Beautifully Decadent (Beautifully Damaged Book 3) (48 page)

Disconnecting the call, I threw my phone across the room. Mom settled on one side of me, Nat the other. Rafe stood across the room and though I could see he wanted to come to me, he deferred to my family.

“You okay, honey?” Mom asked as she tucked my hair behind my ear.

“He’s an asshole. A miserable, selfish asshole.”

“Yes, he is.” Nat said, which had my attention shifting to her.

“You were right.”

“I usually am.”

And despite being angrier than I’d ever been, my goofy sister made me laugh.

Rafe and I were walking Loki. The house was filled with people and I loved having them there, but this now, just the two of us, I craved it. He was even more attentive now than he’d been, which I didn’t think was possible. I understood. Nat and I had talked about the hospital and how I had just faded and fast. Rafe had witnessed that and putting myself in his shoes, I’d be acting exactly as he was now. It had been a month since the surgery and I had been very lucky. We’d resumed my walks with Loki just the other day and considering I had had brain surgery, my recover had been astounding. Due to the surgery, Jess and family postponed their trip and were coming later today. I couldn’t wait to see her. I vaguely remembered her in the hospital. Mom and Harold hadn’t left and Nat and Tyler were popping over all the time, it was like they had never left too.

My hand was being held in Rafe’s strong one and if I moved too far from his side, he tugged me closer. Wishing to ease his mind, since I suspected his thoughts were on the scene in the hospital, I decided to tease him.

“I’m grateful for this walk, I need the exercise. I fear my ass may have grown in the past month.” Even though I was teasing, there was a vein of truth in my words. I hadn’t curtailed my sweets consumption, but I hadn’t been moving around to help balance it out.

He grinned, that wickedly, naughty grin I adored. “Your ass is perfect.”

It wasn’t, but I loved that he thought so. My humor faded thinking about Alexandra. I’d gotten the cliff notes version and still I was livid that his mother had not only been complicit in what had happened but had set it all in motion. And even knowing that she meant nothing to Rafe, she had meant a great deal to Liam. How hard it had to be for him to realize the kind of person the woman he loved was.

“I’m sorry about Alexandra, that she turned out to be no better than her father.”

“I never gave her much thought, but it came as a blow to Dad. I think he’s dealing, probably better than I would in his shoes, but still. He’s wasted a lot of energy on her.”

“Do you really think her end goal was to get the company?”

“I do.”

“Unbelievable, but on the bright side, it’s something else we have in common?”

His head dipped, his eyes finding mine. “How so?”

“We each have one kick-ass parent and one really awful parent.”

He stopped walking and turned into me. Cradling my face in his hands, he just looked his fill. “Are you ever going to wear your hair down?”

“Not while I’m bald in back.”

“You aren’t bald. It’s the smallest area.”

“My scalp is visible, I’m bald.”

“Goof.” But as I watched, his easy smile vanished, his eyes looked haunted. “Seeing you in the hospital, watching as you slowly lost consciousness, the fear that I’d have a lifetime ahead of me learning to live without you.” He caressed my cheek with his thumb, “I love you, Avery. I think I might need to say that often for the next few months until the knot in my stomach eases and reality settles that you’re here and you’re fine.”

Tears stung my eyes, happy tears because I had never felt as cherished as I did in that moment. He wiped away the one that rolled down my cheek. “Hearing you tell me you love me, repeatedly, yeah, let me work up an objection.”

The memory had a smile touching his lips even as they lowered to brush over mine. “Cocoa. I love the way you smell. When we get the house back, I’ve still to make good on my promise.”

I wasn’t following him because I was still caught in the magic of the moment. “What promise?”

“We haven’t made love in the barn, or the garage. The dryer, when it’s on, could be fun.”

Now I was feeling an entirely different kind of warmth. “I like this plan.”

“It’s getting late. Let’s go home and I’ll make you an omelet.”

That
memory brought a smile to my face. “Sounds perfect.”

“I had planned to do more with you, Jessica. I’m sorry I’m not much fun.”

“Are you serious?” Jessica looked over at my sister as we swung on the swing Rafe had made me. “Did the doc take out part of her brain?”

“I told him it wouldn’t make a difference, but he kept it intact.”

“Nice.” I muttered even as I chuckled.

Jess reached for my hand, “I shouldn’t joke. It isn’t funny.”

“It’s a little funny.” I said.

“How are you both? It all seems so unbelievable, terrifying and yet you look oddly calm.”

“It was terrifying, all of it. I’ll be haunted for a good long time, but it’s over and everyone made it out okay.” Eventually the nightmares and the panic that came over me out of nowhere would stop, but Rafe didn’t let me deal alone, held me until I calmed. Made love to me when I woke in terror. I’d find my way with him.

Nat rested her head on my shoulder. “We never had this kind of excitement at home.”

“How’s Rafe?” Jess asked.

“I think he’s okay. He doesn’t talk about it, outside of the danger I put myself in. I think he’s still trying to get his head around all of it—my downward spiral that nearly took me from him, Alexandra and how the reality of her is a huge disappointment for his dad.”

“I really hoped for the happily-ever-after for them.” That surprised me because Nat wasn’t really a happily-ever-after kind of gal. She knew what I was thinking when she added, “Well, it would have been sweet. Rafe gets his mom, Liam gets the woman he loves.”

“You’re right, it would have been, but she’s nowhere near good enough for Liam or Rafe.”

Rafe appeared, strolling from his barn with Tyler.

“I seriously get why you sit here.” Nat said. “What a view.”

“Yes it is.”

Rafe’s gaze caught mine, like he knew we were talking about him, and the look he gave me was similar to the one I’d seen Kit give Jess—unequivocal love. My heart was pounding so hard it really should have beat right out of my chest.

“Damn, that is a great look.” Jess whispered. “Must be nice to have that look directed at you.”

Her comment was so ridiculous my head jerked to her. “Are you serious? Do you know how many times I’ve watched Kit give you a similar look?”

She did know; her smile conveyed both humor and sincerity. “I know. I’m just happy you have someone looking at you like that.”

And then the gates opened. “Are you expecting someone?” Nat asked.

“No.”

A heartbeat later, Maleficent rolled up the drive with a big red bow on her.

“Are you seeing this?” I asked, just to be sure my eyes weren’t playing tricks on me.

“Boy gets serious points for that.” Nat said, then added, “No Spark. Thank Christ.”

I elbowed her in the ribs.

The man that drove Maleficent climbed out and strolled to me dangling the keys from his fingers. “Avery Collins?”

“Yes.”

“Congratulations.”

It was unconsciously done, my hand raising to take them. My attention turned to Rafe who appeared at my side, his hands in the front pocket of his jeans, his focus on the car. “Did you buy me this car?”

“I did.”

Just when I thought I couldn’t love the man more. I loved the car; never had I received such a gift, made even more fabulous because Rafe gave it to me. And still it was a moral imperative that I give the man a hard time. “I was getting the basic model.”

“And I wanted you to have this one. Don’t worry, I took your mom and she haggled a good price.”

I tried to put my hands on my hips but with the cast, it didn’t look as effective. “Rafe McKenzie.”

“Avery Collins. You love this car; you know that you do. I love you. I bought you the car. So shut up, kiss me and get in.”

Nat and Jessica both howled—yes howled—with laughter. “Let’s go check on our boys, Jess.” Nat said, still laughing at me as she and Jessica headed inside.

My feet wouldn’t move because even knowing Rafe loved me, having heard him say it repeatedly since the ordeal, it still hit me right in the chest that all that was Rafe McKenzie loved me.

Seeming to understand my temporary case of paralysis, he swept me into his arms. “Because of the cast, I’ll drive.”

“Okay.”

“Are you going to give me more grief about the car?”

“No, I love it, more so because you bought it for me.”

“Good.”

He settled me into the passenger seat, clicked on my belt, and then kissed me, long and hard. Once he folded himself behind the wheel, I had to admit he looked damn fine in this car. “You look good in this car.”

The pad of his thumb brushed my lower lip, I nipped it with my teeth, and his eyes went from emerald to forest green in a heartbeat. “Not sure you’re ready to christen your car, but you keep looking at me like that and you’re going to have to be ready.”

Oh my God, the thought of sex in this car with Rafe. I’d probably pull every muscle and dislocate a few things and yet that was now on the top of my to-do list.

“Once everyone leaves, we are so having sex in this car, on this car, near this car.”

“Fuck, now I’m hard.”

“I need a shower and I can’t get my cast wet. After our ride, you could always help me.” I offered as I wiggled my eyebrows.

Rafe growled. “Deal. Now let’s see what this baby can do.”

Rafe was baking me a cake because I was craving something sweet. I offered to help; he said I needed to rest. Mom and Nat joined him as the three of them banged around in Rafe’s kitchen. Jessica sat with me while Kit and Aidan played catch with Harold and Tyler.

I was getting restless, hated being idle. “I wish I could work, I hate not being able to get my hands dirty.”

“Give yourself time, you’ve been through a lot. I’m sure your boss agrees.”

“He does, Trace has been wonderful and my sous chefs are fantastic, handling things until I get back. I’m still going in for staff meetings and to set the menu but then my team makes it happen. Hopefully not too well that everyone will realize I’m not necessary.”

“Nonsense. I like Rafe.”

“You’ve mentioned that, repeatedly.”

“No, I mean, I really like him for you. Seeing him in the hospital that day, the look on his face when he thought you might be taken from him. I don’t think I’ll ever get that look out of my head.”

My heart hurt even as tears burned the back of my eyes. “I’m glad I didn’t see that look.”

Jess strived to lighten the mood when she added, “And you complement each other, plus the man adores you because even now he’s attempting to bake you a cake because you’re jonesing for one. Most men would just run to the store.”

I had taken stock of how lucky I was and I was lucky—a very, very lucky girl. “Not only did I find my dream job, I found my dream guy. It’s like having my cake and eating it too.”

“I just knew this adventure was going to lead you to everything you always wanted. I’m so happy for you.”