Chapter 49
Chapter Forty-Nine
Julianna
Being back at the house feels . . . grounding. After a week in Seattle, I’m ready to stay in Luna Harbor forever. Well, maybe not forever, but long enough to let the pieces of this new life settle. Who knows what’ll happen next? Right now, my focus is on Rayne—her health, her well-being—and, maybe, a little on Keane.
It seems like we’re dating. We haven’t had the talk yet. But since that first kiss at the hospital, we’ve been holding hands, stealing touches when no one’s looking, and exchanging glances that linger just a little too long. Have we kissed again? A few times, but it hasn’t been as intense as the first one.
There’s a quiet ease to it, a rhythm that feels natural. We’ll have to discuss it at some point—maybe later tonight when Rayne’s asleep. Or maybe we won’t, because what is there to say? Is this something I want to pursue? The question lingers in my mind, tugging at all the fears and doubts I try to shove aside. He’s everything I’ve sworn to avoid—intense, complicated, carrying a past that’s as messy as my own.
And yet, when I think about him—when I think about us—the answer comes without hesitation. Yes, I want to be with him.
The knock at the door snaps me out of my thoughts, sudden and loud enough to send a jolt through my chest. I pause mid-step, the dishtowel in my hand slipping from my fingers, dangling loosely as I stare at the door. Rayne is in the living room, curled up on the couch with Fufu Floppy, her wide eyes fixed on the animated movie playing on the screen.
The knock comes again, harder this time, the sound reverberating through the quiet house.
“Stay here,” I tell Rayne, my voice steady despite the unease curling in my stomach.
As I approach the door, my pulse quickens, the uneasy twist in my gut tightening. When I open it, the man standing on the other side is someone I’ve never seen before. He’s tall, broad-shouldered, and his eyes are cold, like he’s used to getting what he wants without question. The way he looks at me—like I’m in his way, an inconvenience—makes my spine stiffen.
“Where is she?” he demands, his voice rough and clipped, full of accusation.
I tighten my grip on the door, my heart slamming against my ribs. “Excuse me?”
“Rayne. Rayne Valencia,” he snaps, his tone impatient. “I’ve come to take her back.”
Back from where? The words slam into me like a physical blow, my mind scrambling to process them. “Who are you?” I ask, my voice firmer now, sharper. “And what do you mean, take her back?”
“I’m her uncle,” he says, his jaw tightening, his hands curling into fists at his sides. “Her father’s brother. He died before she was born, and Elena took her away from us, her family. I’m here to bring her home.”
His words crash over me, pressing hard against my chest. Rayne’s father. Her family. Everything converging into a storm I didn’t see coming.
“She is home,” I say, forcing my voice to stay calm even as panic roars beneath the surface. “I’m not sure who you are, but Rayne is safe here with me. You have no right to barge in here making demands.”
His eyes narrow, his gaze cutting through me like he’s measuring my resolve. “She’s family,” he says coldly, “and you’re not.”
My grip on the door tightens until my knuckles ache, but I don’t back down. “If you think for one second I’m going to hand her over to a stranger, you’re out of your fucking mind.”
“Is that right?” he sneers, taking a step closer, his presence looming. “You don’t know who I am. But if you don’t give her to me right now, I’ll make sure you’ll regret it.”
“You’re not taking her with you,” I snap, standing my ground as every instinct screams at me to shield Rayne from this man. “And if you think you can intimidate me, you’re wrong.”
Behind me, I hear a soft shuffle, and my stomach sinks. Rayne is at the edge of the living room, clutching Fufu Floppy to her chest, her wide eyes flicking between me and the stranger at the door.
“Rayne, go back to the couch,” I say firmly, my heart hammering.
“Rayne, you don’t know me, but I’m here to take you to be with your family,” the man says, his voice softening, but it only makes my blood boil.
“Don’t,” I warn, stepping fully into the doorway, blocking his view of her. “You’re not coming in here. Not without proof, not without legal authority, and definitely not without a fight.”
For a moment, he holds my gaze, the tension stretching unbearably. Then he exhales sharply, his lips pressing into a thin line. “This isn’t over,” he says, his tone laced with warning.
“Good,” I reply, slamming the door shut.
I lock it quickly, my hands trembling as I turn back to Rayne, who stands frozen, her stuffed rabbit held tightly in her arms. I drop to my knees in front of her, pulling her into a hug. “You’re okay,” I whisper, my voice firm even as my heart races. “No one is taking you anywhere. You’re safe here, Rayne. I promise.”
She nods slowly, her small arms wrapping around me. Over her shoulder, my eyes dart toward my phone on the counter. The first call will be to Keane. The second? To a lawyer.
I pace the length of the living room, my arms crossed tightly over my chest as if that alone can keep me from falling apart. Rayne is upstairs, tucked safely in bed, or at least that’s what I keep telling myself. I’ve peeked in a dozen times already, watching her small chest rise and fall just to be sure.
Keane stands in the kitchen, talking into the phone. Every few minutes, he glances my way, his brow furrowed, his expression unreadable. I called him as soon as Rayne’s alleged uncle had left. That’s when I realized I didn’t get a name, just a threat. Still, Keane has been making calls. He’s all collected and grounding while I’m literally about to lose my mind.
“I don’t care what it takes,” he says into the phone, his tone biting now, sharper than I’ve ever heard it. “Find out everything you can about him—who he is, where he’s been, and if he’s got so much as a parking ticket—I want to know. Most of all, I want to know if what he claims is true. Julie showed me Ray’s birth certificate. There’s no father listed on there.”
He’s quiet, listening to whoever is on the other end, his hand gripping the counter so tightly I half expect it to splinter under the pressure. I stop mid-step, watching him. Keane has lawyers. He knows people. I have . . . my not-so-estranged dad. He’ll probably help me if I ask.
And I’ll ask. I’ll do whatever it takes. No one is taking Rayne from me. No one.
Keane ends the call and sets his phone on the counter, exhaling slowly as if to steady himself. I’m across the room in seconds. “What did they say?” I demand, my voice tighter than I want it to be. “I can pay, I’ll find the money.”
He turns to face me, his expression softening slightly, probably because he sees the desperation written all over me. “They’re digging into him now,” he says. “We’ll know more by tomorrow, maybe sooner.”
“No offense, but how do they know who he is?” I ask, because I didn’t ask for a name.
“Not only did they catch his face in the camera outside your house,” he explains, “but he stopped by the coffee shop slash bar and used his credit card. Rowan is on it. Though, now more than ever, I’m starting to believe that he’s not just a bored rich dude.”
“Wow, that’s . . . not what I expected,” I state, resuming my pacing. My nails bite into my palms, and I force myself to stop before I leave marks. “I don’t have lawyers, Keane. I don’t have resources like you. All I have is . . . me, but I’m willing to pay whatever they charge.”
His eyes narrow slightly, his jaw tightening like he’s weighing his next words. Then, without hesitation, he steps closer, closing the space between us. His hands gently find my arms, stilling me, and his voice softens, low and steady. “I’m here to take care of you and Ray if you’ll let me. Don’t worry about payments or—this is something I want to do, okay? No one is going to take her away.”
Before I can respond, his arms wrap around me, pulling me against his chest. His embrace takes my breath away, along with some of the worry. His chin rests lightly against my temple, and he murmurs, “Everything is going to be okay, I promise.”
I sink into him, the rhythm of his heart thudding against mine—quieting my thoughts, calming me. His arms, his body, all of him grounds me in a way I can’t quite explain. Right now, I let myself believe that everything will be okay. Just like it was while Rayne was in the hospital. It’s scary to lean on someone the way I’m starting to lean on him.
What if I fall for him without even realizing it? What if my heart slips into his hands before I can stop it? Will he catch me, or will I be the one left picking up the pieces?