Rake's Redemption (Wind Dragons MC #4)(47)

TWENTY





Bailey


HERE’S to being able to leave the house without an escort,” Tia says, clinking her glass of wine with mine. “Although I’m going to miss the man candy around the place.”

I smile and nod, silently agreeing. “Someone will still come around at night to check on us though—Rake’s orders.”

“Oooohh,” Tia coos, wiggling her eyebrows. “What’s the bet that it’s him who comes by tonight?”

“Why would he do that?” I ask innocently, my eyes narrowing slightly.

She stands up and does a vulgar thrusting move with her hips. “Because you so f*cked him! And don’t even lie! It’s written all over your glowing, secretive little face!”

I burst out laughing. “Okay, okay. Guilty. Now please stop dancing like that. If Rhett walks in, you’re going to scar your son for life.”

One more hip thrust and then she regains her seat but not her dignity. After Rake and I had sex at Rift, he drove me home.

The car ride with Rake wasn’t awkward, but there were a lot of unsaid things hovering in the air between us. Questions that I don’t think either of us have the answers for. So we sat in silence, but he did walk me to my door and kiss me softly on the mouth before leaving.

“Seriously, how old are you?” I ask in amusement, shaking my head back and forth.

She flips her blond hair over her shoulder. “Doesn’t matter how old I am—how old do I look?”

I grin at that. “Twenty.”

She flashes me an adoring look. “I love you.”

She’s only twenty-five, but she does look younger.

“Right back at you.”

“How was the sex?” she probes, taking a sip of the red wine, then putting the glass back down.

I look up at the ceiling and sigh. “Fucking amazing.”

Tia cheers.

And for once, I can’t stop smiling.

*

“Told you,” Tia mouths as Rake walks into my house.

“Rake,” she says, nodding her head at him, which gets her a chin lift in return. “I’m off. I’ll see you tomorrow, Bailey.”

“Yeah, come over for breakfast,” I tell her, kissing both her and Rhett on the cheek. “Good night.”

“’Night, Aunt Bailey!”

They both leave, and Rake and I are now alone in the room.

“Where’s Angel?” he asks, looking around the living room before sitting down on the couch and looking up at me.

“She fell asleep,” I say, sitting down next to him. “I carried her to bed.”

He nods and strums his fingers on his thigh. “We need to talk about what happened yesterday at Rift.”

“Okay,” I say slowly, taking a deep breath. “I liked— No, I loved what happened.”

His head snaps to me. “So did I, Bailey, but f*ck. How is this a good idea? And after everything that happened, how could you want to . . . I don’t know what to do right now. My head is all f*cked-up. I don’t think you need to be doing this with me right now.”

My lips tighten. “Don’t tell me what I do or don’t need, Rake. I’m the one who came and found you yesterday. I told you I wanted you. I still do.” I pause. “I always have, and I probably always will. It’s just how it is between us. I’m done trying to fight it.”

He opens his mouth to talk, but I continue. “I’m not asking for anything. Can’t we just enjoy each other without worrying about anything and everything? Don’t overthink it. Life is short, just enjoy it.”

With me.

When his expression remains unsure, I press, deciding to take a gamble on how he would react. “I’m a beautiful woman, Rake. I’m not perfect, but I’m worth something and I have needs. If you don’t want to be with me, you need to stand aside completely and watch as someone else takes the place you were always meant to have.”

“I told you what would happen if I saw you with someone,” he growls, a muscle ticking in his jaw. “I’m not the same boy you remember, Bailey. I’ve changed over the years, and I don’t know if you can accept me as I am right now, because you’re going to hear some things that you don’t like.”

“You think I haven’t already heard that you’ve f*cked your way through the country?” I ask incredulously. “Trust me, it’s the first thing people tell me about you.”

He simply shrugs, not ashamed in the least. “Yeah, there’s that, but other shit too. The last thing I need is to get in deeper with you only to have you run scared later down the line. Because you know what, Bailey, if you become mine, I won’t f*ckin’ let you leave. I will keep you, no matter what the f*ck I have to do.”

I shiver at the promise in his tone. I don’t really know what to say right now, because I went to him thinking he would only be interested in sex, like he had mentioned before. But somehow, it seems his tune has completely changed. I don’t know why, but I can’t deny the thrill I feel at his words.

“You’re right to be wary,” he continues. “I think you should think it through next time before you walk into a club with the intentions of f*cking someone.”