Raine's Haven

by Shari J. Ryan

  "Sounds nice," she says, her eyebrow deviously perking up.

  I push her hand away. "Put your money away." It's probably what's left over of the money I gave her last night anyway. As I mix her drink, I keep my stare locked on the curious look in her eyes. She's uncomfortable here, as she should have been years ago. When I place her drink down and plop a cherry in it, she smiles.

  "You should keep the cherry," she says. Okay, I'm not going to make it through the night. What the hell.

  "What are you really doing here?" I ask.

  "It's either here, a park bench, or the stairs of the motel," she says with a sigh.

  I figured she'd spend the night with her parents after going over there, but I've heard her begrudging argument against that idea.

  "Oh, damn, I thought maybe you came to see me." I feel a smirk fighting its way across my mouth.

  In return, her lips purse to one side as the dimple on her right cheek deepens. "I did."

  I think I might like the woman version of Haven a whole hell of a lot more than the know-it-all teenage girl I once knew. "So, how did your detective work go?" I grab a glass to polish, busying myself so I can keep talking to her.

  "Not sure yet. I have a few things, but we can look at them when you get off." My insides burn, thanks to my inappropriate thoughts, and Haven has no clue what she just said, which makes me want to laugh at the same time.

  "One more hour," I tell her, trying to keep a straight face.

  "Did you sleep with that woman the other night?" Haven asks. I can see she looks upset about the idea, but I was angry…and things happen. It wasn't like I owed Haven anything that night.

  "I did, yeah."

  "Why?" she asks, sucking the life out of the tiny cocktail straw.

  "I needed some ass, and she was interested," I tell her honestly.

  Haven knows she can't get mad. She has no right, but that doesn't mean she isn't disgusted about it. Regardless, she’s hiding it well, as she polishes off her drink in less time than it takes me to mix up a few drinks for other shouted requests.

  Haven taps her cup down onto the bar top and pushes it toward me. "Need a refill?"

  "Why not?" she says...still no smile, just frustration, I'm guessing.

  "You can't be pissy," I tell her while pouring the bottles of liquor into a new cup for her.

  "I'm not."

  I narrow my eyes in her direction, calling her bluff. "I may have been locked away for a while, but I know when a chick is pissed."

  "She's gross," Haven says. "Like, prostitute gross." I agree with her, but I won't give her the satisfaction of knowing that.

  I shrug. "It happens."

  "Is it going to happen again?"

  Shaking my head slowly as I lean my forearms down on the bar top, I bring my nose less than a few inches from hers, grinning. "No, it's not going to happen again."

  Haven tries not to smile as she places her drink between us and sucks down the new one, but I pull the straw from her mouth just before she finishes. "Easy," I say. I remember the anger that resulted when she drank those the couple of times she came down here.

  "Mr. Carson," she grips the cup. "Do you honestly think I can't handle my liquor these days?"

  I release my grip from her straw and hold my hands up in defense. "Fine, have at it."

  The hour slipped by in what felt like less than a few blinks, except Haven is a little more than tipsy, even after informing me she could handle her liquor.

  It takes me a little while to close the place up, trying to run through the list of closing tasks Crow left for me. I told him I had the place under control so he could go home and work things out with Kacee. His mood was becoming unmanageable as people started to trickle in tonight, but he stayed until eleven to help with the heavy rush. Now, it's just drunks, Crystal who’s still milking her drink, and Haven.

  I flip the lights on and ask Crystal and the two guys at the end of the bar to finish up. The guys don't give me a hard time as they polish off their beers and drop a tip down onto the bar, but Crystal gives me a look that tells me she wants to ruin my life. She finishes her drink, and her thighs noisily squeak off the barstool before she struts out of the door with her finger flying in the air as a goodbye.

  "That's why I cleaned my chair…" Haven mutters. "Hope you showered when you were done with her."

  "Hey," I scold her, tossing a napkin into her face.

  "See ya later, man. Thanks," one of the guys says.

  "Hey, sweet cheeks, you need a ride home?" the other says to Haven.

  "Nope, thank you," she says, glaring at them.

  "Haven," I stop her from saying or doing anything stupid that would start a fight. The men laugh wildly, mumbling some shit beneath their breath, and thankfully, trudge out the door. "You can't be starting shit in here. I need this job, and things are already strained with Crow as it is."

  "Sorry. Men are pigs," she says. "And I have a hard time keeping my mouth shut when they do stupid crap."

  "Ignore it," I tell her. "Replying to them at all is giving them what they want."

  "How would you know?" she asks, irritated.

  "You think the inmates in prison understand attitudes?"

  "At least you weren't getting hit on by assholes," she argues.

  Here is where Haven and I differ. I've been forced to see life for what it is, and regardless of her tough exterior, she still lives in a little bubble.

  "Yeah, you're right," I lie to appease her innocence.

  28

  Haven

  "You don't have to worry," I say, stumbling out of the bar, "I can get my own room tonight." I reach into my small purse and pull out eighty dollars, handing it back to him for the money he lent me last night. "Here."

  "What's this?" he asks.

  "The money from last night?" I question.

  "You can keep it," he says.

  "No," I say, placing my hand on his arm. "Don't worry. This money isn't mine." With a raised brow and a small grin, he questions me without saying a word. "Daddy's?"

  Before the word completely seeps from my mouth, Raine takes the wad of cash and stuffs it into his pocket. "You should have led with that."

  "My apologies," I offer, with a cunning eye roll.

  "You really think it's a good idea to stay in your own room tonight?" he asks. "This place is known for getting break-ins and shit."

  "I'll be fine," I assure him.

  "Oh yeah? What method of self-defense would you use?" Raine teases as he places his arms tightly around my chest from behind before placing a kiss on my cheek. “How would you get out of this one?”

  "I know self-defense," I lie. “And if I wanted to get away from you right now, I would.”

  He releases his hold and twists me around, pulling my body into his as he stares down at me. The look in his eyes softens, and it makes my heart liquefy into tiny exploding bubbles. “But I still think you’re kind of hot,” I tell him.

  “I still think you’re cute as a button,” he plays into our memory. “Though, at your ripe old age of twenty-three, you’re also the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.” He leans down, sweeping his hand across my cheek, and curls his fingers around my ear as he closes the space between us. His fingertips press tightly into the back of my head, and his other arm wraps around my back, holding me so tightly against him, I feel like I may run out of air. He works his lips so meticulously over mine, it’s hard to believe so much time has passed since I allowed myself to feel this way. A quiet moan escapes his throat and vibrates into my mouth, sending shock waves down the length of my body. When he pulls away, and I’m chasing my last breath, a small smile pinches at his lips. “You are my weakness, always have been. I wanted to hate you as much as I hated your father, but from the moment I first laid eyes on you, I knew I was doomed. There’s nothing in this world that could make me hate you—a shitty father, a little white lie, or wrong decisions—none of it holds a flame to the good I feel for you, the good that I kn
ow is inside you.”

  My hand feels shaky as I touch my fingers to my tingling lips. “Neither of us asked for the life we were born into, or the way we were brought up...that’s what we have in common. That’s our connection. It can be the strength between us.”

  He curls his arm around my neck and pulls me into his chest. “You’re something else, you know that?”

  “Oh, I’m aware,” I laugh softly.

  “Still want your own room tonight?”

  “Maybe it’s best...just until things get sorted out. The last thing I want to do is cause you more trouble right now.” I hurt him once because of my selfishness, and I refuse to do that again. I feel too much for him to risk anything like that.

  "Okay, I get it," he sighs. "But, I'm not sure you could even fend off a big spider if it broke in."

  "That's ridiculous," I argue.

  He doesn't continue the disagreement as we walk into the motel's office. "Two rooms, please," I tell the aged woman. She looks back and forth between Raine and me, likely making up some story about us in her head, just like everyone else in this damn area.

  She places the two keys down on the countertop, and I hand over the proper amount of cash, settling the bill for both of our rooms. Now knowing where the money is coming from, Raine doesn't argue.

  We walk out through the broken glass door of the office and up the stairs. "Did you happen to find anything besides money today?" Raine asks.

  I clutch my purse tightly to my side in response to his question. I found a lot of things with little meaning. There is one thing I'm unsure of, though. "I don’t know if it will be any help, but I'm not done looking yet."

  Raine drops his arm from around my shoulders and steps in front of me. "Well, what is it?"

  With a bit of hesitation, I let my purse slip down the length of my arm and open it nervously. I pull out a few papers and hand them over. Raine unfolds them as fast as his hands will move and studies them under the fluttering light above our heads. I hold my gaze steadily on the concentration flashing over his face, and I'm not sure if he's having trouble reading it in the dim light or if he doesn't know what he's looking at. It was the latter half for me, but one thing did stand out.

  "Come inside for a minute," he says, looking down at the key in his hand. He walks ahead, two rooms down, and unlocks his door, allowing me to walk in first.

  I step inside, finding a clean room, which is a pleasant surprise after checking into a room that wasn't clean last night.

  Raine sits down on the edge of the bed, still studying the papers. "I didn't think it had anything to do with your granddad," I say. "But do you see where it says—"

  "It doesn't," Raine agrees. "But it looks like I'm not the only one your dad's done this to."

  "How do you know?" I question.

  "I know this man," Raine says. "He owned a piece of historical property a few streets over from my granddad's house." Raine continues to squint at the words he's reading. "This is the title to that property."

  "Well, why is your granddad's name on it, then?"

  "He owned a small piece of the land. It was worth a shit ton of money and he wanted to invest in it," Raine continues. "Mr. Baker died just a year after my granddad died. The last I heard, the property was to be handed over to his daughters."

  "Except—" I piece the bits of information I have together. "It looks like my dad acquired it." Raine releases the papers, and I watch them fall to the ground, wavering slowly like weightless feathers. "How many people do you think he's done this to?" I take a few steps backward until my knees buckle at the edge of the hard chair in the corner. "There has to be more paperwork. If he has these papers, he must have something more about your granddad's property and will."

  "I don't know, but God, I hope so," Raine agrees.

  I feel guilty on behalf of Dad. How could I be the daughter of a monster as horrible as he is? "I'm so sorry," I offer, knowing it's meaningless.

  Raine slides back onto the bed and lifts his feet, making himself comfortable. "It's nothing new, Haven. It's just more confirmation."

  "I know."

  "What's hard to understand is that a bank wouldn't question a man with such a sudden increase in cash. Unless he's close friends with the owner of whatever bank he is with, it's all a little hard to believe." Raine places his arms beneath his head and settles into the pillows. "Where did you find the cash you have?"

  "His safe," I tell him.

  "Does he know you have the combination?"

  "Are you kidding?" I laugh nervously. "No. I watched him open it once."

  "Is there only money in the safe?"

  "I'm not sure. It's separated into compartments. The cash is neatly stacked into piles, and I don't know how far back the piles go."

  "You need to find out when you can. There may be more in that safe besides cash."

  "I was planning to, but I ran out of time today," I tell him. "Raine, I'm not stopping until I help you fix this. I don't care if we end up pushing my father to a life sentence in prison. He deserves it."

  "You know," Raine says. "You've changed." He doesn’t say this in a sweet way, not in the way he was just talking to me minutes ago outside. I’m fearful of his anger resurfacing and that he’ll finally find a reason to blame me for the demise of his life.

  "How so?" I question, nervously settling into the back of the chair.

  "You were so determined to get into my pants back then," he says with a grin that makes the lower half of my body clench. I wasn’t expecting him to say that.

  “I acted like a slutty teenager, one who was a virgin with no experience. That’s why I lied about my age...I knew you wouldn’t go for some ‘kid’, and gosh, I seriously had the biggest crush on you.” I'm still embarrassed about my behavior seven years later, and I've done my best to block out the memories of the crap I pulled. "I’ve tried to forget about my behavior back then.” I cover my face from the embarrassment I’m reliving. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to live this down, not with him.

  "I haven't been able to forget," he says. "Which isn't right, since you were an illegal age and all."

  I close my eyes, facing the truth once again. "I suck," I offer.

  "During those seven years, being the dirty asshole I was labeled as, I wondered how your body would change over the years, what you'd look like, what your voice would sound like, who you'd be—"

  "Am I the way you imagined?" I feel nervous asking this.

  "Way hotter." His words burn as he drops his gaze down the center of my body. It’s like I can physically feel what his eyes are doing to me right now.

  "I always wondered the same about you. I loved that you weren't a stuck-up rich boy." I say without thinking, but as the words come out of my mouth, I remember that he was that boy, before Dad ripped it all away.

  "I had been, though," he corrects me.

  "But I loved that you didn't act that way," I try to fix what I said, but I can see he’s not letting go of this.

  "Because my life was stolen."

  I need to stop talking.

  "I should leave," I tell him, but I still don’t want to. I’d rather stay with him. I want to fall asleep with my head on his chest again, but not because I'm worried his heart is going to stop or that he’s going to take his last breath. I just want to be in the safety of his arms, but I know now, this isn’t just about me. I have to handle this appropriately. It’s the right thing to do.

  "You should," he says without much emotion. He must feel the same way.

  I stand up from the chair and grab my purse from the orange Berber carpet. "I'll do some more snooping tomorrow. Hopefully, I can find something more." I pause for a moment before I open the door. "Oh, sorry I cock-blocked you tonight," I add in.

  He's grinning at me, enjoying this way more than I am. "You did do that, huh?"

  "I was trying to save you from a disease," I tell him. "I care…you know?” With nothing more than the continuation of his cocky smile, I find the urge to l
eave while I'm ahead.

  "Oh, hey, take these papers. You should keep them in your possession, just in case." He leans over to the floor, scooping up the scattered pile and holds them out to me.

  Shit. I was so close to not looking back. He's making this hard, but I can control my feelings. I have to. Retracing my steps back over to him, my fingers hardly make contact with the papers when Raine's other hand locks around my wrist and pulls me down onto the bed.

  The papers go flying as he maneuvers me into the spot he was just lying in. My heart is in my throat, and I‘m struggling to breathe. In a matter of seconds, I'm on my back, and he's on top of me, hovering with a wicked gleam. My body aches for him—I need this—him.

  Raine stares deeply into my eyes for a long minute before diving down, crushing his lips against mine. His hand gently cradles the sides of my face before aggressively tangling his fingers in my hair. The combination of caution and heat is making it hard to breathe, and our lips have only been connected for a few seconds.

  The world around me turns into a blur as our clothes somehow melt from our bodies, dripping off the bed and onto the floor. The sheets float up above us and drape us in a warm, safe place. "You were the best I ever had," I tell him breathlessly.

  "That's a sad statement," he mutters against my ear. "Your first time is supposed to be the worst."

  "I know," I utter.

  He lifts his face away from mine, looking at me with lust. "Let me show you what it's supposed to be like," he says.

  "I was hoping you'd say that," I tell him, tracing my fingers over the intricate artwork covering his molded chest. His skin is hot but covered with goosebumps at the same time. I want to touch every inch of him, needing the sensation to burn into my skin and memory.

  I reach down for his ass and squeeze without so much as making an indentation. He's almost too much to take in. As I continue to explore his body, remembering it being half of this size the last time we were together like this, his lips wrap around my nipple, and his teeth clamp down, causing just enough pain to make me hurt everywhere but where the intended pain should be. My body arches toward him as if instinctual, and his mouth feathers down to my core, fooling my body into thinking he's already inside of me.