Chapter 56
Chapter Fifty-Six
R afe scooped her up in his arms, grabbed her shirt from a nearby branch, and started walking home. Ruby considered protesting. She was perfectly capable of walking. But Rafe knew that and he was carrying her anyway.
Ruby snuggled against his chest and breathed his piney scent.
For the first time in a long time, Ruby could rest. She could listen to Rafe’s steady heartbeat and not worry about bills or her sister’s episodes or her next shift at the bar.
Not that those things wouldn’t still be waiting for her in the morning, but now she’d have someone by her side when she woke up to face it all again.
Being back with Rafe made her feel pieced together again. Her heart seemed to beat in sync with his, her breath matching his inhales and exhales. Being held by Rafe lit her up inside, filling in all the dark spaces.
They made it to his cabin just as the first drops of rain began to fall. Lightning lit up the trees around them, thundering crackling in its wake.
“Guess you’ll have to stay,” Rafe said, setting her down on the porch. “Think Lena will be okay?”
“She’s spending the night at Callie’s.”
Rafe pushed open the door. His home was small and cozy and far messier than Ruby would have expected, but Rafe didn’t give her much time to explore.
“Let’s get you cleaned up.” He tugged her into the bathroom and ran the hot water in the shower.
Ruby bit her bottom lip, happiness bubbling up so fast and fierce she thought it might spill out. “Okay, fine, but later I’m snooping through all your stuff.”
He gave her a shy smile. “Fine.”
“And I want to see your workshop.”
He removed her bra with a deft flick of his fingers and let it drop. Ruby shimmied out of her skirt and tights. Rafe’s hands skated over her hips and into the dip of her waist. Steam filled the small space.
“You can see everything.”
“Hm, okay.” She reached for his jeans, but he grabbed her hands.
“Ruby,” he warned.
“Yes?”
“I’m trying to take care of you.”
She pulled her hands from his and slid his pants over his hips. His cock was hard and heavy in her hand. Werewolf genes. Goddamn.
“I think this is a very good way to take care of me.”
“Ruby, you’re hurt.” His fingers ran over her arm as he gently undid the bandage and for the first time in the past several hours, she felt the pain emanating from the wound. “You need to rest.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead and ushered her into the shower.
“At least you can join me.” She tugged him in with her, making it far too crowded in the tight space, but seeing Rafe wet and soapy would be totally worth it.
Apparently, he felt the same way about her because he wasted no time lathering her up. His big hands gently washed away the dirt and the sweat from their little romp.
He eyed her injury like he wanted to resurrect those wolves just so he could kill them again. She ran a hand across his chest. “It’s okay. They’re gone. I’m safe.”
Rafe blew out a long sigh. It would take him a long time to believe she was safe, she knew that. After everything he’d lived through, she knew it would take more than a little fucking and biting for him to trust that she was really here and safe and his, but Ruby would tell him every damn day.
“And what if they’re not?”
“Rafe—”
“No, really. This isn’t me being?… me.” He shrugged and ran a hand through his hair, sending water droplets down his forearm. “What if they keep coming until they get what they want?”
A shiver ran up Ruby’s spine, remembering Wyatt’s words and Knox’s visit to the bar. But bringing up Rafe’s brother was the last thing she wanted to do right now. “Then we’ll face it together.”
He stared at her a moment longer before nodding.
“Together.” He ran his assessing gaze over her one more time.
His eyes turned dark with hunger and Ruby bit down on a smile.
Clearly, his thoughts had turned to more pressing matters.
He tore his gaze away to pour shampoo into his palm, and Ruby groaned as he massaged it into her scalp.
“Turn,” he commanded and she did.
He lathered her hair, his fingers digging into her scalp as the warm water ran over her breasts and stomach. She moaned and she felt his cock slide against her ass.
“Turn.”
She giggled and did as she was told, letting him rinse the suds from her hair. Face to face now, his cock slipped against her soap-covered stomach.
“Rafe, please.”
He groaned, pressing against her more urgently, water trickling down between them. She ran her fingers through his wet hair and licked the water dripping off his jaw.
He dropped to his knees in the shower before she could protest, his mouth between her legs before she could breathe. He hoisted her leg over his shoulder, warm water raining down over them.
“Shit.” She leaned her head back against the wall as Rafe worked his tongue over her clit, sending pleasure skittering down her legs and curling her toes. He hummed against her, the vibration making her moan.
“I knew,” he said, his head still between her legs. “I knew as soon as I tasted you that you were mine.”
“Rafe.” She groaned his name, all other language evaporating from her head. It didn’t take long, her orgasm winding tighter and tighter until finally rolling through her like a wave. Rafe placed a kiss on her thigh as she ran her fingers through his hair. “Seriously, so good at that,” she murmured.
Rafe smirked. He stood, his gaze landing on her hands. “I did that?” His eyes went dark as he studied the scrapes on her palms.
“Nope.”
He narrowed his eyes at her.
“I crashed. It was dark. It’s not a big deal.”
“Not a big deal,” he repeated in disgust as he shut off the water and wrapped her in a towel. He hoisted her up and carried her to his bedroom. He deposited her on the bed.
“Are you going to carry me everywhere now?”
“Maybe.”
He left the room and Ruby could hear him digging around in the medicine cabinet.
The rain was pouring down outside, drumming loudly on the tin roof.
Every few minutes a flash of lightning lit up the cozy room.
It was small like the rest of the house, an old hunting cabin built only for short stays.
Rafe’s bed took up most of the space. It was big and wood and sturdy, covered in a faded quilt.
Just like what she’d glimpsed in the rest of the house, everything was worn but comfortable, old but loved.
It was everything you could want in a forest hideaway.
She grabbed one of Rafe’s oversized flannel shirts from a chair in the corner and slipped into it. It was soft against her skin.
Rafe returned with a small white box in his hands and a pair of shorts back on his beautiful body. “Gimme your hand.” He sat on the edge of the bed, his brow furrowed in worry as she presented her scraped palm.
“It’s fine.”
“It’s not fine. You’re hurt.” He wiped peroxide on the scrape and Ruby hissed. He glanced up at her, the furrow deepening.
“Just stings a little.” She gave him a weak smile.
He grunted like that was unacceptable and gingerly unwrapped a Band-Aid and pressed it to her hand. “Next time we have sex in a bed. Like normal people.”
Ruby scrunched up her nose. “But do we really want to be normal people? Sounds kinda boring.”
Rafe bit down on a laugh. “I don’t think we could pass for normal.”
“Me neither.” Ruby patted the spot beside her on the bed. “Come keep me warm.”
Her werewolf moved his first-aid kit aside and sprawled out next to her on the bed.
Ruby rested her head on his chest, listening to the storm howl outside the window.
Rafe stroked a hand through her hair and down her back.
He traced circles on the skin of her arms, his fingers moving back up her body until they found the bite mark on her neck.
Ruby closed her eyes, savoring the feeling.
The feeling of his hands on her and the feeling of belonging to someone.
“I think you were right.”
“Oh?” His voice was a rumble beneath her ear. “About what?”
“I think I am like Lena. A little bit anyway.” She lifted her head, leaning on her elbow beside him.
“Why? Did something happen?” His expression turned immediately murderous like he could terrify any visions she might have right out of her body.
Ruby shook her head, her hair ghosting along Rafe’s skin. “Just a feeling.”
Rafe tucked her hair behind her ear, studying her like he was waiting for her thoughts on the matter before formulating his own.
“And when I was coming to find you, it was like I was pulled here. My body knew where to go. I don’t know.” She shrugged. “Felt kinda magical.”
“Sounds kinda magical.” His lips tilted into a smile. “It’s how I felt about you from the start.”
She leaned down and pressed her lips to his chest, right above his beating heart. “Who knew werewolves were so romantic?”
He flashed her a rare grin and she lifted her face to his. His lips were warm and soft against hers and as they kissed, the years ahead of them spooling out in front of her. But there was more she needed to tell him even though she was dreading it. She’d put it off as long as she could.
“Wyatt spoke to me?… before…”
Rafe went eerily still. “He was in human form that night?”
“Yes, at first. He tried to get me to go with him. He said his Alpha needed my help.”
Rafe cursed low and fierce. “Sinclair.”
“Who’s that?”
“The Alpha to the Highland pack. A mean son of a bitch.”
“Wyatt said they need my talents . But I still think he was talking about Lena.”
“They’re not the smartest bunch.”
Ruby blew out a quiet laugh until she remembered what else Wyatt had said.
“I think Knox is involved somehow.” Her voice was small against the wind roaring outside. Tree branches scraped along the sides of the little hunting cabin.
Rafe rolled over, coming up onto his elbow to look at her. He looked ready to run off and strangle his brother at the mere mention of him. “Why do you say that?”