AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Have you eaten today?”
“No.”
Rayne growls and wraps a large robe that must belong to him because his scent is everywhere, disarming me before he scoops me up again, heading toward the expansive kitchen I saw on the way to the bathroom.
“I was anxious about the event today and couldn’t face eating anything,” I explain.
“I think you just like breaking my rules, sweet girl,” Rayne rumbles. “Let’s get you something to eat. Your dad will be calling soon to check in.”
“Thank you,” I whisper, the emotions I’ve tried to stamp down taking me by surprise, just not the ones I should be feeling. Instead it’s the insane gratitude I feel for the man I know kills people for a living.
“For what?” he asks as he sits me on the edge of the counter, stepping between my legs.
“For taking care of me. For saving me. For killing him.”
Something dark crosses his features, his fingers coming up to graze my cheek where I’m bruised. It’s been throbbing ever since the numbness wore off in the car, but I haven’t seen it in the mirror, and I probably don’t want to. “He couldn’t live after putting his hands on what belongs to me,” Rayne growls. “I will always protect you, Emerson. I will kill anyone that hurts you, and I will burn the whole fucking world to the ground if it means keeping you safe. You are everything to me, sweet girl, and there’s nothing I won’t do to ensure your safety.” His lips crash down on mine before I can fully process the words he’s just spoken. He tastes like whiskey and sin as his tongue invades my mouth, taking everything he needs from me as I willingly give him whatever he wants. I’m powerless in his arms, and if it means he kisses me like this, I’m willing to forgo the independence I’ve always held so dear.
Rayne’s hands move to my hair, gently tugging the wet strands until he’s got me right where he wants me, while I fist the front of his shirt in both hands. Kissing Rayne is like touching a live wire. It makes me feel more alive than I’ve ever felt, and yet I know it’s dangerous, just like the man whose lips I’m becoming more addicted to with each passing moment.
His pocket starts vibrating and he pulls away on a curse before fishing his phone from the pocket of his pants. “Storm,” Rayne grunts out, but he doesn’t move. He doesn’t even move his other hand from where it’s gripping the hair at the nape of my neck. He nods once at whatever his brother is saying and then holds the phone out to me.
I take it from him and hold it to my ear. “Hello,” I say quietly.
“Em.” My father breathes a sigh of relief on the other end of the line. “Are you okay?”
I take a deep breath. “Yeah. I’m alright. Rayne is looking after me.”
“Do you need anything, honey? Do you want to come home and you can stay with me for a while. I hate that apartment you moved into.” It’s not the first time he’s offered for me to stay at his house, but it’s the first time I’ve considered it. I’m honestly not sure how I’m going to be able to be alone after what happened, and the idea of sleeping alone in the apartment I always felt unsafe in makes my stomach clench with nerves.
Rayne shakes his head, his eyes burning with something I can’t decipher.
“I’m okay, Dad. I promise. I’m staying here tonight, and then I’ll work out what I’m going to do after I eat and sleep.”
He’s silent on the other end of the line for a moment, as if he’s trying to decide if he wants to say what’s on his mind or not, but in the end I think he chooses to pick his battles, knowing this isn’t one he can win. “Will you call me in the morning?”
“Yeah, of course. And Dad?”
“Yeah honey?”
“I’m sorry this happened at the gala. I’m sorry if there’s any blowback on the Center or the event.”
“Don’t worry about that. The Saint James family handled it. No one ever knew you were missing because they made sure everything was handled.”
I blow out a breath, thanking the heavens they were there to take over when I couldn’t be what the event needed me to be. “Don’t worry about me, Dad. I’m fine, I promise.”
“I’ll always worry about you, sweetheart. You’re my only daughter.”
I close my eyes to stamp down the emotion bubbling in my chest. “I love you, Dad.”
“I love you too, Em. Tell Rayne if he doesn’t take good care of you, I’ll kick his ass.”
I laugh and meet Rayne’s amused gaze. “Noted.” He chuckles.
I end the call and hand him the phone back, feeling a little better now I know what happened didn’t impact the gala.
“I’m going to make you something to eat, and then we need to talk,” Rayne says, his dark eyes locked on mine.
I nod, but before I can reply he’s busying himself pulling things out of the fridge and pans out of the drawer under the stove, all the while I’m perched on the edge of the counter watching every move he makes with keen interest.
