#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.

through the house. I grit my teeth, staring at it for a moment, and then reaching for a casserole dish sitting at the

patting my back. He flinches back when he sees my face, though, and lowers his hand, intuiting that I do not want to

begin, “oh, I’m fine. It’s your damn brother who you

closer – brave man as he is – and looking down warmly into my eyes.

back in time,” I snap, crossing my arms, letting my anger course through me.

“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

little bit. “We spent the night talking about…stuff. Love, relationships.

Victor asks, leaning forward

“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 again, she’s not going to be able to

looks behind him, opening my line of sight to see Rafe standing there as well, clearly offended and on the defense, but clean-cut and shaved, dressed in a casual pair of slacks

to wear this disguise of

Ian and Victor. “I’ll want those

opens his mouth to retort, his brows drawing closer, but Ian

Let me go get

and looking up at

thing, babe,” Victor murmurs passively, looking between

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

as he confronts me. “Clearly, you have an opinion

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