him if he did that to you or if it was someone else from your past.”
Lana’s jaw drops open. “You don’t!”
“I do.”
I laugh, unable to hold it in. “Is that what the president’s old lady does in her spare time? Harasses the men?”
“You know it,” Faye beams, putting the bag of popcorn next to her. “I love them. I just like to annoy them now and again. Did you hear Pill’s no longer a Wind Dragon? They took his cut and everything. He was doing all kinds of shit to get his hands on drugs and money, and didn’t give a fuck about the club.”
“Really? Do you think he’ll want revenge over Wade?” I ask, brows drawing together. “I mean he doesn’t know what happened, but surely he’ll piece something together. And then there’s Amethyst—we don’t even know what happened to her.”
“If he tries anything, he will die,” Faye states simply.
“Jesus,” I mutter again.
* * *
“You had something to do with Dom’s death, didn’t you?” I ask Rake that night, as we’re both getting into bed. We moved houses, not wanting to be in the house that Wade died in. I was sad to move away from Tia, but we are only a few minutes farther from her and we promised we’d still see each other every day.
Rake stills, his body going tense. “Why do you ask?”
“I have a feeling,” I say, pulling the blanket down for him to slide in bed.
He gets under the blanket and stares ahead before answering. “I don’t want to lie to you, but I don’t want to scare you off either.”
“I won’t run,” I tell him. “I already know, Rake, whether you confirm it or not.”
“And yet you’re still here,” he says, turning to his side, his gaze searching my eyes.
“Yes,” I tell him. “I am. And as long as you keep loving Cara and me as you do, I’ll always be here.”
“If you really want me to tell you what happened, I will, but to be honest, I don’t want to. I want you away from all the shit. I don’t want you to think about it, or feel bad. And I know you, you will feel bad even though you had nothing to do with it; it’s all on me. My choices, not yours.”
“It’s all over now though, right? I don’t want anything else to happen.” I pause. “To anyone.”
“See, you’re already worrying.”
He rolls on top of me, and I love the feeling of his weight on me. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for either of you.”
“I know,” I whisper. “I can see that already, Rake.”
“No one will love you like I do,” he says, and I nod, because I know that too.
“My soul recognizes yours,” I say softly, bringing his head down so my lips can reach his. “I see you, Rake. I was born to be yours, and you will always be mine.”
“Vein-deep,” he whispers.
“Vein-deep,” I repeat.
“Fuck, Bailey,” he says huskily, kissing me gently. “What did I do to deserve you?”
“I think the same thing every day.”
“Need to be inside you right now,” he says, kissing me harder, his hands starting to roam.
I smile against his mouth.
I feel so happy.
So full.
Like my heart is going to burst.
This feeling.
I’d do anything to keep it.
I get lost in him, and him in me.
The way we’ll always be.
EPILOGUE
Ten years later
MOM! Tell Dad to step away from the door, please!” Cara begs, her brown eyes pleading with mine. “Matt is going to take one look at him and run scared.”
“Well, then he doesn’t deserve to be with you anyway,” Rhett comments, scowling at Cara. “He’s eighteen, tell him to man up already. Or find a girl his age, not two years younger like you are.”
“Rhett,” Cara growls, tugging on her black dress. “Don’t you start, please. This is my first official date, and you and Dad are making it a complete nightmare!”
“Calm down, Angel,” Rake calls out from the front door. “I put my gun away and everything.”
Cara puts her pink-tipped nails on my arm. “Mom, please. Imagine if this was your first date.”
I cringe and sigh, looking down at my ring finger, where Adam is written in cursive print. Yeah, it was definitely my job to rein my husband in right now.
I get up and head to the front door, where, no joke, Rake is sitting at the bottom of the staircase, sharpening a knife.
A knife.
Jesus.
He’s definitely taking this to a whole new level. Then again, this is the first time one of