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“Oh baby,” I whispered, leaning our foreheads together. “I’m always careful so don’t worry about me. I’m not rushing off to get myself killed. I wouldn’t be much fun as a ghost. Right?”
She smirked, “I would probably still think you’re hot.”
I leered at her, licking my lips before I leaned and kissed her, careful not to be too rough. My baby was still in shock from the last twenty-four hours, and she didn’t need any additional stress or worry, especially me trying to get laid any chance I got. Not that I would even think of it today. She’d have to be handled carefully right now and protected, and that’s what I intended to do.
“Why don’t we take you somewhere safe and we’ll have Beckett and Shane bring Leah in the morning?”
Relief flashed across her face, “You’ll stay with me, right?”
I hated the vulnerability in her soft voice, “Yeah baby, I won’t leave your side, I promise.”
She settled down in my lap, clutching my shirt tightly in her fingers, refusing to let go until her eyes fluttered and she fell asleep, even then they twitched like she would wake instantly the second I moved.
As Rae slept I watched her, my heart breaking at what she endured. This was never supposed to happen. Protecting her all this time only to have her end up taken by the Outlaws anyway was a huge failure and entirely my fault. I never should have left her side, not for any reason.
Period.
Everything was spiraling out of control fast. I’d have to contact Mack again. Now that they’d taken Rae, I was out for vengeance. Mack would be pissed when I told him what I had done, but there wasn’t much choice. Saving Rae was all that mattered. My future, or lack of it now, was nothing.
I’d live with my choices.
I’d own my shit.
That’s what a man did for the woman he loved.
Chapter 30
I wanted my mother. After the terror of the last twenty-four hours all I wanted was to hug my mom and cry on her shoulder. Sometimes a girl needs a good cry and as much as I wanted to see Hayley I wanted my mom first. Jake had Hay at home on lockdown and remained by her side until we were certain no retribution from the last weeks would catch us by surprise.
Mom was sitting at the dining room table, pale and thin like she hadn’t been able to eat in weeks.
I rushed forward as we entered and tackled her in a hug, tears streaming down my face as I blubbered, my words jumbling together in a mess of emotional upheaval.
“Shhh,” she soothed, running her hand down my back, “you’re safe. That’s all that matters.”
“Leah’s out in the car. I told Beckett to wait a few minutes until you two were ready to bring her in.”
My mother nodded, placing her hand lovingly against my cheek, “We’re ok now. Bring in my baby.”
Pete nodded to R.J. who left returning moments later carrying a sleepy Leah into the house. Once she saw our mother, she untangled herself from his arms and rushed mom with tiny sloppy kisses all over her face. Hearing my mother’s soft laughter eased some of the heartache in my chest.
I left the room to follow Pete who had walked silently away, his head lowered and shoulders slumped. He seemed distant, his eyes focused on a framed picture of my mother, father, and me in the main hall. I lifted a hand to his arm as he pulled me into his side, his head falling into my neck.
“I’m sorry Rae.”
“Pete, this isn’t your fault –”
Pete stood up straight and pushed me behind his back, his voice startling me as he roared at R.J. “I just saw Devlin pass the front window.”
“Fuck,”
R.J. cursed, pulling his gun from his waistband. “What do you want to do?”
They shared a look, “Take her upstairs now.”
Shouting that mom and Leah were in danger, I fought R.J.’s grip, but he picked me up anyway and ran up the stairs away from the front rooms and vulnerable wide open windows.
“Stop fighting me Rae,” he hissed between clenched teeth, “you’ll listen right now dammit.”
