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“Well, kind of.” I knew it. “Is Rae Stenson available?”
Annoyed, I muttered a few choice words under my breath, and turned my head, yelling for Rae. I wondered if she knew that a social worker was coming over. “Rae! You’ve got company.”
Rae hustled toward the front door as she exited the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel. My breath almost caught in my throat as she smiled up at me and then focused her attention on the young woman at the door. It was still hard to look at her and know that she wasn’t mine. Edge and I both loved Rae as long as I could remember but what Edge and Rae had was special. Even I could see that.
When we were kids, Edge was known as Pete. He had been her personal protector and close friend from the time the three of us were old enough to attend school together. We grew up around one another and naturally became close. It was bound to happen that one of us would end up with Rae. I always knew it would be Pete, but it still hurt sometimes. I was as welcome and included as family, but the last few months had been tense, especially once they became engaged.
Rae was lost to us for a short time when she was taken into the Witness Protection program. We spent five years searching. Once Edge found her, he made up for all the lost time. They were inseparable now and planning their wedding. I was happy for them, but I felt out of place, like I didn’t truly belong.
Most of my life I had felt that way.
My family life was shit with a whore for a mother and a stepdad who taught me what I knew from life with his fists. Pete had taken me in, and I lived with him off and on over the years when it got too bad to stay in the trailer with my mom. I was reminded every single fuckin’ day why I wanted to escape and make a better life. Not that it happened.
Fate was a goddamn bitch.
I ended up with a Ravage Riders patch on my back in a motorcycle club that was known for its crime and drug affiliation in addition to the war we had going on with Satan’s Outlaws. Those assholes were ruthless. The violence this morning was only a warning.
“Come in,” Rae was saying as I focused on the conversation. “It’s nice to meet you, Cara.”
I must have missed the introduction.
“Thank you. I’m sorry to barge in like this. Hope you don’t mind.”
Yeah, right. These social worker types knew just how to be sweet and inconvenient at the same time.
“Sure. No problem.” Rae ushered Cara inside as I stood with my arms folded across my chest, scowling at the little troublemaker and the checklist I could see on her clipboard.
Cara graciously ignored me and followed Rae into the kitchen, looking around at the spacious and modern décor. The whole house had been remodeled after Rae’s mother was shot and killed. It stood empty for months after the only renter vacated the property and skipped out early on the lease. When Rae returned to Providence, she insisted on moving back home. Her mother Sarah left it in her name which luckily didn’t pose any legal difficulties.
The last few months had been rocky, but Rae and Edge were settling into their home and their life with Leah. After Rae fought for the right to care for her sister, the little sweetheart had come home. Leah was the glue that kept this place together. She was born and raised in this house and without her smiles, hugs, and constant singing it would feel empty and hollow.
My gaze traveled over Cara and down her back, resting on that succulent and shapely ass that swished a little when she walked. I blamed the tight black skirt she wore that hugged her curves all the way down her thighs and that trim waist that seemed to show off just how rounded and perfect her bottom was. Paired with heels . . . fuck. I was completely sucked in.
She had this innocent teacher + sensual goddess thing goin’ on that I wanted to explore. My fingers itched to reach out and roam the generous swell of her hips, to grip that skirt and push the material higher until I glimpsed the apex of her thighs. Was she the kind of girl who wore a thong? Or nothing at all?
Fuck me.
I shouldn’t be checking her out. Cara pushed back a few strands of hair that fell in her face and drifted across her back, teasing the apple of those generous cheeks. I had to stifle a groan. Shaking my head, I turned to see Edge leaning against the back door with an amused expression on his face.
“You wanna tell me why you look like you want to either fuck someone or fuck them up?”
Flipping him off, I didn’t answer as he chuckled and sauntered into the kitchen, pausing to place a kiss on Rae’s cheek.
“Hey, my Rae.”
“Pete,” she began, and he narrowed his eyes in response. She only called him by his real name when things were serious. “This is Cara. She’s from Leah’s school.”
“A teacher?”
“Uh, no,” Rae replied carefully. “She’s a Child Welfare Caseworker.”
Edge immediately stiffened, pulling Rae close. “I see.”
Cara blushed. “I understand your reaction. I’m only here because –”
“Cara!” Leah’s little voice interrupted as she came inside from the backyard and ran to Cara, wrapping her little arms around her waist. “You came to my house.” She sounded shocked.
Cara smoothed the loose hair back from her eyes and smiled. “We didn’t get to talk long this afternoon after the swings. I wanted to come by your house and say hi to your sister.”
