by C. M. Owens
"You didn't act so surprised when I invited you to come with me," I murmur distractedly, shaking my hands when they start to sweat.
"Like you said, you've loved her since we were kids. I figured it was just a matter of time."
I tilt my head, confused. "You knew?"
"Of course I knew. Hell, Kode and Corbin were the only two blind enough to miss it. The two of you were inseparable. Dale and I were going to give you two one of those celebrity mashed up names—like Brangelina or whatever—but no matter how you twisted your names, you were still just Rain and Dane. We thought about Drain, but it just didn't seem to fit."
Laughter falls out of me again. Rain has to say yes. I want to feel this damn good for the rest of my life.
"When you gonna ask her?" Maverick asks, still grinning like me.
"A couple of weeks from now. I've got it all planned out. She loves Silk, and I've got the place emptied out that night. I wanted to plan a big party and surprise her."
His grin only grows as the jeweler hands me the box that holds the small symbol of a future with the girl I love.
Maverick walks with me outside, both of us staring at the box in my hand. "You're the only jerk we'd ever let her be with, just so you know. Honestly, you two couldn't be more perfect for each other."
My damn cheeks hurt from smiling so much. I don't think I've ever been so excited about anyth—
"Ow!" I yelp when Maverick punches the fuck out of my arm for no reason at all.
I glare at him, debating on whether or not I should knock him on his ass.
"What the hell was that for?" I ask the grinning bastard.
"For making me smile like a bitch and gush like a bridesmaid, you fucker."
My smile returns as my laughter rumbles out, and Maverick rolls his eyes while following me to my car.
"Rain only has Tria and her assistant as far girl friends go. She might need another bridesmaid or two in the wedding party."
Maverick cuts his murderous glare toward me as I laugh harder, taunting him.
"Dick," he mutters while opening the car door.
Time to go get ready for step one—tell Rain I love her.
***
RAIN
"You okay?" Tria asks as we drive back toward Dane's. It's almost three in the evening now. The breakfast benefit turned into a much longer event, but it was so therapeutic. I honestly didn't know how much I needed that.
"I had cancer in my uterus, and they had to take it out. It wasn't gallbladder surgery," I say in a soft breath, shocking Tria into a gasp.
She slows the car down and turns onto a random road to keep us from getting back too soon. Leaning my head back, I stare out the window.
"Rain, why didn't you tell me that when I picked you up?" Her tone is almost scolding, and for some strange reason, that almost makes me smile.
"I didn't want anyone to know. I'm still dealing with the reality of what it means to lose that piece of me. I always pictured having kids. Now... now I can't."
I turn back to face her, and see her sad, sympathetic gaze that is coupled with unshed tears. I didn't tell her this to get pity. But I had to tell someone. Everyone needs someone to talk to.
"Does Dane know?"
I laugh humorlessly. "No. You're the only one outside of the medical staff that knows. Dane and I just started dating. This isn't a conversation to be had so soon."
She frowns as we complete our circle and end up in front of Dane's. "Do you want to go somewhere and talk?" she asks genuinely.
"I just wanted someone to know. It's hard to preach about not doing this alone, when I'm doing just that. Now someone knows," I say, shrugging while battling the tears I refuse to cry.
I've cried my tears already. I've healed. Now I have to move on.
"Thanks for considering me your someone to know," she says while reaching over and taking my hand.
I have a sister. A real, warm, sister.
"Thanks for listening."
She reaches over and hugs me, and I return the embrace, sniffling as one of my tears escapes. I need to ask her about what's going on with Pete Mercer, but we're both squealing and shrieking when the door beside me flies open, destroying all other thoughts.
"Sorry," Dane chuckles, and I take a vicious swing at him, prompting his laughter to deepen. "I said I was sorry," he says through his laughter as he dodges my flailing arms.
"You scared the hell out of us," I grumble as he pulls me from the car and kisses me gently on the lips.
He tilts his head as he pulls back, and he wipes away the lone tear on my cheek.
"What's wrong?" he asks seriously, his humor forgotten.
"Sister moment," Tria says from the car, quickly getting me out of trying to lie.
I'm a terrible liar.
"Ah," Dane says while relaxing, and he leans down to brush his lips against mine.
He pulls me to him before leaning down to the open passenger door. "Want to come in for a while? You can leave in plenty of time to get ready for the party."
Ah hell. I forgot about this event, too. Our lives are really too busy. Tonight Dane has a big clinic unveiling. He's serious about helping people, and it's one of the many things I love about him. But I'd like to curl up in his arms after this day and just fall asleep.
"Nah," Tria says, looking at me. "I actually need to take care of something first. I'll see you guys later, though."
***
DANE
"Where were you? I tried calling," I say as Rain steps into the house.
I follow, admiring her body from the back. I'm not sure I like her wearing such a short little dress without me around. Not that I have any control over that, but still. I'd have to kill someone if they touched her.
"We had a breakfast thing that turned into a most-of-the-day thing. My phone was shut off to keep it from interrupting anything. I just forgot to turn it back on."
She doesn't want to tell me. That sucks. I thought we were making great progress. I just bought the ring; I have something major planned for tonight, and now... no. Fuck this.
"Rain, you can evade the question all you want, but we're together. You used to tell me everything when we were younger. I know things have changed, but we're together now. And you don't know how much I want this to work. I don't want secrets between us."
Her eyes change in that moment, and her lips tighten. She wars with something before finally letting out a breath of resignation.
"You're right. Sorry." I really wasn't expecting her to cave that easily. "Tria and I were at the Hilton. They hosted a benefit breakfast. All the proceeds go to breast cancer victims and their families to help with treatment costs. I was a guest speaker."
Closing the short distance between us, I reach for her and she willingly steps into me, wrapping her small arms around my waist.
"Why didn't you tell me? I could have gone with you."
My lips rub across her forehead as I affectionately trace my fingers up and down her back.
"It was mostly women—women affected by breast cancer. And... well, I don't know. It just didn't feel right to ask you to go to that. I want things to be fun and light between us right now."
I pull back to tilt her chin up, forcing her eyes to meet mine.
"Rain, we're not the traditional couple that's just starting to feel each other out. We've seen the good, the bad, the scary, and the crazy together. Let's skip the superficial phase. We're well beyond that. I know you inside and out, just like you know me. I want more than the fun and light stuff."
She looks at me, her eyes unreadable, and then she shocks the hell out of me. "Dane, I... I love you."
I only hesitate because I'm worried I just dreamed that. I had an elaborate plan to tell her I love her tonight after I showed her what I've been working on for the past six years—my biggest, best, most incredible project.
I never expected this.
The fear of rejection crosses her eyes, and I finally snap out of my shock long enough to chok
e on a breath of air.
"I love you, Rain. So fucking much," I say through a whisper, afraid my voice will crack if I use anything louder.
Her smile almost makes me lose my footing, and her eyes water as she pulls me down to press her lips against mine with a kiss that could melt glaciers. Just when I prepare to move this to the bedroom, she breaks the kiss and leans back.
"Dane... I had to—"
Someone bangs on the door, startling us and interrupting whatever Rain was going to say. I rush over when the knocking becomes more urgent, and swing the door open to Dale.
"We need your help. Tria was ran off the road by Pete Mercer."
Rain gasps, but Dale grabs her before she rushes by.
"She's fine. She called Eleanor, but Kode and I were over there getting her new furniture moved in. Maverick and Corbin are out looking for him. We're going to take care of Pete before he messes with anyone else." He focuses all his attention on Rain, seriousness taking over his face. "Go be with your stepmom and sister. We don't want you anywhere near Pete."
Shit. I forgot about helping Eleanor move her new stuff in.
"I'll kill him if he touches Rain," I growl, not meaning to voice that aloud.
"Yeah, well, Kode might kill him out of principle. We handled him years ago, and now the prick is back, acting as though he's not afraid. I need your help to keep Kode out of prison."
Rain trembles beside me, and I wrap an arm around her waist, guiding her toward the door. Kode's not as crazy as everyone thinks he is, but he might go too far. Then again, I really would kill Pete if he tried this shit on Rain.
"I'll catch up with you later. Go to Tria. Make sure she's okay," I murmur, kissing Rain and silencing her objection.
Then Dale and I disappear out the door while she stays behind, still stunned. If she snaps out of it before we're gone, she'll demand to come, and it'll be a fight.
Fortunately, we're in the car before she comes out of her shock, and Dale floors it.
Pete staggers and falls, blood gushing from his nose as Kode pulls his fist back. The stupid son of a bitch collapses to the harsh, unforgiving pavement of my club parking lot.
Once Maverick located him, he and Corbin brought him here. Considering we're Sterlings and he's Pete, we're not too terribly worried about cops.
We're all standing here between my club and private parking deck, away from the prying eyes of the public. The rest of us are just watching, making sure nothing gets out of hand. Kode needs to hit something. In all honesty, he's probably needed this since Rain chose me. So I let him have this, since he needs it more than I do.
"Fuck with anyone in Rain's family again, and you won't walk away next time," Kode snarls, glaring down at Pete as he slowly gets up to his knees.
Kode has beaten the fuck out of him, but as long as the guy is conscious, I see no reason to interfere. My brother finally finishes, allowing Pete to crawl away.
We're already late, and now Kode's suit has blood and sweat on it.
"You guys go on without me. I've got to get cleaned up," Kode says, taking the proffered towel from Maverick.
As he wipes his hands off, I say, "No. We all need to be there. This is for Rain, and all of us have sunk a lot of money and time into this."
"It was your idea, Dane. It's your gift."
I frown as I stare at the brother I've always been close to. Until this, we've never dealt with tension. When we were kids and we got pissed with one another, we'd beat the hell out of each other and then shake hands. This... I don't know how to fix this.
"Kode, Rain is still your friend. This is a big night for her, and she doesn't even know it. All five of us should be there for this."
He looks up at me, his lips pursing as he ignores his cut hands.
"And if you and Rain were still not speaking, would you be there tonight?"
I've thought about that for six long years. It's hard to accumulate the amount of investors, donors, and volunteers this place needs, so it took a while. But even though she broke my heart, I still wanted to do this more than anything. As fate would have it, now I get to be by her side the day it's revealed to the world.
"Yes. I would have."
A harsh breath leaves his lips, and he nods slowly. "Fine. Let's swing by my place. I won't take long."
Chapter 13
RAIN
"Where are they?" I groan to myself, worried to death about my boys.
We're all gathered under beautifully lavish tents that are set up in the parking lot of a tan, stone building. Raindrops are painted on the ground, acting like a walkway to guide you to the door. A large, canvas-material covering is draped over the signs that would spoil the big name reveal.
The tents he has set up are more decadent than most indoor functions. Three champagne fountains are flowing with glasses filled beside them. The chocolate fountains are my favorite, but until they get here, I won't be able to eat a thing. Which is bad, because I'm drinking to calm my nerves. No food with so much alcohol is a terrible idea.
"Where's Dane?" Tria asks from behind me, and I squeal while jumping.
I'm so on edge that anything could give me a panic attack right now.
"Sorry," she says with her brow raised. "I didn't mean to be late, but no one woke me."
"What are you doing here? You should be resting, or going to the hospital to get checked out."
She shakes her head, swatting away my concern as though I'm overreacting.
"I wouldn't miss this. I've been excited about it for weeks now."
"Why are you so excited? You know what, never mind. That's not important. Why the hell is Pete Mercer running you off the road?"
I plant my hands on my hips, staring expectantly as she lets out a frustrated sigh.
"Because I had him arrested. He was bothering me five years ago. It was so bad that I had to get a restraining order. A piece of paper didn't scare him off, though. He showed up at my house; I hid under my bed after he broke in; and when he gave up and left, I called the cops.
"My security cameras didn't catch him breaking into my house, but they did catch him hopping over my gate. That was enough to prove he'd gone against the restraining order. The cops found him and followed him, but it just so happened he was in the middle of a drug deal. He was just a low man in the ring, and he turned over evidence to get a lesser sentence. Now he blames me for his trouble in prison and with the drug ring he was involved in. They want blood. Fortunately for me, they just want his blood and not mine."
Tria has an extra scoop of crazy to deal with, and I had no clue.
"Why didn't you say something? I could have talked to Kode. He knows all sorts of FBI agents and policemen. Not to mention, all of my boys are Sterlings. They can have Pete kicked out of this town."
She holds her hands up, stopping me from continuing.
"I don't want them or you involved. So don't tell them, please."
Oh shit. She doesn't know they know. Crap. I guess Eleanor didn't want her to know they were there when Tria called.
"Umm... They—"
Arms slipping around my waist interrupt me from telling Tria about why the guys are late, and I turn to meet Dane just as his lips come down on mine. I tug him to me, deepening the kiss and slipping my tongue in when he gives me an opening.
I ignore all the surprise gasps of the onlookers who are witnessing the overly showy display, because I've been so damn worried. And I don't care how improper it is to make out in front of a ritzy crowd.
Dane smiles against the kiss while pulling back. "Sorry I'm late. And I'm really sorry I have to end this right now, but we will definitely continue soon. Come on," he says, grinning bigger as he tugs my hand.
"Where are we going?" I ask, noticing my other four boys coming in from the side and heading toward the ribbon in front of the large building.
"You're cutting the ribbon."
I stumble when I try to stop because he keeps pulling. "Dane, I can't," I hiss, trying to keep up. "This is you
rs."
"You're cutting the ribbon. Come on," he urges, still grinning like he didn't just come back from dealing with Pete Mercer.
I can't argue and keep up, so I follow at his brisk pace, desperately trying to figure out a way to get out of this. But as soon as we reach the backside of the podium, Dale and the guys wrap me up, taking turns hugging me.
What's going on?
Kode wraps me up and kisses my cheek, surprising me a little. He's been cold since Dane and I made it official. But he seems oddly relaxed right now. He and Maverick stand on either side of me, both of them keeping an arm around me.
"What's going on?" I whisper, looking up at Kode.
He just gives me an enigmatic smile while shrugging. "Guess you need to listen and find out."
Then Dane starts speaking into the microphone, and all my attention goes to him.
"Sorry for the delay. Traffic is a bitch right now," he lies, but everyone chuckles as they accept it for the truth. "Most of you have been dying to know what's been going on with this building since it started going up a year ago. Today, the mystery ends.
"This building is a symbol of hope. There are many people all around who don't have the money for all the treatment and rehabilitation they need. Insurance only covers so much, and the patient is liable after that. This clinic is a nonprofit organization that has been built to help.
"Counseling, reconstructive surgeries, and even therapy for things such as speech and walking—all of this will be available and made possible by the generous donations, fundraisers, and volunteers we've been collecting for the past six years. Future fundraisers will help us keep the place running, so keep your checkbooks handy."
He pauses as everyone chuckles again, proving he's a master at running a crowd. Then he turns to see the tears dripping slowly from my eyes, my bottom lip quivering, and my hands over my chest.
"Six years ago, Maverick, Kode, Corbin, Dale, and I all shared a friend who was fortunate enough to afford these things, but her mother hadn't been. Her grandmother hadn't been, either. They didn't have the same fortune she did, but thank God she had that fortune. She was the heart of our group then, and she still is today.