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I just won.
Chapter 73
Isaiah
RACHEL BARELY PARKS HER MUSTANG when I open the door and undo the harness. She yanks the helmet off and shakes her blond hair into a mess that only makes me want to touch her more. I slip her out of the car.
She laughs as she knots her arms around my neck. Both of my arms are steel bands on her waist as I lift her feet off the ground. From this angle, she’s higher than me and I have to tilt my head up to meet her lips.
Rachel sends hot shivers down my spine as her hands caress my neck and cheek. Her lips move smoothly against mine. She’s drawing me in by conjuring up images of being alone with her, and forcing me to forget that we have an audience. Until Noah coughs.
Her eyes have a contagious gleam. “I want to do that again. ”
“You’re going to make scaring the shit out of me a habit, aren’t you?”
Her lips whisper against mine as she speaks. “And you won’t do a thing to stop it. ”
“No. ” As much as it kills me. “I won’t. ” I reluctantly set Rachel on the ground. Abby extends the thousand dollars to me and I put it in the envelope.
“Mind taking a walk with me, Noah?” I ask.
“Let’s end this,” he says.
Eric leans against the fence line on the other side of the lot. His boys loiter a few feet down, and they keep their eyes on us.
Echo places her hand on Rachel’s arm. “Should you really leave your car here?”
Rachel’s violet eyes stay trained on me. “No. But it’ll be okay. ”
“Rachel. ” Echo gently nudges. “Let’s move your car. ”
“It’s all right, angel. We won this one. ”
With reluctance, Rachel slides back into the driver’s seat of her car, and Echo slips into the other side. Rachel drives off, and Abby starts off after them on foot.
“Take care of her,” I call out.
“I will,” Abby says without looking back.
The envelope feels heavy in my hand. Not long ago, I went to Eric so I could stay out of foster care. Now I’m handing him five thousand dollars, and I’m still losing my home.
“Think he’ll keep his word?” I mutter to Noah.
“No,” he answers. “It’s not his style to lose. ”
It’s not. “I’ve told Abby to get Rachel and Echo the hell out of here the moment the first punch is thrown. ”
“Thanks,” he says. “This is killing Echo, but she knows what to do and will help Abby get Rachel out. ”
“You don’t have to do this. ”
Noah flashes the same jackass-crazy grin as the day he moved into Shirley and Dale’s. “Yeah, bro, I do. This is what brothers do for each other. ”
Brother. Years without a mom. Years without a dad. Knowing that no other blood relative existed on the face of the planet for me. But within two years, water becomes thicker than blood.
I hold my hand out to Noah and when he has a firm grip, I pull him in for a fast hug. We both clap each other’s back.
“We’re family,” he whispers.
