by Nikki Landis
He stiffened as his hands grabbed my wrists and held them back, “I don’t lie to you. Ever.”
I highly doubted that. The altercation with those guys at the concession stand and Pete’s reaction proved he hid things from me. I wasn’t even going there right now.
I was too pissed.
“What do you have to gain from this?” I asked, incensed, “are you trying to sleep with me?”
Peter looked so livid I thought he might explode. His face turned a shade very near purple, “how could you think such a thing?”
“Because nothing you’re admitting makes sense. People don’t fall in love when they’re ten years old. They don’t know who their soulmates are going to be. You’re exaggerating, and it’s weird,” I accused. “Which means you have some kind of hidden motivation.”
He shook his head, “You break my heart, Rae.”
“Do I? Or have I figured out your real agenda?”
He let go of me and sat up, his face a mask of anger and hurt, “I can’t believe you just said that to me.”
I was too angry to hear his words, “I want to go home.”
He moved out of my way as I slid from the bed of the truck. When he attempted to follow me, I shook my head and held up my hand, “Alone.”
“You can’t walk home alone Rae. I’ll only follow you.”
R.J. approached us with a big sixty-four-ounce soda, nearly empty, “What’s up?”
“Got your bike?” I asked, glaring at Peter.
“Sure, Rae.”
“Take me home.”
The Big Gulp drink hit the ground as the cup broke and ice scattered across the blacktop. “Uh, I don’t think . . .” his eyes darted to Peter.
“Take her, make sure she gets in the door safely.”
R.J.’s eyes were so wide and round I thought they might pop right out of his head, “Alright, hop on Rae.” He handed me a helmet as I slid on the back of his Harley.
I glanced at Peter once my helmet was strapped on and inched my arms around R.J.’s waist as I felt him stiffen.
“Hold on tight Rae. Can’t have you falling off.” A slight nervous edge radiated from his tall frame.
“I’ll hold on,” I assured him.
Peter was staring at the two of us, his face a thundercloud. Boy was he pissed.
“Man, this is bad,” R.J. mumbled.
“What?” I asked innocently.
“Nothing sweetie. Just don’t get me in trouble.”
I might have listened if not for Peter’s glare. I scooted a little closer and lay my head on R.J.’s shoulder, “Take me away R.J.”
My words drifted away in the gentle breeze.
Peter’s hands clenched into fists as he stomped toward his car. I’m sure he planned to follow.
I was counting on it. I might be pissed, but he was still my protector.
And Pete would follow wherever I went.
“RAE, YOU CAN LET GO of me now.”
We were parked in my driveway, no sign of the Nova. I removed the helmet and grabbed R.J.’s hand, “stay with me tonight.”
R.J. shook his head, a little too hard, “No way. Pete would kill me.”
I smacked his arm, “I didn’t ask you to sleep with me, not like that.” Geesh, did every male’s thoughts go straight to sex?
He looked relieved, “You mean like Pete does? Watch over you?”
I nodded, “Please?”
He frowned, “Not Step-Vader again?”
I sighed, “He’s getting worse. He came in my room last night in the middle of the night.”
R.J. grabbed my shoulders, not surprised but definitely concerned, “Did he hurt you?”
I shook my head, biting my lip, “No, but he would have if Pete wasn’t with me.”
R.J. nodded, “I’ll stay. What should I do with my bike?”
“Keep it here and leave early. It’s Sunday. Nobody will really notice.”
“Let’s go, babe,” he answered briskly. His sudden change in demeanor, from relaxed to alert, should have tipped me off.
“Sure,” my house was quiet. I managed to sneak R.J. into my room and lock the door. “Peter shoved the desk in front of the door last night.”
“Should I do that?”
I nodded, “Yes, I’m kind of scared.”
R.J. shoved the desk in front of the door and turned, sitting next to me on the bed, “What happened tonight?”
“We had an argument.”
“I’ll say. That’s the maddest I’ve ever seen Pete.”
“Yeah. He lied to me and I got pissed.”
R.J. slid his arm around my shoulder as I leaned into him, “Babe, he’s loved you since you were little kids. The guy has it bad.”
I sighed, “Not you too.”
“Are you telling me you don’t believe that?”
I shook my head, “No, R.J. Nobody falls in love at ten years old.”
He stood up and began to pace, “I’m surprised at you Rae. To be honest, I’m kind of disappointed.”
“What?”
“My boy has really and truly loved you that long. I swear it. Ask Jake. Why do you think none of us has ever asked you out? You’re Pete’s girl. You always have been.”
“Because he says so,” I argued, mad as hell. “What right does he have to dictate my love life?”
“Damn, you sure are cute when you’re pissed. Too bad I only think of you as a sister.”
I couldn’t help my smile, “R.J., I’m trying to be serious.”
“So am I, if you argued because you really and truly don’t believe that he loves you that is one thing. But if you argued because you don’t believe how long he’s loved you, well, that’s pretty bitchy Rae. And it sucks. No wonder he looked like he did.”
“What are you saying?”
“He’s my best friend. In all of these years, I’ve only seen him look that way on a couple of occasions.”
I didn’t respond, pretty sure I knew where this was headed.
“The day of your dad’s funeral . . . later that night when I saw him holding you in the treehouse . . . and tonight. You sure screwed up.”
Gee, thanks for that, “R.J., you’re not helping.”
“You want me to lie to make you feel better honey or tell you the truth?”
I sank onto my bed, “The truth.”
“Good, because I don’t want to see him look like that again,” he admonished and pulled me into his embrace, tighter. “Or you either. I love you girl like you were my own blood. Hell, all of us do.” He placed a kiss on my forehead, “But the one who loves you the most is Pete.”
Chapter 12
Damn, I couldn’t remember the last time I was this fucking pissed. Watching Rae ride off with R.J. was like a sucker punch to the gut. I found it difficult to breathe. My lungs ached, and my chest felt tight like I was trying to suck air in through a super tiny straw.
Fuck.
My phone vibrated my pocket the moment I slipped into the front seat of my Nova. Thinking it could be Rae or R.J. I swiped across the screen only to accidentally pick up Rafe’s incoming call.
“Edge? Where the fuck are you?”
Cursing under my breath, I answered with irritation, “Out. Why?”
“You have a job to do.”
“I know what my job is Rafe.” Protecting Rae. That’s it.
Damn, he was such an asshole.
“Don’t fucking start your shit or I’ll have Valan pick you up.”
His threat didn’t mean shit to me.
“I expect you to show next week. The bar needs to get their priorities straight.”
“The bar or the strip club?” I asked, smirking. Rafe never could handle the chicks at Crimysn Syn. The strip club made money though and was a legit business, at least more legit than drugs and guns.
“Both,” he snapped, his anger and frustration obvious. “I expect you there, you Edge, got me?”
“Yeah, I know what to do Rafe.” I never called him Pres, and it pissed h
im off.
“I’m your Pres boy, remember that.”
“This isn’t about history or respect Rafe. This is about trust and business. Getting shit done.”
“Right. Which is why you’re taking this shit on for me next week.”
“Understood,” if I had time. Wouldn’t that piss him off I didn’t show? I nearly snickered into the cell at the idea.
“And Edge?”
“Yeah?” Couldn’t he just go fuck off?
“Pay your fucking dues. They’re late.”
Whatever. I paid my dues for the club not for its Pres, “Yeah ok.”
He hung up grumbling.
I wasn’t going to mention this little job quite yet. I never intended to go through with it. We had enough to worry about, me and my brothers, and taking care of bullshit for Rafe wasn’t one of them.
Right now there was much more serious shit to deal with, like getting my girl back and resolving our little disagreement. Damn, she was stubborn, but so beautiful too. That fire of hers drew me in like a magnet. Damn, now I was packing a hard-on.
Didn’t take much around her. My girl was an instant aphrodisiac.
Time to check on Rae.
I KNOCKED LIGHTLY ON Rae’s bedroom window ten minutes after R.J. texted me, “How is she?”
R.J. moved back so I could slip inside and left the window open to let in the cooler night air. The room was stuffy and he was starting to sweat. We both sank back against the wall, facing Rae’s bed and her doorway.
“Not mad anymore, I talked to her.”
I nodded, “Thanks.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about her stepdad?” R.J.’s voice held an edge.
“I don’t know. Should have said something earlier I guess.”
“You think?” R.J.’s eyes strayed to the sleeping girl, “I had a right to know.”
“Yes,” I agreed, “and I’m sorry. I was more focused on her.”
“Don’t think for a second that I couldn’t throw you to the wolves, bro. I didn’t have to tell her the truth tonight.”
“So why did you then,” my voice was strained. “You could have?”
R.J. banged his head back lightly against the wall in frustration, “Because of her. I’d like to say that because we’re so close I couldn’t sabotage you, but the truth is, I could if I thought I had any chance with her.”
“I know,” I sighed as I watched Rae roll over in her sleep. “And I couldn’t be angry with you for it.”
Silence stretched between us, the same quiet that lingered whenever we talked about her. Maybe we didn’t know what to say to each other, or maybe we were afraid this would ruin our friendship.
“How long have we both loved her? Too long Pete.” R.J.’s eyes revealed a quick flash of pain, but he didn’t let me see it for long.
“Yeah.”
“She loves you, not me.”
I nodded, “Yeah, I know.”
“Always has been you. I can’t change that.”
“You ever going to tell her?” I met his gaze for the first time.
“Nah, no point. I told her I loved her tonight, but it meant nothing more than friendship. You should have seen her eyes when she realized you were telling her the truth. She’s got it as bad as you do. You both love each other, and I’m not such a jerk that I would interfere.”
“Maybe she needs to know. Maybe I should let her choose,” I leaned back and closed my eyes. “God that would kill me.”
“As much as it did to see her ride away with me tonight?”
I laughed without humor, “Something like that.”
“I saw your face, I’m not willing to do that to a friend.”
“I’m grateful.”
“We’ve always been more than friends or even brothers.”
I knew what he meant. It was something like the connection that Rae and I shared, although not sexual in any way, we were close. Our bond was intense and incredibly strong. I could sense R.J. and Jake easily. I knew their thoughts and feelings as well as my own.
I guess to anyone else it would be weird, but to us it was normal.
R.J. nudged me, “What are we going to do about Step-Vader?”
“Nothing yet. He’s not revealed his true purpose or nature so until he does, we protect her like we always have.”
“Good. I’m tired. You get first watch,” he joked, but he knew I would insist on being the first.
“Sure.”
R.J. was lightly snoring within five minutes. I stood and stretched and checked the lock on the door as I walked around the room in an effort to wake up. Last night I managed about three hours of sleep. Tonight I would be lucky to get another three.
I paused when I heard footsteps outside Rae’s door. The doorknob rattled once and stilled, the noise quiet enough to keep the two in the room sleeping. I pulled the gun from behind my back and checked it, before returning the pistol to my waistband, and grasped my hunting knife. The same clicking sounds and rattling continued for a minute and then the knob unlocked.
So slowly I thought I might have imagined it, the knob began to turn.
Tensed and ready for action, I paused, my body on high alert. R.J. was next to me before I knew he was awake.
“Sissy?”
Both of us hid our weapons, “Leah.”
“I thought the door was locked.”
“Apparently it’s broken.”
“That’s not good.”
“You think?”
I shook Rae’s shoulder as R.J. moved the desk, “Wake up sweetheart.”
Rae bolted upright in bed at the sight of Leah running into her room. “Hi there Leah,” she greeted her, Rae’s voice groggy.
The little girl threw her arms around her sister and snuggled into bed with her, “Want Sissy.”
“Ok Leah, but you have to go to sleep. No talking. No singing.”
She pouted.
“I know. How about tomorrow we watch Beauty and the Beast together? We can sing all of the songs then, but right now we have to sleep first.”
Leah yawned, “Sissy sing.”
“I will,” she promised. “Go night, night now.”
Leah snuggled under Rae’s covers and was asleep almost instantly. “Are we safe?” Rae asked, covering Leah with a blanket.
R.J. and I were staring at her.
“What’s the matter?”
R.J.’s voice was strained, “I need a cold shower.” Only I heard him.
“Nothing love. Get some rest.”
Rae frowned and slipped from the bed, “Did he come?” She didn’t ask why I was there, but I saw the question in her eyes. I was glad she didn’t ask. No bullshit tonight. If she persisted, I may push her back against the sheets and prove just how much I did love her.
Good thing little Leah was in the room.
I shook my head, “No.”
My eyes were glued to her, taking every delicious curve of her body into view. Rae was completely unaware of how beautiful and tempting she was. Sleeping in a pair of boy shorts and a loose tank, hair messed up and wild, her eyes half-lidded from sleep, and her tank straps falling off her silky smooth shoulders; she was a seductress.
“God, you’re beautiful,” I whispered, yanking her close. “I can’t resist.” My lips lowered to hers briefly before I ran my tongue along her bottom lip, nibbling at the sweet taste of her mouth that clung to the wet surface, “Now get back in bed. I’m angry with you.”
She pouted, “Fine.”
I watched the graceful swing of her hips as she walked back to bed and climbed on it, covering her slim frame with the comforter. I shivered, adjusting my suddenly rigid dick in my pants. Man, she was going to test my restraint on a daily basis. Not like she didn’t already.
“I can’t believe I didn’t try to get with her. I’m an idiot,” R.J.’s low laugh filled the air.
I turned to him, my face stone cold serious, “Something happens to me and you better.”
“Pete . . .”
“Promise me.”
“Dude, if she’s ever single I’m going to try. No one gets our girl.”
I nodded, running my hand through my hair, desperate to dislodge the painful thought that I may not be here when she needed me the most, “Man, I love her so much it’s crazy.”
“We both do. It’s her only chance.”
“Yeah,” I agreed bitterly, my gaze falling on Rae. We were all she had now . . .
But would it be enough?
Chapter 13
“Tell me why we had to meet here without the guys.”
Hayley sipped her iced Frappuccino and gave me one of her ‘I know why you did this’ looks. We both knew she humored me. Maybe it was the fact that she was my best friend in the whole world or maybe she just knew me well enough that I could push past all of the bull and lay all my cards on the table without backlash or worry.
Hay was an angel.
“What happened with you and Jake?”
“You know he took me for a walk. Jake finally confessed he had feelings for me,” she gushed. Her eyes glistened like stars in the night sky. I knew the look. Hayley had it bad for Jake – for years – but for the first time I realized she was serious about him. As serious as me and Peter.
“What did he say exactly?” I was stalling, admittedly, but I didn’t want to jump right into the conversation. I was hoping she would bring it up first, but she never did.
“He’s wanted to date me all year. Why are boys so stupid?” she laughed lightly and sat back, fixing me with a pointed stare, “Just spill already. The tension is making me want to chew off my newly manicured nails.”
I sighed, “Did he say anything about the guns?”
She nearly choked on her drink, coughing as some of the crushed ice slid down her throat, “Jesus Rae. Do you think you said that loud enough?”
I shrugged, “Tell me, Hay. Did you talk to him about it?”
“I was more than a little caught up in his confession and those sexy lips pressed to mine.”
“So that’s a no?” I clarified.
“I asked him.”
I thought so, “And?” Geesh, this was like pulling teeth or rubbing a wire brush across my raw skin.
“You’re killing me, Rae.”
