Rake's Redemption (Wind Dragons MC #4)(56)

We all look at the broom in her hand.

She looks at it too, then drops it to the ground like it’s on fire. “Damn it! I was going to make an announcement on the weekend in a super cute way!”

The men all walk over and hug her, even Arrow, who I almost never see touching anyone besides Anna. I find it really sweet. I get up and hug her too. “Congratulations. Is Clover excited to be a big sister?”

Faye lets go of me and smiles happily. “She is. She wants a baby brother she can boss around.”

“She’s probably seen the way you act in the clubhouse,” Vinnie jokes, wrapping Faye from behind and kissing her on top of her head.

“Very funny,” Faye returns, shaking her head in amusement. “I’m going to finish cleaning and then head home.”

“No locked rooms, Faye,” Arrow says, narrowing his gaze. “Or do we need another intervention?”

The men all chuckle at that.

Faye rolls her eyes and purses her lips, but the glint in her eyes gives away her amusement. “Fine, no locked rooms. Arrow, your room isn’t locked right now though.”

She jogs off.

Arrow stalks behind her.

Rake looks to me, then to the door Faye just vacated.

“Do you remember if I locked my door?”





TWENTY-FOUR




One month later

I’M hungry, Adam,” I hear Cara tell Rake, making me stop in the doorway to observe the two of them. They’re both sitting on the couch, watching a cartoon.

“What do you want to eat, Angel?” he asks her, looking down and studying her.

“Out of anything in the world?” I hear my daughter ask. “Or from our kitchen?”

Rake chuckles at that and seems to consider. “How about, for now, from the kitchen, but tomorrow I’ll get you whatever you feel like from out in the world.”

Cara nods her little head and says, “Okay, deal. How about strawberries dipped in chocolate?”

I grin at her request.

“Isn’t that a dessert?” Rake asks slowly, shifting in his seat.

Cara simply shrugs. “Strawberries are fruit. Fruit is healthy.”

“Are there some already made up in the fridge?” Rake sounds hopeful.

“No, you gotta make it, Adam,” Cara says, sighing in exasperation. “I know how, but I need an adult to supervist me or I’ll get in trouble.”

“Supervist? Oh, you mean supervise.” Rake chuckles, body shaking in amusement. I hear him mutter supervist under his breath again in humor.

“That’s what I said.” Cara sniffs, standing up and holding her hand out to Rake. “Come on.”

Rake stares at her tiny hand, then places his over it.

My throat tightens at the sweetness of the gesture. I step back into the hallway as the two of them make their way to the kitchen. Cara opens the fridge and points to the strawberries, which are just out of her reach. Rake lifts her up so she can grab them herself. She puts them on the table, then gets the chocolate out of the cupboard and hands it to him.

“We need to melt the chocolate,” she says, pointing to the microwave. I decide to step in and save a confused-looking Rake, who keeps glancing at the chocolate, then the microwave. I walk into the kitchen and take the chocolate out of his hands, opening the packet and tipping it into a bowl.

“I got this, Rake,” I say, grinning widely. “No need to hurt yourself.”

Rake playfully grabs me by the waist from behind and pulls me back against him. “I don’t usually spend much time in the kitchen,” he admits.

“No, really?” I say sarcastically, shimmying out of his reach with a smile. “Do you want some too, babe?”

“I do,” he says, looking down at Cara. “And if Angel loves it so much, I want to know how to make them for her.”

Why did he have to be so sweet sometimes? It makes me want to jump on him and kiss the crap out of him, but I can’t do that with Cara watching.

The last month with him has been amazing. We’ve done a lot of talking, trying to be open and honest every time the past rears its ugly head. It’s not easy, but like Lana said, nothing worth it ever is. And I’ll fight for him until my last dying breath, “Okay,” I tell him, explaining the very basic steps. He puts the chocolate in a bowl then melts it in the microwave.

“That’s it?” he asks, raising his eyebrows. “Anyone can do that.”

“Even you?” I tease, watching as he dips a strawberry in the chocolate. He then lifts it to my mouth, and I open it, taking a bite, while his gaze stays locked on my mouth. “You have to put them in the fridge.”

“The second we are alone . . .” he whispers heatedly under his breath.

I ignore him and continue to finish the strawberries, then put them in the fridge. “Cara, I’ll heat up some pasta for you to eat now, the strawberries can be dessert, all right?”

“Okay, Mom!” she calls out, then races back to the living room.

Rake pushes me back against the counter.

I love the power I have over him, how I can make him want me with just the smallest actions.

That his need for me is the same as mine for him.

That we can’t get enough of each other.

“You’re so f*ckin’ . . . f*ck,” he says, shaking his head.