Rake's Redemption (Wind Dragons MC #4)(38)

“Rake,” I whisper.

“Wait,” he murmurs, continuing to kiss across my collarbone.

I close my eyes, feeling not thinking, and when he pulls down my bra and sucks one nipple into his mouth, then the other, I don’t stop him. No, instead, I thread my fingers through his hair and bring him closer, urging him on.

He slides his hands up my thighs, lifting my dress with it, then slides a finger inside my panties.

“So wet,” he groans, biting gently on my nipple before moving back.

When he leans me flat against the counter, spreads my thighs and rips my panties off in a succession of quick movements, I’m torn between pleasure and pain.

The pleasure my body wants and the pain my heart is going to have to handle afterward.

He kisses up my thighs.

“Rake,” I say breathily.

He pulls back and looks at me. “Don’t make me stop, Bailey. Fuck. We need to get each other out of our systems, otherwise the tension is going to drive us f*ckin’ insane. I’ll make you feel so good, you have no idea.”

His words are like a bucket of ice water being tipped on my head.

“?‘Get each other out of our systems’? Like what, a one-night stand? Fuck each other and then pretend it never happened?” I ask, my jaw getting tight. I close my legs and shove my dress down, then fix my bra, covering my breasts from his view.

He looks away. “What do you expect from me, Bailey?”

“More respect than that,” I snap, placing both of my hands on his chest and pushing. “Move.”

“Bailey—”

“I said move,” I say between clenched teeth. “Now.”

He moves.

I jump down from the countertop and walk to my room.

I stop in my tracks when I hear him say, “You f*ckin’ broke my heart once, if you think I’ll give you that power again, you’re getting your hopes up.”

He has no idea.

No f*cking idea.

And here I am, trying to protect him from the truth.

Why?

Why am I putting him before myself?

Why am I protecting a man who has no trouble throwing what he thinks I did in my face over and over again?

I spin around and stalk back toward him. “You know what? Let’s get this all out in the open.”

“Let’s,” he says, looking down on me. “We had a fight, like we always did. You went to some f*ckin’ party to get back at me and f*cked the first guy who looked your way, didn’t you?”

At this point, I’m seeing red.

I’m f*cking seething.

No, I’m bleeding.

Can’t he see the blood practically dripping from every ounce of my being?

I’m transported back to that night seven years ago. The night that changed everything.

I shake my hips, letting the ruffles from my skirt swivel around me. Christa hands me another drink.

“This is my last one,” I tell her over the music. I need to get back to Adam, because I know he’s probably searching for me right now. In an act of rebellion after Adam and I had a fight, I decided to take up Christa’s offer on coming to this party, but I didn’t intend to stay long. I didn’t like going anywhere without Adam, to be honest; no matter how needy that made me sound, it was the truth. Not only did he make me feel safe, but he’s also my best friend. How many girls are lucky enough to say the same?

“You never do anything fun.” Christa pouts. “It’s like you’re a married woman.”

My lips tighten. She doesn’t know me well enough to make that evaluation, but I also didn’t like this bitch judging me. We weren’t good friends or anything, more like acquaintances.

“One that everyone is jealous of,” I throw out there. Everyone wanted to be Adam and me; it wasn’t a secret. I’ve seen the looks of envy from the other girls. Adam is the hottest boy in school, and he’s all mine.

Christa’s expression drops for a second, before it becomes a mask. I know in this moment I shouldn’t have come here tonight. I was being stupid to even consider it. I throw back the rest of my drink, wiping my mouth with my hand, and pull out my phone and turn it on, about to call Adam to come and pick me up. But then, suddenly, I don’t feel so well.

“Christa,” I mumble. “Can you get me some water, please?”

“Sure,” she says, leaving me alone on the upstairs balcony of the house. How much did I have to drink? I suddenly feel drunk, too drunk for what I’d consumed tonight. I fumble with my phone but have difficulty getting my fingers to work.

What the f*ck?

“A-Adam,” I whisper to myself.

Everything goes black.

*

When I come to, it’s like I’m in a horror movie. My vision is blurred and my head is dizzy. I’m on my back on a bed. I stare at the ceiling. There are cracks on there. I don’t know why I focus on those, but I do. A man is on top of me.

I try to scream, but nothing comes out.

I struggle.

I feel nauseous.

I feel weak.

Through the loud noise, the buzzing in my head, I hear his voice, and I smile.

Adam has come to save me.

He will make everything better.

Only he doesn’t.

Instead, he just leaves me to my hell.

*