“What the fuck are we gonna do man?” R.J. asked, his head falling into his hands. “If Rafe finds out . . .”

“I know,” I answered, my voice low so as not to alarm Rae.

“He’ll think you betrayed him.”

“I know,” I repeated.

“This is bad Pete.”

“I’m aware of that,” I snapped, trying hard to rein in my temper, “I have to keep my shit together, so do you. Don’t you think if we panic Rae will too? She’s the top priority, her and Leah, alright? So stop acting like a fucking slat.”

R.J.’s eyes widened and he burst out laughing, “Did you just fucking call me a pussy, you dick?”

Both of us grinned, sinking onto the living room couch. Silence stretched between us but it wasn’t as uncomfortable as I expected.

“I’m sorry Pete, for taking Rae that day and hurting you,” R.J. began. “But I’m not sorry I finally had the chance to tell her how I feel.”

“I know, and I’m not pissed about it anymore. I’d have taken my chance too.”

“She’s in love with you, even if she cares for me. I get it bro, and you don’t have to worry about me causing shit.”

“I know that R.J.”

“What’s the plan?” R.J. asked, changing the subject. Damn, he was a bigger man than I’d be if our roles were reversed.

I clapped my best friend on the shoulder, “Mack seemed to think we would be safe here. He made sure we’re secluded enough, and that unmarked dirt road with the privacy gate keeps people out. Let’s figure out what we need and go from there.”

R.J. nodded, “I suppose we’ll need groceries.”

I pulled my phone from my pocket, completely forgetting until this moment that I was supposed to wipe and destroy it once I left Mack back at the diner. Shit.

“I’ve got to take care of this phone. Mack would have my head if he knew I still had it.”

R.J. stood and walked into the kitchen, checking all of the cupboards and fridge, “the place is stocked. He must have known what day we would arrive.”

Of course he did. Mack knew everything, “I suppose he stocked it after he left the diner.”

“Doesn’t surprise me,” R.J. answered, walking through all of the rooms in the cabin. “There’s plenty of stuff like body wash, laundry soap, toilet paper, and paper towels.” He frowned, “How long does he think we’re going to need to hide?”

I shrugged, “You know Mack. He didn’t tell me shit, just listened, gave instructions, and pretty much left.”

R.J. snorted, “He never changes.”

Nope. I knew that too. I sighed, “I think I’d like to go take a nap with Rae. You ok for a bit?”

“Sure. I’ll take watch.”

I opened the door to Rae’s room, happy that Leah had her own room and we didn’t need to share. I wanted time alone with my girl and no interruptions. She was already asleep when I entered. I didn’t have the heart to wake her but wrapped my arm around her and closed my eyes, hoping the worry wouldn’t invade my dreams.

I was over the nightmares of my mother, the stress of keeping Rae safe, and holding it all together so my girl had a strong shoulder to lean on. Being her rock and making sure she was safe, along with little Leah, was all that mattered.

For now, nothing else was worth my time.

***

TWO WEEKS PASSED. IN that time I had zero contact with my mother or Hayley, and it was driving me crazy. Both R.J. and Pete insisted that a phone could be traced and therefore wasn’t safe to use. Whenever I tried to argue about it, I got ganged up on by two strong-willed and testosterone-fueled males that refused to see reason.

I finally begged for one of them to leave and find out news, one way or another.

R.J. left for the day after Beckett picked him up in an unmarked police car. Pete and I kept Leah entertained until it was time for her afternoon nap. Until then I’d kept my nerves under control, but now I was starting to worry again.

I watched my little sister as she slept, wondering what kind of life she would have if Charles was in trouble and something happened to our mother.

Peter’s hand rested on mine as our eyes met. He must have known my thoughts or guessed them. “She’ll be fine Rae.”

I wasn’t sure if he was talking about Leah or my mom. “Maybe,” I sighed. “I’ll be here for Leah if she needs me.”

“Exactly,” Peter agreed and stood, holding out his hand. “Come with me a moment. I want to show you something.”

I placed my hand in his as we quietly closed the bedroom door leaving Leah to her nap.

Pete led me to the living room and dropped one knee, catching me entirely off guard. “I’ve always known since that day in the clubhouse that I was going to spend the rest of my life with you Rae. When you asked me if I could love you like your dad, with my whole heart, I knew at that moment that I already did,” he swallowed hard, his right hand holding my left hand as he reached inside his pocket. “We might have been kids Rae but when two souls are meant to be together age doesn’t matter.” The box opened and an exquisite diamond ring sparkled in a bed of cream satin.

I gasped, “Peter? Where did you get that?”

He winked, “It’s a secret.” His lips pressed to the top of my hand before he continued. “I love you with all my heart. None of this mess around us matters. You and me baby, that’s it. Now and tomorrow, and every moment of the rest of our lives,” he exhaled, a shaky breath trembling his smiling lips, sliding the ring onto the tip of my finger. “Rae, my sunshine and my heart, will you marry me?”

My heart was racing in my chest. I wanted this more than anything in the world, “Yes Peter, yes I’ll marry you!”

I was in his arms before I knew Pete had lifted me, kissing like our lives depended on the connection, gripping and clutching each other close. I felt the bedroom door against my back as his eyes rose to mine and I nodded, barely able to suck in a breath before his lips crashed down again and then it was open. We stumbled across the floor to the bed and fell down onto it, Pete’s body warm, muscled, and hard against my own.

His kisses occupied my brain as his hands roamed. Insistent. Arousing. Burning. Years from now I would remember every brush of his lips across my own, every trail of his fingers across my heated skin, and every thrust of his body into mine. I’d remember the look in his eyes and the moment I knew I was home, loved and cherished, my soul joining his in a beautiful and intricate dance of passion, release, and surrender.

I knew the moment, that perfect hour we spent in each other’s arms, as the most intense and amazing of my life. We shared out hearts, our bodies, and a level of love and trust that transcended everything I thought I knew about life. When Peter’s eyes met mine, his chest pressed close, and his voice hoarse and thick with emotion, I knew I could never love him more than I did at that precise minute in time.

“Forever,” he whispered, his forehead lowering as it met mine, “always my Rae.”

“Forever Pete.”

We lay entangled in arms and legs, wrapped up in each other for hours and never moved.

“I love you,” he whispered once, and squeezed tight, “my heart is yours.”

I nuzzled into his embrace and fell asleep to the consistent and strong beat of his heart, thankful for this moment even if we never had a chance for another.