#Chapter 246 – Rafe

I’m scowling as I storm into the house, slamming the front door closed behind me. I feel a pang of guilt when I see Ian and Victor twitch awake on the couch, Ian’s eyes wide with surprise and Victor instantly on defense, ready to take on whatever threat came through the door.

When he sees me, though – and my expression – he backs off, pulling Ian back onto his check and settling into the couch.

I narrow my eyes at him, pissed off and ready to light into anyone who comes in my path, but he doesn’t make a move, just watching me. So I move into the kitchen, glad, in my heart, that he didn’t rise to the bait.

I know it’s unfair – Victor hasn’t done anything, and Ian is obviously blameless – but I am just so mad. Victor simply raises his eyebrows at me while Ian gives a little wave hello and closes his eyes again. His sweet sleepy little face is a balm to my heart, instantly throwing a bucket of cold water on my rage, but frankly – I’m not done being mad yet.

So I turn on my heel and head for the sink full of dishes. I spin the tap, water splashing out of the faucet, and grab a scrub brush. Then, I start to go to town on the pots and pans waiting for me. I know it’s late at night, and that this can wait till morning, but damn it – I need something to take this anger out on. I grab a particularly crusty pot used to make macaroni and cheese and some steel wool, starting in on it with a vengeance.

My other choice, of course, is to go find Rafe and lay into him, to really make him know that he’d better be on his best damn behavior the moment Bridgette arrives, for her sake –

But a big part of me knows that I’m not nearly in the mental state necessary to do anything but tear him apart. So, I’ve got to find a way to calm down.

And thus, dishes.

I’ve got a few minutes, I know. Alvin is on a secret assignment to delay Bridgette’s trip home – my good little sneaky squirrel, my tricky tiger. We had a brief chat about it before we left and I know he’ll be begging her to stop at every place they see along the way – for bathroom breaks, ice cream stops, whatever he can think of. And Bridgette, soft hearted as she is, will oblige him, giving me just a few minutes here alone to ensure that everything is right here.

That Rafe isn’t wasted, or in a foul mood, or otherwise prepared to break her heart.

I grit my teeth, staring at it

his warm expression, his hand raised to begin patting my back. He flinches back when he sees my face, though, and lowers his hand, intuiting that I do not want to be comforted right now. “Are you

I’m fine. It’s your damn brother who you need to be watching out for right

softly, taking a step closer – brave man as he is – and looking down warmly into my eyes. “Cleaning up, as ordered. What else do you want

in time,” I snap, crossing my arms, letting my anger course through me. “Not be such a d**k

the waist. “Well, I’m working on that technology,” he jokes, deepening my frown. “But I’m sorry, love, I think that – as of now – that’s impossible. What’s this about, anyway?” Victor pulls me a step closer to him and, damn it, the nearness of his body

Love, relationships. And

Victor asks, leaning forward to kiss my

respond, definitive. Then I look up at him. “But Victor, you know how sweet she is, and you know how manipulative he can be. I think that he picked her, specifically, because she’s someone he can control. And that if he gets his claws into her

me and looks behind him, opening my line of sight to see Rafe standing there as well, clearly

narrow my eyes. Suddenly, I don’t want him to look good – to wear this disguise of a clean, tidy man which will make Bridgette think that

and Victor. “I’ll want those on hand tonight.” I turn my eyes

mouth to retort, his

got polaroids! Let me go get them!” He

up at Victor.

Victor murmurs

decide, in the kind of mood where I can’t be told that I’m being unreasonable. There’s only space

as he confronts me. “Clearly, you have an opinion about who I am and

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