RAFE'S LAIR (16 page)

    "Relax; I'll be right back with some water and something to eat."

Ava started to protest, but he held up his hand and cut her off.

    "No baby.
I can tell you haven't been eating good. That probably was part of why you passed out too. So you and Marie just hang out and relax. That remote on the night stand is for the TV if you’re interested. I'll be back in a few minutes." Rafe said then turned and went out the door pulling it mostly closed after him.

Ava looked at Marie as she came back over and sat down on the side of the bed next to her. Ava looked around her at the door to make sure he hadn't stuck his head back in then whispered to her friend.

    "Marie help me stand up and we'll tell him I'm fine and you can take me home now." Ava started to throw the covers off and Marie stopped her.

    "Ava no stay where you are. Look Rafe's right. I've been worried about you too. You haven't been sleeping
and you haven't been eating. So it's finally caught up with you tonight, here of all places. I won't let you hurt yourself anymore so we're staying until I think you’re okay." Marie took Ava's hand. "I really think this guy does truly care a lot about you baby girl."

    "Marie. He owns a damn kink club! This is all too weird. I mean the fact that he's the one I've been dreaming about and he all of a sudden comes up to me here. I know for a freaking fact I would damn sure remember seeing him at Cafe' Baris
ta Marie. There's no way I would have not noticed him there. I know I haven't seen him there. I just... This scares the shit outta me. I don't know what the hell is going on."

    "Who cares
Ava? Tell me what's wrong with getting to know him? So what if he owns this place. It's a dance club that turns into a kink club two nights out of the week. Not to mention you know how my mom is and you still love her. So you’re sure you haven't seen him at the coffee shop, so it just means you've seen him somewhere else. Trust me baby girl this really is a small world. You know I would tell you if I wasn't comfortable with him. Hell, I wouldn't have let him bring you up here, you know that. So just let go and run with it everything will be fine."

    "Marie, I'm not sle
eping with your mom so there's a big difference. I think it's kinda obvious that he would want that and that's why he's acting so concerned."

    "So what. He may want to sleep with you, big deal. You don't have to unless
you
want to. And from what I've seen him do to you while you were passed out, I know that's not all he wants. Look, all I'm saying is just be more open to getting to know him sweetie. I'm not saying we're staying the night and you have to have crazy monkey sex all night long. Just do what he says and relax and let us take care of you for a little bit."

Marie leaned over, grabbed the remote off the night stand, and then crawled over Ava to the other side of the bed.

    "Now he said there's a friggin TV in here and I want to know where. So let's chill and figure out how to operate the thing and see what he brings us to eat. Promise if it's something gross we bail ASAP." Marie said and grinned a big shit eatin grin at Ava.

Ava just laughed at Marie and snuggled in closer to her so they could i
ndeed figure out where the hell he hid the TV. Giggling she said "Fine you win yet again dammit!"

    "Well duh don't I always? You should be used to it by now."

                                        CHAPTER 25

      Rafe could hear the girls talking a
nd giggling even after he closed the door. He had to smile and laugh himself knowing there would be many nights to come that he would be kicked out of his own bed so they could spend time together. He didn't mind though. He was surprisingly happy to be kicked out by his beautiful mate. He knew Marie would always be a huge part of his Ava's life and he never wanted to take that away from her. He loved seeing this side of her as well. He knew the only person that had ever seen her like this until now was Marie.

This Ava was playful and happy. This Ava was unbelievably breath taking.
This
Ava was the true Ava that she never let the world see and he didn't know why. This Ava was the Ava he always wanted to see. If he was completely honest with himself right now, he really didn't want the world to see this side of his mate either. This Ava would be for only Marie and him to share. She was theirs and theirs alone. He had to smile at that. Yes, this special happy unguarded laughing Ava would always be only for them.

Rafe stood there a moment listening to the girls giggling and talking, loving how relaxed his mate now was in his bed. In
their
bed, it would be their bed very soon. He looked up to see Dom grinning at him. He knew Dom and Marcus had heard everything. The girls were trying to be quiet, but damn you gotta love supernatural hearing. He could be out and down in the hall and still hear them perfectly. Finally he glared at his friend when he could feel that Dom wouldn't leave him alone.

    "What?" He asked g
ruffly.

Dom shook his head and grinned wider. Opening his arms to shrug he said. "I am very proud of you my friend. I must confess I honestly thought Marcus and I would have to intervene when your Ava came awake and tried to leave. But it sounds like you a
re completely rational about this so far. I see you are also very content just having her here. I'm surprised you are giving them this time alone, I must say though." He walked over to him and clapped him on the back adding. "I am so fucking happy for you old friend. I can see your Ava is good for you; she's calming to your soul. You deserve to finally have peace."

Rafe was actually stunned speechless for a moment. Finally he got his bearings again and he embraced Dom.

    "Thank you Dom." Rafe said.

    "K
now that my pack and I will always protect you and your mate." Dom said nodding his head.

Rafe really couldn't say anything back to that. So he just embraced Dom again.

    "I want to know that you’re really going to let her leave when she's ready, Rafe. She will want to leave I can assure you. You can pretend all you want that she's happy here already, but you have to face the cold hard reality man." Marcus blurted out almost ruining Rafe's mood.

    "I plan to make sure she doesn't want to leave Marcus, s
o that's irrelevant." Rafe shot back.

    "You can plan all you want, doesn't mean she's going to do what you want, Rafe. Not to mention I'm not so sure she should stay yet.
You’re too on edge still where she's concerned no matter what Dominic thinks. I can't let you take the chance that you’re not ready and you accidentally kill her again. Look man...." Marcus started.

Rafe just shook his head and walked away from Marcus into the kitchen. He had to, otherwise he was going to hit the asshole for the BS he was spewing. Unfortunately, Marcus follow
ed him into the kitchen still talking smack. Rafe just started gathering up ingredients to make his Ava something to eat. He wanted her to have a good meal for probably the first time since Sunday.

He was focusing on making his mate an excellent meal and s
till listening to the girls laughing and talking in his bed room, effectively ignoring Marcus. That is until the ass wipe came up and got in his face grabbing the steak he'd just pulled out of the fridge out of his hand. Rafe acknowledged that Marcus was alive only because he was impeding Rafe from making his beautiful's meal.

    "What!" Rafe almost yelled at him.

    "You’re not listening to me."

    "You
’re absolutely fucking right I'm not, and I will continue to ignore you if you want to keep spouting shit about me not being ready to take care of my mate. Now give me the goddamned steaks and get the fuck out of my kitchen." Rafe growled at him.

    "Rafe, I'm not saying you can't take care of her. I'm saying you
’re still not totally in control when she's around. I heard you get pissed at her when she tried to get up after you told her not to the first time. I wanted to go in and help you then, but Dominic stopped me. Look man, you’re like my fucking brother and I only want you to be happy. You of all beings in this realm deserve happiness and I'll be damned if I'll watch you lose anyone else that you love." Marcus set the steaks down hard on the counter. He laid his hand on Rafe's shoulder until Rafe pushed it off and crowded Marcus.

    "Get out of my fuc
king kitchen Marcus. You’re the only one that's pissing me off to the point that I'm losing control." He growled at him showing his fangs.

Marcus didn't back off Rafe this time and everyone took notice. Marcus growled right back in Rafe's face.

    "I almost lost you when Roman's sentence was handed down and you were charged with carrying it out.
I
went to the council to make them change the final sentencing to me.
I
carried out his execution because I fucking knew you wouldn't be able to live with yourself if you had to do that too. I damn well knew you would blame yourself. You have never forgiven yourself for doing the right thing and not letting him continue to kill. You've tortured yourself that 'you killed him' when you should have saved him from himself. Even when it all was his fault. It was always all his fault asshole." Marcus grated out poking Rafe in the chest. 

    "He
failed
you
!
He
betrayed
you
! Dammit I was there dying with you when your family turned their backs on you and blamed you for his death. They failed and betrayed you too when they did, not the other way around. I
will
not risk your mate's life for any reason after having gone through that with you. Do you hear me? I will not let you be hurt so deeply like that ever again. I don't fucking care if you hate me for it or not. I will not allow that pain to ever touch you again! Because
nothing,
do you hear me,
nothing
will be able to bring you back from that pain after everything you've been through already. I will not fucking lose you for good this time!"

Marcus was in Rafe's face now yelling at him. Rafe was sure the girls were hearing all of this and they were freaking out because of it. Ethan, Michael and Ed were right there clustered around them. Ethan and Michael on either side of Ma
rcus showing Rafe they cared just as much as Marcus did. Dom had moved so he was behind Rafe, still close enough to give his support as well, but allowing them to show their leader, their friend their feelings for him. Sloan had come around the other side to stand with his alpha and give his only closest friend the same support. Nate was at the bar wanting to stand with his brothers to show the only vampire that had ever believed in him exactly what he meant to Nate as well.

Rafe had given Nate a chance to
help his people when nobody else would. He knew damn well Rafe still got shit for taking Nate under his wing. Rafe told Nate he believed in him and taught Nate how to be a guardian to their people. Then after he thought Nate was ready, he appointed him as an enforcer in Rafe's squad. Nate couldn't be League until the people were willing to have the trials again, but Rafe told him when they did Nate would be appointed League enforcer.

Rafe still to this day believed the people would have the trials again. An
d when they did, they would without a doubt vote Nate in as a true guardian. Rafe swore the Fates had already blessed Nate even without the trials, to be just and righteous when dealing with the people they both held so dear. He told Nate with every night he gave his life to protect their people, they would understand more how much Nate needed to serve them, to keep them safe. Rafe had always made it clear to everyone he believed in Nate.

He believed Rafe with all his heart and soul and would do anything fo
r his leader. He knew the other guys still didn't think he was ready and old enough to be in their squad, and they made that clear every night. Rafe never hesitated to pick him for his partner for rounds, and even paired him up with Michael a lot as well. He respected both League enforcers more than anyone else.

Michael looked over a Nate. He was standing over by the bar away from everyone else. They were going to have to do something about that very soon. Right now, they had to get Rafe straight before the
y could focus on anything else though.

Ed knew this little 'I love you man, no I love you more man' blow up was coming so he'd stuck real friggin close to Rafe so he could help the poor bastard when it did. He knew damn well Rafe would be more worried abou
t Ava hearing it than actually listening to what his boys were trying to say to him. Not to mention he wasn't a hundred percent sure Rafe wouldn't go all fang happy on the poor girl again like the rest of them. So he'd stayed between worlds literally right on top of the vamp. Ed was worried he'd lose his lunch there a few times when lover boy got all mushy with the girl. So he was real happy when Rafe finally exited stage left to go fix his chick some grub.

Ed had seen the look on Marcus' face as soon as th
ey walked back in the living room, and knew shit was about to get all soap opera on him already. He had wanted to have some popcorn and goobers ready before the show actually started, but they jumped the gun on him as usual. These damn vamps were gonna make him pull his damn horns off with all their drama. And people thought demons were bipolar. Shiiiiit compared to vampires they were the most rational things on the friggin planet. All the humans' movies and books about the blood suckers didn't even come close to being as dramatic as the real things.

Rafe was lookin like he was gonna rip Marcus' head off now. So Ed guessed he should stop going all A.D.D. on little shits and do something before he did. Ed stepped up to the dancing vamps and leaned his gorgeou
sly sexy head in between them so Rafe got the pleasure of Ed's incredibly handsome mug and Marcus got the awesome view of his comparably handsome skull. Marcus then proceeded to head but Ed like he was friggin ram or something. Rafe took the not so higher road and just hissed at him showing some decidedly pearly white fangage. He must floss twice daily. That's such a good little vampypoo. I mean you can't exactly bite things if you lost your fangs to tooth decay now can you.

    "Ed get the fuck outta my fa
ce before I ram your damn horns into the cabinets." Marcus told the back of Ed's head.

    "See still tryin to be a damn ram. Dude they reall
y aren't that cool. Just sayin." Ed said not taking his eyes off the vamp trying to impersonate a damn snake "Snakes aren't any better Rafe. So stop hissing at me I already had my shower tonight. Pretty sure vampire spit has absolutely no cleaning qualities to it buddy."

Ethan started laughing. "Dude that's so fucked up. I was thinkin the same friggin thing. Awwww. We could be Twinkies now Ed."

    "Not even if you were the last thing breathing would I ever be okay with you telling anyone, especially me, we had any similar thoughts what so ever. That's just like saying I'm as dumb as you without actually saying I'm as dumb as you Ethan. So next time keep that little share to yourself. Mmm kay."

    "So harsh dude. I don't think I want you to be my friend any
more." Ethan said shaking his head.

Ed sighed loud and dropped his head shaking it too. "I swear angels have it so much easier than me. The more I deal with you stooges, the more looking like a demented baby in a damn diaper doesn't sound so bad." That lit
tle comment earned him a collective 'What the fuck' from the goof troop gathered in the kitchen.

    "Never mind. Rafe, your girl and her friend are doing a little suspended animation time out in your room. So they haven't heard any of this soap opera you
guys are acting out in here. So let go of Marcus, pull your ugly head outta your nasty ass, and take a good look around you. You are surrounded by guys that care a lot about you. Guys that at some point in your existence you have helped beyond what anyone else would have ever done. They are trying to return the favor, but you’re over here acting like a dumb ass making everybody's life miserable. So wake the fuck up already this shits getting old real fast dude."

Rafe just glared at Ed a minute before he did a
ctually look around him and see everybody here close to him. He let go of Marcus and stepped back. Ed was right. He'd been acting like a damn fool with his head up his ass. Everyone here in his apartment were the closest things to a family he had and they jumped in to help him the moment he told them he needed it. Scrubbing his face with his hands, he spoke to them.

    "Look I know your all trying to help me here. Marcus I will let Ava go home when she's ready. Yes, I'm fighting myself to not force her to do as I say, but I don't want her that way. I know that between all of us she'll be safe in her own place. I nee
d her to come to me and stay with me willingly, but I'm going to spend as much time as I can with her while she's making up her mind okay." Looking at all of them again, he continued. "Having all of you breathing down my neck expecting me to fuck up is making it harder for me to let her go."