I held Rae against my chest as her gentle even breathing assured me she was asleep and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead while I breathed her in. That sweet innocent scent that clung to her, an unmistakable aura of woman, coconut, and sunshine. I’d yearn for this smell the rest of my life, much as I knew I would always want and desire her. She’d ruined me for anyone else, long before I was old enough to be interested in girls. I’d lost my heart that young too and no one since or after would ever claim it the way she did.

Rae was my everything.

My arms locked around her slim frame as my mind drifted to this afternoon. I’d never felt fear like I did the moment I realized she had left the house alone. My brothers and I had a mandatory meeting at the clubhouse, having no choice but to leave Rae for a couple of hours. Not believing she was in any real danger, I left her alone and figured she would enjoy reading or spending time with little Leah.

Not the case.

She left her house and ended up at the coffee shop Java Joe’s, about as public and visible as you could get, front and center on Main Street. Providence wasn’t a large city, but most of the shopping and entertainment could be found in the center. From every angle, the place could be scouted and without much effort to conceal and draw attention. Bushes and trees, streetlamps, street vendors, and frequent shoppers traveling the sidewalks obscured view from inside the shop and conveniently allowed easy surveillance from outside.

Both Rae and Hayley had been watched from the moment of their arrival. No other explanation would account for Bryce and his fellow Outlaw brothers arriving at close to the same moment as I did. Bryce, fucking pussy, staged the whole thing to piss me off. I had no idea of the girls’ vulnerability until the anonymous text sent to my cell phone vibrated inside my pocket.

Rafe had called Church, and we weren’t able to refuse. Normally these meetings at the MC were uneventful. There were no interruptions by electronic devices, so phones were put on silent. Rafe was a stickler for the rules, and if he caught me peeking at mine he would have been pissed.

As it was Rafe wasn’t paying attention to me, Jake, or R.J. but a few of his upper-level guys including Valan who were arguing over a drug shipment. My phone vibrated and shook my right thigh. I slipped the cell out of my pocket and read the text.

Do you know where Rae is?

The blood froze in my veins.

Who the hell is this?

I sent the return text as anxiety washed over me. From the corner of my eye, I saw R.J.’s worried gaze. My expression of shock and anger must have been obvious. I rose my head and pretended to listen to Rafe’s bullshit, waiting for a return text I was sure would come. As Club President, Rafe always handled the meetings, but mostly he just bitched.

My phone buzzed again.

Rae’s a pretty girl. So is Hayley.

Anger coursed through my veins as my hands shook. Someone was messing with me.

Who is this?

I would find my girl and make sure she’s safe.

“Fuck,” I whispered under my breath, sending another text.

If you touch her, I’ll fucking kill you.

Watch your back, Pete.

All of a sudden realization sank into my brain. The Outlaws.

Tell Bryce he better do the same.

Fuck!

No answer.

I slid the phone back into my pocket and without a word ticked my head toward the exit. We snuck out the second Rafe turned his back. Scared shitless I ran for my Nova and yanked on the door, after baseball sliding across the hood, “I’ve got to find Rae!”

R.J. froze, “Where is she?”

“Not home where she should be.”

“Then I’ll track her phone.”

R.J. and I didn’t tell Rae we had spyware on her cell and could track her whenever there was a need. I didn’t want her to think of me as a stalker. I wasn’t trying to be controlling or manipulative, but I wanted, no needed, to keep her safe. This was one way to ensure she could be found quickly and easily in case of emergency.

“She’s at Java Joe’s coffee shop. Holy fuck,” R.J. cursed, “doesn’t she ever listen?”

I shook my head and ignored the impulse to answer. Rae was independent. She liked her freedom, and I liked the wild spirit that shone in her beautiful eyes. She was so like Ron in that respect. He was a wild soul too and it led him on some dangerous paths, but he never regretted his life. He wanted his little girl to have more, and so he didn’t chain her down or put preconceived ideas in her head. Ron always told her she could be whatever she wanted.

Rae believed that.

I wouldn’t change who she was for the world. It was her wild nature and wide-eyed innocence that drew me like a magnet. It was a rare thing, to see such a combination. She was as untamed and free as she was sweet and charming. I noticed from a young age how truly remarkable and beautiful she was and perhaps that’s why I fell in love with her so young.

There was always something about Rae that called to me, even from a distance.

Like now. I felt a tug in my heart and tried not to indulge any feelings of fear or doubt.

My baby would be fine. I was certain of it. I could sense anxiety from her, but it was minor.

No feeling of danger or fear seemed to be present. At least from her end.

“I hear motorcycles, Pete.”

R.J.’s words interrupted my musings as I floored the gas pedal in the Nova and fishtailed, the car making a sharp right turn. I could see R.J.’s fingers typing away furiously on his cell as he texted for back up. Jake was already right behind us on his bike. Beckett and Shane would come whenever I needed them. They were as loyal as brothers.

Beckett’s cousin Chris was also a friend. He went to a different school and lived outside of Providence, but I trusted him. The guy was a chick magnet too. A little too GQ.

I wouldn’t involve the RRMC unless I absolutely had to. There was no way I would beholden myself to Rafe. The guy was a power hungry prick, and if I got himself into debt with Rafe, then Mack would have my ass.

No, I would handle my shit on my own.

As soon as I parked the car, I ran to the front of the coffee shop and spotted Rae and Hayley laughing at one of the tables, totally oblivious to the danger that surrounded them. The moment I dreaded was coming. The past was finally catching up to the present. There’d be no more hiding the truth from Rae. She would find out tonight, and I could only hope she wouldn’t be angry.

I’d kept my secrets for far too long now.

“Rae!” I called to her, but she didn’t hear me. Hayley was speaking intently as all of Rae’s focus seemed to be on her words. I don’t remember what I said as I pulled her close, relief coursing through my veins as a flash of heat caused my body to break out into an anxious sweat. I nearly trembled with the strength of my emotions and anxiety, my hands gripping her tight enough to leave a mark. Hoping I didn’t come off as too rough or demanding I told her we had to leave.

Now.

She argued. We didn’t make it out the door fast enough.

Motorcycles surrounded the front of the coffee shop as I spun at the sound of revving engines and pushed Rae behind me. Seeing the bastard, I stared down the cold hard steel that radiated from Bryce’s eyes. A mutual hatred flashed in our expressions before Bryce flipped me off.

The cocky bastard.

I resisted the urge to chuckle at his obvious attempt to appear like a badass in front of his father’s men. Bryce was a pussy ass bitch. We both knew it.

Striker was the one in charge of the Outlaws MC.

Behind me, I felt Rae move closer, and her body tremble in fear. Fuck. I slid my hand into hers and squeezed tight for reassurance. For her sake, I squared my shoulders and taunted him back. I had this under control. Bryce wasn’t going to do anything with this many eyes around. Too public. Striker would take his head, even if it was his own son’s if he started shit in the middle of the afternoon on Main Street, full of happily naïve citizens.

Bloodshed would bring down the feds, and both MC’s didn’t need that kind of heat.

The past, at least, was a brutal teacher.

I hoped to God Rae never found out the truth or Ron’s connection to it.

If she did and decided to pursue it, we were all fucked.

I sighed as R.J. frowned, entering the coffee shop. He was anxious about Rae and didn’t like the danger she was in any more than I did. He loved her as tragically as Romeo loved Juliet because he would never get his chance with her. Rae and I loved each other with a passion that defied our current circumstances. The kind of love that pushed all boundaries and didn’t care about the consequences.

My thoughts came back to the present.

I pressed a kiss to Rae’s temple as she whispered my name in her sleep.

The same way she said my name almost every night.

R.J.’s shadow appeared and didn’t leave the bedroom door for nearly thirty minutes. I knew he had things he wanted to say to Rae, but it would have to wait. Maybe he deserved a chance to unburden his heart, but I selfishly hoped it never came. I relaxed once he left and finally let my eyes close. I got far too little sleep lately. With my girl in my arms, I might as well enjoy it.