Damn, I couldn’t remember the last time I was this fucking pissed. Watching Rae ride off with R.J. was like a sucker punch to the gut. I found it difficult to breathe. My lungs ached, and my chest felt tight like I was trying to suck air in through a super tiny straw.

Fuck.

My phone vibrated my pocket the moment I slipped into the front seat of my Nova. Thinking it could be Rae or R.J. I swiped across the screen only to accidentally pick up Rafe’s incoming call.

“Edge? Where the fuck are you?”

Cursing under my breath, I answered with irritation, “Out. Why?”

“You have a job to do.”

“I know what my job is Rafe.” Protecting Rae. That’s it.

Damn, he was such an asshole.

“Don’t fucking start your shit or I’ll have Valan pick you up.”

His threat didn’t mean shit to me.

“I expect you to show next week. The bar needs to get their priorities straight.”

“The bar or the strip club?” I asked, smirking. Rafe never could handle the chicks at Crimysn Syn. The strip club made money though and was a legit business, at least more legit than drugs and guns.

“Both,” he snapped, his anger and frustration obvious. “I expect you there, you Edge, got me?”

“Yeah, I know what to do Rafe.” I never called him Pres, and it pissed him off.

“I’m your Pres boy, remember that.”

“This isn’t about history or respect Rafe. This is about trust and business. Getting shit done.”

“Right. Which is why you’re taking this shit on for me next week.”

“Understood,” if I had time. Wouldn’t that piss him off I didn’t show? I nearly snickered into the cell at the idea.

“And Edge?”

“Yeah?” Couldn’t he just go fuck off?

“Pay your fucking dues. They’re late.”

Whatever. I paid my dues for the club not for its Pres, “Yeah ok.”

He hung up grumbling.

I wasn’t going to mention this little job quite yet. I never intended to go through with it. We had enough to worry about, me and my brothers, and taking care of bullshit for Rafe wasn’t one of them.

Right now there was much more serious shit to deal with, like getting my girl back and resolving our little disagreement. Damn, she was stubborn, but so beautiful too. That fire of hers drew me in like a magnet. Damn, now I was packing a hard-on.

Didn’t take much around her. My girl was an instant aphrodisiac.

Time to check on Rae.

***

I KNOCKED LIGHTLY ON Rae’s bedroom window ten minutes after R.J. texted me, “How is she?”

R.J. moved back so I could slip inside and left the window open to let in the cooler night air. The room was stuffy and he was starting to sweat. We both sank back against the wall, facing Rae’s bed and her doorway.

“Not mad anymore, I talked to her.”

I nodded, “Thanks.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about her stepdad?” R.J.’s voice held an edge.

“I don’t know. Should have said something earlier I guess.”

“You think?” R.J.’s eyes strayed to the sleeping girl, “I had a right to know.”

“Yes,” I agreed, “and I’m sorry. I was more focused on her.”

“Don’t think for a second that I couldn’t throw you to the wolves, bro. I didn’t have to tell her the truth tonight.”

“So why did you then,” my voice was strained. “You could have?”

R.J. banged his head back lightly against the wall in frustration, “Because of her. I’d like to say that because we’re so close I couldn’t sabotage you, but the truth is, I could if I thought I had any chance with her.”

“I know,” I sighed as I watched Rae roll over in her sleep. “And I couldn’t be angry with you for it.”

Silence stretched between us, the same quiet that lingered whenever we talked about her. Maybe we didn’t know what to say to each other, or maybe we were afraid this would ruin our friendship.

“How long have we both loved her? Too long Pete.” R.J.’s eyes revealed a quick flash of pain, but he didn’t let me see it for long.

“Yeah.”

“She loves you, not me.”

I nodded, “Yeah, I know.”

“Always has been you. I can’t change that.”

“You ever going to tell her?” I met his gaze for the first time.

“Nah, no point. I told her I loved her tonight, but it meant nothing more than friendship. You should have seen her eyes when she realized you were telling her the truth. She’s got it as bad as you do. You both love each other, and I’m not such a jerk that I would interfere.”

“Maybe she needs to know. Maybe I should let her choose,” I leaned back and closed my eyes. “God that would kill me.”

“As much as it did to see her ride away with me tonight?”

I laughed without humor, “Something like that.”

“I saw your face, I’m not willing to do that to a friend.”

“I’m grateful.”

“We’ve always been more than friends or even brothers.”

I knew what he meant. It was something like the connection that Rae and I shared, although not sexual in any way, we were close. Our bond was intense and incredibly strong. I could sense R.J. and Jake easily. I knew their thoughts and feelings as well as my own.

I guess to anyone else it would be weird, but to us it was normal.

R.J. nudged me, “What are we going to do about Step-Vader?”

“Nothing yet. He’s not revealed his true purpose or nature so until he does, we protect her like we always have.”

“Good. I’m tired. You get first watch,” he joked, but he knew I would insist on being the first.

“Sure.”

R.J. was lightly snoring within five minutes. I stood and stretched and checked the lock on the door as I walked around the room in an effort to wake up. Last night I managed about three hours of sleep. Tonight I would be lucky to get another three. 

I paused when I heard footsteps outside Rae’s door. The doorknob rattled once and stilled, the noise quiet enough to keep the two in the room sleeping. I pulled the gun from behind my back and checked it, before returning the pistol to my waistband, and grasped my hunting knife. The same clicking sounds and rattling continued for a minute and then the knob unlocked.

So slowly I thought I might have imagined it, the knob began to turn.

Tensed and ready for action, I paused, my body on high alert. R.J. was next to me before I knew he was awake.

“Sissy?”

Both of us hid our weapons, “Leah.”

“I thought the door was locked.”

“Apparently it’s broken.”

“That’s not good.”

“You think?”

I shook Rae’s shoulder as R.J. moved the desk, “Wake up sweetheart.”

Rae bolted upright in bed at the sight of Leah running into her room. “Hi there Leah,” she greeted her, Rae’s voice groggy.

The little girl threw her arms around her sister and snuggled into bed with her, “Want Sissy.”

“Ok Leah, but you have to go to sleep. No talking. No singing.”

She pouted.

“I know. How about tomorrow we watch Beauty and the Beast together? We can sing all of the songs then, but right now we have to sleep first.”

Leah yawned, “Sissy sing.”

“I will,” she promised. “Go night, night now.”

Leah snuggled under Rae’s covers and was asleep almost instantly. “Are we safe?” Rae asked, covering Leah with a blanket.

R.J. and I were staring at her.

“What’s the matter?”

R.J.’s voice was strained, “I need a cold shower.” Only I heard him.

“Nothing love. Get some rest.”

Rae frowned and slipped from the bed, “Did he come?” She didn’t ask why I was there, but I saw the question in her eyes. I was glad she didn’t ask. No bullshit tonight. If she persisted, I may push her back against the sheets and prove just how much I did love her.

Good thing little Leah was in the room.

I shook my head, “No.”

My eyes were glued to her, taking every delicious curve of her body into view. Rae was completely unaware of how beautiful and tempting she was. Sleeping in a pair of boy shorts and a loose tank, hair messed up and wild, her eyes half-lidded from sleep, and her tank straps falling off her silky smooth shoulders; she was a seductress.

“God, you’re beautiful,” I whispered, yanking her close. “I can’t resist.” My lips lowered to hers briefly before I ran my tongue along her bottom lip, nibbling at the sweet taste of her mouth that clung to the wet surface, “Now get back in bed. I’m angry with you.”

She pouted, “Fine.”

I watched the graceful swing of her hips as she walked back to bed and climbed on it, covering her slim frame with the comforter. I shivered, adjusting my suddenly rigid dick in my pants. Man, she was going to test my restraint on a daily basis. Not like she didn’t already.

“I can’t believe I didn’t try to get with her. I’m an idiot,” R.J.’s low laugh filled the air.

I turned to him, my face stone cold serious, “Something happens to me and you better.”

“Pete . . .”

“Promise me.”

“Dude, if she’s ever single I’m going to try. No one gets our girl.”

I nodded, running my hand through my hair, desperate to dislodge the painful thought that I may not be here when she needed me the most, “Man, I love her so much it’s crazy.”

“We both do. It’s her only chance.”

“Yeah,” I agreed bitterly, my gaze falling on Rae. We were all she had now . . .

But would it be enough?