Chapter 17
Rafe
The Shower
The drive back to the ranch was filled with a different kind of silence.
There was relief, sure. But I was also filled with fury.
Calvin had warned me once before about wanting to fight fair, but I never expected Vance to be delusional enough to kidnap Rory, or anyone for that matter, in order to get his way.
Then again I didn’t exactly expect military and CIA trained operators to come to her rescue either.
Calvin had demanded I hand him the keys when I walked out with Rory. “Sit at the back with her, I’ll drive the two of you home.”
I had done as he suggested and had her on my lap, holding her close. My grip tightened when she moved. I wasn’t ready to let her go.
“I want to talk to Cal, Grouchy.” I loosened my hold and she shifted to face the other direction. “Thank you for coming with him, Cal.”
“Anytime, sweetheart. I’m sorry we left you vulnerable though.”
“How did you get so many people to help?” She sat up and tilted her head.
Calvin just smiled, and for a moment I thought he wouldn’t answer. “Abe texted Tex. And from there it all spiralled. Rescuing you was the top priority. But they wanted to ensure your safety long term.”
She frowned. “What do you mean?”
“They’ll make sure Vance never mentions he kidnapped you.
Even if they have to let him go. They’ll make an offer to not press charges as long as he never talks about anything that happened tonight.
Especially if he gives them the information we need.
We won’t be able to bring Argent down today, but we will stifle them at every illegal turn. ”
Calvin went on to explain how a police report would leave a paper trail which would lead back to me. If Vance was truly evil, he would fuck up again, and be arrested anyway. He is on Daniel’s watch list now.
“And if he never fucks up?” She turned a little more, her body moving against mine, once again reassuring me she was fine.
I tried to keep my voice low. “Babe, please sit still.”
She glared at me and turned her attention back to Calvin. “What happens if this was an isolated incident?”
“Then he gets to move on.” He looked at her in the rearview mirror. “Now that you’re safe. The goal is to keep it that way. For the rest of your life.”
She nodded and rested back against my shoulders. Safe and happy. Those words would play on a loop for a long, long while.
It took longer to drive back than it did to get to the Cypress Cabin. Calvin saw no need to rush and I appreciated the extra caution. As we pulled up to my front porch I could see Allie and Mrs. Powers, hands on hips, with matching scowls on their faces.
I placed Rory on the seat next to me and climbed out first. As I tried to help her out, she batted my hand away and attempted to stand on her own. Her legs buckled and I caught her just in time.
“Come on, City.” I picked her up and held her in my arms. “Now is not the time to be stubborn.”
Mrs. Powers stepped forward. “There is some pie in the warmer. If you’re tired of beef, I made some chicken stew in the crockpot. It should be ready in about thirty minutes.”
“Thanks, Ma’am.” It felt good to have people hold down the fort while I had other priorities.
For a long time it had been only Calvin and me.
Then Allie came along, and then Rory. And just like that we had a tribe.
One that would be there for the scary parts.
But they would also be there when we had good stuff to celebrate.
Hopefully, we would have more good than bad.
I nodded and walked into the house. Allie touched my arm. “I’ll be here in the morning to make her smile.”
I nodded, having no doubt she didn’t believe I had the ability to make Rory smile.
With Rory in my arms I said good night and walked into the house.
The sound of the deadbolt echoed loudly and yet the sound signified peace.
After a night that could’ve gone so horribly wrong, it was all I wanted.
Peace and silence. A chance to step away from everything else and hold the person who had become my entire world.
As I took the stairs one at a time, I knew I wasn’t only going upstairs. I was walking toward our future. One where we relied on each other and cheered one another on.
I was aware of the fact that I never wanted Rory to leave.
I wanted forever with her. I wanted the vows and the party and the kids' birthday parties. We’d argue with one another because the make up sex would be out of this world.
With each step our future played out in my imagination.
Stepping on Lego, and drawings on the fridge, and sitting in uncomfortable bleachers.
Teaching the next generation to drive the high road, making them uncomfortable because their mother was wearing her boots and her pen.
And yes, eventually, I wanted to spoil our grandchildren together. And through it all she’d be managing the business side of the ranch, while collecting stray animals. I would be making sure we kept the community happy and involved while producing the best beef on the West Coast.
Our future would take hard work, but neither of us shied away from that.
In fact, we both relished a challenge to get what we wanted.
One day soon, I would need to dig out my mothers wedding ring.
I had stuffed it in an old jewellery box, at the back of my closet.
I needed to have it cleaned. For a moment I considered whether she wanted something new.
Maybe she would want something more lavish than the simple small diamond my dad gave my mom.
It may take me longer, but I would get her exactly what she wanted.
“You think you can manage a shower, City.” I placed her on the vanity and rested my arms on either side of her. “Or would you prefer I run a bath?”
She shook head and I could tell the effects of whatever drug Vance had given her hadn’t left her system completely. “Shower. I want to wash my hair and get into bed.”
Walking over to the stall, I turned the water on to the right spot and let it run.
“I’m getting in with you.” I pulled my T-shirt over my head. “There is no way you’re going to be able to stand by yourself for very long.”
She nodded and her easy compliance told me exactly how right I was.
Without making her stand again, I reached around to her back and lowered the zipper on the dress. At the same time, I unclasped her bra. I pulled her arms from both pieces of clothing, before lifting her into a standing position.
I lowered the zipper completely and pushed the dress and thong over her hips. It pooled around her boots and I took them off one by one.
By the time I had both of us undressed, the water was the right temperature.
She walked straight under the spray, and let out the longest sigh. I let her warm herself and get used to the water. Then I took her shampoo off the caddy.
I lathered her hair, massaging the foam into her scalp. The noise that left her throat was damn near to the sound when she reached her climax and I couldn’t stop my cock from hardening as I listened to her. “That feels so good, Grouchy.”
I moved her back under the water and let the foam rinse out of her hair while I picked up her shower gel and pink scrubby-sponge thing.
As gently as I could, I cleaned her body.
I didn’t want her thinking about that asshole touching her in any way, so I made sure to brush my hands over every part of her.
As if it could undo the damage the asshole had done.
It was only once I stood after washing her feet, still stained purple from the stomping earlier in the night, that I heard the first sob.
Since I had met her, I had only witnessed Rory cry once. It was less than two months earlier, but on that night it had more to do with frustration. She was running from a brother who wanted to kill her. She had just buried her father, and to stay safe she needed to be separated from her sisters.
Then she had to work with me. Which, even I had to admit, was not the easiest thing in the world. That night in the mud it was a case of cry or scream.
Her sobs grew louder and louder as her body relaxed in my arms. “My dad’s dead, Rafe.”
“I know, baby.”
Her arms tightened around me. “I have no family left and my bro —”
“Let it go, City.” She moved closer, and I knew the moment she felt my erection. “Ignore it.”
She looked up at me. “I can—”
“Nope.” I shook my head. I had lines I would never cross and that was one of them. “You are still carrying the effects of the drugs. I promise, I’ll let you do what you want tomorrow. But it's not happening tonight.”
Her frown was the most adorable thing. “Will you be able to sleep with that thing?”
“City, I lived like this for weeks before we got together.” I pulled her closer again. “I’m a grown fucking man. Just because I’m turned on, doesn’t mean something needs to happen.”
My statement made her cry even more. I was sure it had nothing to do with the rejection, but still I didn’t let her go.
“That’s it baby. Imagine it all washing down the drain.” It was what I was doing.
From the moment Vance Steiner and his Argent Group business card had arrived in town I had been one giant knot of anxiety. Being with Rory, and letting everything go in the moment and letting everything Argent represented for both of us wash away, was cathartic in a way. Something we both needed.
I held Rory while she cried, I held her once she stopped. The two of us stood under the water, only moving when the water was too cold for us to handle.
Stepping out, I wrapped a towel around my waist, while I dried her off.
Then I wrapped a towel around her while I dried myself.
Digging through my dresser drawer, I found a T-shirt for her and sweatpants for me.
“Do you want me to plug in the hair dryer? I don’t think you should sleep with wet hair. ”
“As long as you can handle the raggedy Anne doll look in the morning, I don’t care. I want to go to bed. And I want you to be there with me.”