel looked back at her immediately.
"Doing what?"
"Looking at me like you're scared."
Silence.
Heavy silence.
Because once again
He didn't deny it.
Raziel set the tablet aside slowly before moving closer.
Close enough for Rachel to feel the heat radiating from him instantly.
"You almost got caught in crossfire tonight."
Rachel swallowed slowly.
"But I didn't."
His jaw tightened slightly.
"That doesn't matter."
God.
There it was again.
That terrifying intensity.
Like the possibility alone nearly destroyed him.
Rachel stared at him carefully.
"You really think something bad is going to happen to me."
His gaze held hers steadily.
"I know how this world works."
The honesty in his voice hit harder than expected.
Rachel's chest softened painfully.
Because for all his power
Raziel genuinely sounded helpless where she was concerned.
Then suddenly
Her stomach twisted sharply.
Rachel inhaled softly.
Pain.
Not unbearable.
Still enough to scare her instantly.
Raziel noticed immediately.
Of course he did.
"Rachel."
His entire expression changed.
Cold panic flashing across his face so fast it almost startled her.
"I'm okay," she said quickly.
But honestly?
She wasn't fully sure.
Another sharp cramp hit.
Stronger this time.
Rachel's fingers tightened instinctively against the sheets.
And Raziel went completely still.
The dangerous kind of still.
"Call the doctor," he ordered instantly.
Rachel grabbed his wrist immediately.
"Raziel"
"No."
The answer came sharp.
Terrified.
Rachel blinked slightly.
Because she had never heard fear sound like that in his voice before.
Within seconds the penthouse transformed into controlled chaos.
Lights turned on.
Footsteps echoed through the hallway.
Cassian appeared looking half asleep and deeply alarmed.
Daniel nearly kicked the bedroom door open.
"What happened?!"
Raziel didn't even look away from Rachel.
"She's in pain."
That alone was enough to make the entire room tense instantly.
Daniel's face paled immediately.
Rachel groaned softly.
"Oh my God everybody stop looking at me like I'm dying."
Nobody relaxed.
At all.
Cassian rubbed his face tiredly.
"She's stressed. Tonight was insane."
Raziel's hand remained tightly wrapped around Rachel's.
Grounding himself.
Not just her.
Rachel noticed immediately.
Then the doctor arrived.
Fast.
Too fast honestly.
Rich people moved frighteningly efficiently.
The older woman checked Rachel carefully while the entire room hovered like emotionally unstable bodyguards.
Which technically
They were.
Finally the doctor sighed softly.
"She needs rest."
Raziel's jaw remained tight.
"And the baby?"
Rachel's breath caught slightly.
The baby.
Hearing him say it out loud still felt surreal somehow.
The doctor looked calm.
"The pregnancy is stable for now."
For now.
Those two words nearly destroyed Raziel instantly.
Rachel saw it.
The way his shoulders finally loosened slightly.
The way he exhaled slowly afterward like he'd been holding his breath this entire time.
But the doctor wasn't finished.
"She cannot keep experiencing stress like this."
Silence.
Then the doctor looked directly at Raziel.
"If you want both of them safe, you need to remove her from danger immediately."
The room went deadly quiet.
Because everybody there knew one thing.
Rachel's danger existed because of Raziel.
Daniel looked toward him slowly.
And for the first time
Rachel saw real conflict in her brother's eyes.
Because no matter how much Daniel distrusted Raziel…
He also knew Raziel would destroy entire cities before letting Rachel get hurt.
The doctor finally left after more instructions.
Cassian and the others slowly disappeared too.
Until once again
It became quiet.
Just Rachel and Raziel.
Rain still tapped softly against the windows.
But now the atmosphere felt heavier somehow.
More fragile.
Raziel stood near the windows silently for a long moment afterward.
Back turned.
Hands in his pockets.
Rachel studied him quietly.
And suddenly
He looked tired.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
"…Raziel."
He didn't turn immediately.
Then quietly
"I should send you away."
Rachel froze.
His voice stayed low.
Controlled.
But she heard the strain underneath it clearly.
"You'd be safer somewhere else."
Rachel sat up slowly.
"You don't mean that."
This time he looked at her.
And the pain in his eyes nearly broke her heart.
"If something happens to you…"
A pause.
Then finally
Raziel admitted the one thing nobody had ever heard from him before.
"I wouldn't survive it."
Silence crushed the room instantly.
Rachel's chest tightened painfully.
Because she believed him completely.
Then suddenly
One of the security alarms exploded loudly through the penthouse.
Red lights flashed instantly across the walls.
Raziel turned sharply.
Every protective instinct activating immediately.
A voice came through the intercom urgently:
"Boss we have movement downstairs."
Another pause.
Then
"And… there's a woman here claiming to be your wife."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Rachel slowly looked toward Raziel.
And judging by his expression—
He was just as shocked as she was.
💭 Author's Thought:
Nah WHO is this woman?!
Nobody spoke for several seconds.
Because honestly
What the hell did:
"There's a woman here claiming to be your wife."
even mean?
Rachel stared directly at Raziel now.
Slowly.
Carefully.
"…your WHAT?"
Raziel's expression remained dangerously unreadable.
Not guilty.
Not panicked.
Worse.
Cold.
The intercom crackled again.
"She refuses to leave."
Daniel looked ready to pass away from stress entirely.
"Oh this family is SICK."
Rachel slid off the bed immediately despite the lingering weakness in her body.
Raziel moved toward her instantly.
"You're not going downstairs."
Rachel looked at him in disbelief.
"A woman just showed up claiming to be your wife and you think I'm staying upstairs?"
"Yes."
"Oh you've actually lost your mind."
Daniel pointed aggressively at Raziel.
"No because I'd also like clarification."
Cassian appeared in the doorway again looking deeply invested.
"This is the greatest night of my life."
Lucien shoved him lightly.
"You're enjoying this too much."
"I really am."
Raziel ignored all of them.
His focus stayed completely on Rachel.
"You need rest."
Rachel folded her arms.
"You need explanations."
For a brief second
Something almost amused flickered across his face again.
Tiny.
Quick.
Still enough to annoy her further.
Then his expression darkened once more.
"Stay here."
Rachel blinked slowly.
"…are you ordering me?"
"Yes."
The audacity.
Actually unbelievable.
Rachel stepped closer to him immediately.
"And if I say no?"
Big mistake.
Because now she was standing too close.
And suddenly the tension shifted again.
Warm.
Dangerous.
Intimate.
Raziel looked down at her quietly.
Close enough for Rachel to notice the exhaustion in his eyes now.
The fear.
The stress.
All hidden beneath control.
Then softly
Too softly
He murmured:
"I can handle enemies, Rachel."
A pause.
"But not losing you."
Her anger weakened instantly.
Which was deeply irritating honestly.
Daniel made a disgusted sound again.
"I need both of you to stop being attractive during arguments."
Cassian nodded immediately.
"It's emotionally confusing."
Rachel rubbed her forehead tiredly.
"This entire night feels fake."
Nobody disagreed.
Before Raziel could argue again
The penthouse elevator suddenly opened downstairs.
Without permission.
Without clearance.
Everybody froze instantly.
Raziel's entire demeanor changed.
Dangerous now.
Lethal.
Footsteps echoed faintly from below.
Slow.
Confident.
A woman's voice followed seconds later.
Smooth.
Elegant.
Familiar somehow.
"Well," the voice called lightly, "this is dramatically hostile."
Rachel's stomach dropped slightly.
Because whoever this woman was
She sounded very comfortable here.
Raziel moved immediately.
Fast.
One hand reaching behind his back toward the weapon hidden beneath his shirt.
And Rachel noticed something terrifying.
He looked genuinely angry now.
Not annoyed.
Not cold.
Furious.
Which meant this woman mattered.
Daniel noticed too.
"…okay I officially hate this."
The footsteps grew closer.
Then finally
The woman appeared upstairs.
And Rachel's breath caught instantly.
Beautiful.
Again.
Of course.
Because apparently every woman connected to Raziel Benedict looked like heartbreak and expensive perfume combined.
Fantastic.
But unlike Selene
This woman felt softer.
More dangerous emotionally than physically.
Long champagne-colored dress beneath a fitted coat, dark curls framing sharp features, heels clicking softly against marble floors as her gaze landed directly on Raziel.
Then
Her eyes moved toward Rachel.
And everything changed.
The woman went completely still.
Raziel's voice came low instantly.
"What are you doing here, Vivienne?"
Vivienne.
Another beautiful name.
Rachel was exhausted.
Vivienne looked between both of them carefully now.
Then slowly
Toward Rachel's stomach.
And Rachel suddenly hated how observant these women were.
"Oh," Vivienne whispered softly.
Not angry.
Not dramatic.
Just…
Heartbroken.
The atmosphere shifted violently.
Because suddenly
Rachel realized something horrifying.
This woman wasn't lying.
Not completely.
Vivienne's eyes returned to Raziel.
And the next words out of her mouth shattered the room entirely.
"You told me our marriage meant nothing."
Silence.
Dead silence.
Rachel's heartbeat slowed painfully.
Daniel looked ready to faint.
Cassian whispered:
"Oh this is CINEMA."
Lucien physically dragged him backward.
Rachel stared directly at Raziel now.
Waiting.
Because surely
Surely there was an explanation.
Raziel finally spoke.
Calm.
Controlled.
But colder than before.
"It was an arrangement."
Vivienne laughed softly.
And somehow that hurt worse than shouting.
"Everything with you is an arrangement."
Rachel felt the tension in the room becoming unbearable now.
Because suddenly
This wasn't about jealousy anymore.
This was history.
Painful history.
Vivienne looked at Rachel quietly.
And Rachel braced herself immediately.
But instead of anger
Vivienne's expression softened.
Which honestly felt worse.
"You really don't know him yet."
Rachel's chest tightened slightly.
Raziel stepped forward instantly.
"That's enough."
Vivienne looked directly at him now.
"No. I spent years protecting your secrets."
A pause.
Then quietly
"And now she's carrying your child while still knowing nothing."
Rachel froze instantly.
Because the way she said it
The way everybody suddenly went silent
Meant there was something much worse still hidden.
Rachel slowly turned toward Raziel.
And for the first time since meeting him
A dangerous thought entered her mind.
What exactly was Raziel hiding from her?