AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I don’t know … it just feels like that ship has sailed, got lost at sea and all its passengers are slowly eating each other on a desert island somewhere near the Bermuda Triangle.”
“Well, that was oddly specific and once again morbid,” Grant commented, making a face of disgust. “What is with you women and your imaginations? Why can’t they be making a raft from palm fronds and eating coconuts and fish to survive? Why do they have to resort to cannibalism?”
“Because that’s the real world. It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there,” Rayma said, her lip twitching as the hilarity of their conversation began to sink in. “Eat or be eaten. Eventually, the coconuts would run out. Besides, it’s a very small island and the boat had like fifty people on board.”
Grant nodded. “I suppose, I still need more information about this ship and the people on it before I’m willing to accept cannibalism as their only choice for survival.” He shook his head thoughtfully and took a bite of his grilled cheese.
“Anyway,” Joy said, “just give it some thought, honey. I don’t think you should write Lassie off just yet. You two were so good together. Last time you were casualties of poor timing. Now, he’s back, you’re both older, wiser, and have careers. Now might beyourtime.”
“Maybe… “ Rayma pondered.
“Well, whatever, honey. Don’t let it eat you up inside. You’re coming for Thanksgiving, right?” Joy dabbed at the side of her mouth with her napkin.
Rayma nodded. Thanksgiving in Canada was the second weekend of October. Some people celebrated it on Sunday, others on Monday, since Monday was a statutory holiday. Rayma much preferred the holiday happening in October compared to the American Thanksgiving that was held the last Thursday of November. It was too close to Christmas for her taste and the weather wasn’t as nice. Plus, Black Friday just put a dark, obnoxious cloud over the entire day. She was thankful for a lot more than just fifty-percent off flatscreen televisions, that was for sure.
Joy beamed. “Excellent. You can bring a dessert.”
March four years ago …
They were lying in bed after a glorious dinner, a shower together and another round of wild, passionate, intense sex. Just like the sex, the Putanesca had been worth the wait. Her man could cook.
Her man.
She liked the sound of that.
He’d cut up pineapple and they ate it in bed for dessert, and now he was drawing erotic circles on her hip while she was snuggled up tight against him, her hand on his chest. “Tell me something that only a handful of people know about you, Rayma Young. I want to know all of you.”
Her cheek was on his chest, so his words were a harsh rumble in her ear. She was twisting her finger around his nipple watching it harden then soften, then harden again.
“Hmm?” He pinched her butt cheek enough to make her squeak. “Let me in.”
“I’ve done a lot of stupid shit in my life, Lassie. Like a lot.” She glanced up at him. “Shit I’m not proud of. Shit that’s gotten people hurt. Shit that’s gotten people killed.”
His eyes widened and a sinking feeling began to form in the pit of her stomach. “Was it illegal? Is this something you shouldn’t be telling a cop?”
She shook her head. “No, nothing like that. And it happened in the states, so not your jurisdiction anyway.” She huffed a small laugh through her nose. “And those who died probably deserved it. I mean I knowsomeof them did.”
“What happened, Rayma?” He spoke slowly and clearly. She could tell he was burning with curiosity, but also wary. She understood that conflicting feeling well, because she was burning with the desire to open up to someone other than her family. To make a connection with someone, with a man she believed she could trust with more than just her hard, hilarious outer shell.
Was Jordan that person?
“When I was seventeen, I got caught up with the wrong crowd back in Baltimore. Have you heard of the True Destroyers?”
“The motorcycle gang?”
“Club, but yeah.”
“They’re an outlaw gang—club—Rayma. What the hell were you doing with them?”
“Rebelling against my tight-ass parents. Getting drunk, high, and partying. I was dating one of them,Arrow. My parents had no idea what to do with me, since none of my sisters had rebelled like that, so they sent me to live with Pasha in Seattle.”
“They justshippedyou off?”
“Yep. Didn’t even tell Pasha. They just bought me a one-way ticket to Seattle. Said they had no idea how to handle a child like me. They gave up on me and made me someone else’s problem. And not just any someone. My older sister who was in the middle of her pediatric residency at a hospital. Like she had time to take care of a seventeen-year-old rebel.
He scrubbed his hand down his face, the short scruff on his face making a raspy noise against his fingers. “Jeez.”
“Anyway, of course, I was pissed. Pasha and I got into a bunch of fights. I was dead-set on becoming a social media influencer at the time, took off to meet with a talent agent—”
