His Ultimate Prize

The other man cleared his throat. ‘I was hoping to convince you to let my team borrow Raven’s services for a few hours. Our regular physiotherapist came down with a stomach bug and had to stay at the hotel.’

‘Out of the question,’ Rafael replied without a single glance in his direction.

‘Rafael!’

‘Need I remind you what your contract states?’ he asked her.

‘I don’t need reminding, but surely—’

He shifted sideways deliberately in a move to get her attention. And succeeded immediately. ‘What happened?’ she demanded, her keen eyes trailing down his body, making a visual inspection.

‘You were right. This whole thing has simply worn me out. I think I’ll have an early night.’ He turned towards the door. ‘Are you coming?’

‘I...yes, of course.’ Concern was etched into her face. Rafael wanted to reassure her that his hip wasn’t painful enough to warrant that level of worry.

But he didn’t because he couldn’t guarantee that she wouldn’t wish to stay, return to Axel. The disconcerting feeling unsettled him further.

‘I was away for just over an hour. Please tell me you didn’t try and do anything foolish to your body in that time.’

‘Where were you, exactly?’

‘Excuse me?’

‘Were you with Jung all that time?’ he asked, an unfamiliar feeling in his chest.

‘Are we seriously doing this again?’

‘How else would he have got it into his mind to poach you?’

‘He wasn’t...isn’t trying to poach me. He was telling the truth. His team’s physio was sent back to his hotel because he fell ill. But they think it’s just a twenty-four hour virus. I didn’t see the harm in agreeing to give my professional opinion.’

‘You should’ve spoken to me first.’

‘In the mood you were in? You bit my head off because I got too close again. I won’t be your personal punchbag for whenever you feel the need to strike out.’

He sucked in a weary breath and Raven forced herself to look at him properly for the first time. Not that it was a hardship.

It was clear he was in pain. His skin was slightly clammy and stress lines flared from his eyes. ‘What the hell did you do to yourself?’ she asked softly.

‘You should’ve stuck around if you were concerned.’

She didn’t get the opportunity to answer as they’d arrived at the helipad. The blades were already whirring when she took her seat beside Rafael for the short trip to their hotel in Milan.

As they exited the lift towards their exclusive penthouse suite, she turned to him. ‘Lean on me.’

When he didn’t argue or make a suggestive comment, she knew he was suffering. Raven was thankful she’d had the forethought to ring ahead to make sure the equipment she needed had been set up.

Back in their hotel, after Rafael stripped to his boxers, she started with a firm sports massage to relax his limbs before she went to work on the strained hip muscles.

By the time she was done, a fine sheen of sweat had broken over his face. Pouring a glass of water, she handed it to him.

He drank and handed the glass back to her.

‘I don’t like seeing you with other men. It drives me slightly nuts,’ he said abruptly.

She stilled in the act of putting away a weighted leg brace. ‘You can’t have all the toys in the playground, Rafael.’

‘I just want one toy. The one sitting on top of the tree that everyone says I can’t have.’

‘What you can’t do is to keep shaking the tree in the hope that the toy will fall into your lap. That’s cheating.’

‘It’s not cheating; it’s taking the initiative. Anyway, you can’t be with Axel.’

She stopped, head tilted to the side, before she tucked a strand of hair behind one ear. ‘Okay, I’ll play. Why can’t I be with him?’

He gave a pained grimace. ‘He has a ridiculous name, for a start. Think how ridiculous your future kids would find you. Raven and Axel Jung. Doesn’t rhyme.’

‘And I have to have a man whose name rhymes with mine, why?’

‘Synergy in all things. Take you and me.’

‘You and me?’ she parroted.

‘Sí. Rafa and Raven rolls right off the tongue. It was meant to be.’

She passed him a towel. ‘I’d suspect you were on some sort of high, but you didn’t touch a drop of alcohol at the mixer and you’ve refused any pain medication.’

‘I’m completely rational. And completely right.’

‘It must be hunger making you delirious then.’ She handed him the walking stick and walked beside him to the living room. ‘Room service?’