Chapter Five #2
Harlow wanted to hold her. Raine was the youngest, and no matter that she was absolutely brilliant, she was alone and held herself very carefully away from everyone.
Her family had not only thrown her out; she was also considered dead to them.
When she was very young, the man she thought she was falling in love with had betrayed her and helped orchestrate the murder of several of her father’s men.
Eventually, her father was murdered. How could Raine ever feel as if anyone would stand by her?
Would stay? Her own parents and brothers had thrown her aside, blaming her for the death of her father.
Stella took her time before answering, clearly thinking it over before she responded.
“Raine, you and I both know there are no guarantees in life. No one can say what will happen in the years to come. As to that, I will say, both Sam and I talked about what we wanted in our relationship and how best to keep it. But how do I know I can trust Sam? How do I believe him? I’ve never once caught him in a lie.
He shows me every single day that he thinks of me first. I do my best to give him the same respect and loyalty.
It’s impossible not to love him when he’s so devoted to my happiness and care. ”
“How do you put up with him being so bossy?” Raine switched her gaze to Shabina. “And Rainier, he’s as bossy as it gets. How do the two of you manage?”
Harlow was happy Raine was asking the very questions she wanted answers to.
“Hey,” Vienna said. “Don’t forget to include Zale in the bossiness. I put up with a lot.”
“That isn’t helping, Vienna,” Stella said. “We’re discussing the pros of being with bossy men, not the cons.”
She said it so seriously that Harlow burst out laughing. “Do you hear yourself, Stella? You’re always so like, ‘Sam is perfect,’ even if we’re trying to decide how to put up with bossy men. Maybe Sam isn’t as bossy.”
Stella made a face. “Okay, he isn’t. Well, until he is. But he’s so sweet it doesn’t matter.”
That brought another round of laughter, even from Raine.
Harlow would have let Raine’s question go, but she was interested in the answer.
Every single one of her friends was independent.
They didn’t need a man to support them financially.
They had their chosen hobbies and were great at their jobs, yet Stella, Vienna and Shabina had found very dangerous and dominant men to be their partners.
How could they possibly make a success out of their relationship, given their personalities?
Not that she was thinking about actually trying to have a relationship with Wilder.
She wasn’t capable, no matter how tempted she was.
“Shabina, you’re married to Rainier. What’s that like, living with him? How did you know you could trust him to look out for your best interests?” Harlow asked.
Raine looked grateful. She hadn’t wanted to ask the question again, but she wanted the answer.
Harlow didn’t really understand why. Raine avoided dating.
Like Harlow, she avoided entanglements. She used the excuse of her job, but Harlow knew her reasons went a lot deeper.
If your own family turned their backs on you, you didn’t believe too much in human beings.
“I knew exactly who Rainier was before I married him. If he weren’t concerned with my happiness and willing to put me first, I wouldn’t have gone through with it, but I’ve known him for years.
I know his character. His first thought is always for me, and I’m very aware of it.
Do I protest some of his decisions? You bet I do.
He never interferes with the café, but he does help out there. It’s mainly security we disagree on.”
“What happens when you disagree on security?” Raine asked.
“I never win that battle,” Shabina admitted readily.
“Rainier knows when there are threats, and he always acts accordingly for not just me but all of you. He considers you family. He always has men in training, and if the threat is low, he has them here.” She glanced at Harlow.
“He’s a bit snarly right now over security, and he’s using his most trusted men. ”
“Have you received more death threats, Harlow?” Raine asked, intercepting and interpreting the look.
Harlow shrugged, doing her best to look nonchalant. “Trust me, Rainier’s on it. He has the file.”
“File?” Zahra protested. “Just how many death threats have you received?”
“I come from a political family,” Harlow said.
“Many politicians and members of their families are threatened. It just so happens the senator always made it public that he intends to run for the White House. He made a point of staying in the media, and he did so on very conservative family values. He portrayed himself as a good, God-fearing man with the perfect family and preached his values to everyone who would listen. He has charisma and good looks. Women fall for his bullshit lies. He makes enemies right and left with his rigid policies, which, by the way, he doesn’t follow. ”
Raine reached out to her, touching her hand. That small gesture sent a ripple of emotion through her. She sometimes was starved for touch since she avoided it so much. That was such a dichotomy: needing human touch, craving it, and yet avoiding it completely if she could.
She stopped herself from continuing when she heard bitterness creeping into her voice.
She had promised herself she wouldn’t allow her father’s or mother’s hypocrisy to affect her any longer.
She’d built a good life for herself, and she’d done so without their help.
She was happy in Knightly with her friends and the beauty of nature surrounding her.
She didn’t need the doors in her past creeping open and letting that battered child or shocked teen out.
Not when she’d finally found some peace.
“I think meeting here for Harlow’s night is a good thing,” Raine said. “Whether I’m out of traction or not doesn’t matter. I’ll love the company and welcome the distraction.”
Harlow heard the sincerity in her voice and was glad.
She hated deceiving everyone, not telling them Wilder was in her home, but right now, Rainier and Wilder believed someone was hunting him.
The fact that he’d been ambushed on an assignment he’d been sent out on was proof that someone in the organization was betraying them.
It was terrifying to think it could be his own boss.
She had an intense need to keep Wilder safe.
She didn’t want to delve too deeply into the why of it, but she knew she’d do anything to make certain no one was able to harm him.
Sooner or later, one of her friends would stop by her house, and the truth would come out. She could try to explain at that time.
“Zahra, thank you so much for taking care of my Daisy. I would be worried sick if you hadn’t volunteered.”
“No worries. My little Misty loves her, and they play endlessly, wearing each other out. You know how energetic Misty is.” Zahra gave an exaggerated sigh.
“I detest running, but I have to run at least three times a day to keep her happy and healthy. Daisy loves it. I do not.” She sprawled dramatically into a chair.
“I have to take them along the canal in order to have a long enough run. We’re going to get attacked by a bear one of these days.
I tell the two little monsters it isn’t safe, but they don’t listen. They run rings around me.”
“You’re obsessed with bears,” Shabina said. “Bears leave people alone for the most part. Unless it’s a mom with cubs or you’re between it and its favorite food.”
Zahra rolled her eyes. “People are their favorite food. They try to trick you by backing away part of the time, but I’m not fooled, and as much as you’ve gone backpacking, you have to know I’m right.”
“Bears want nothing to do with humans,” Stella assured.
Zahra’s mouth did her famous pout, which only made her look adorable. “I appreciate your attempting to make me feel safe when I have no choice but to risk my life for my little Misty.” Her gaze shifted to Raine. “And Daisy.”
Raine kept a straight face. “Thank you, Zahra. I know Daisy can be a little holy terror if she doesn’t get her exercise. If she gets to be too much, let me know. Rainier said he could have his men take turns running her.”
Zahra looked outraged. “No way are they going to look after Daisy. She wouldn’t like being with strangers. She misses you like crazy as it is. I’m not about to let those men who think the only dogs in the world are Belgian Malinois take care of her. Smaller dogs are just as worthy.”
“That’s true,” Raine soothed. “Daisy is very good at talking. If she doesn’t like someone, she has no problem growling her little head off. And no one can get near the house without her alerting me.”
Harlow refrained from saying the smaller dogs couldn’t take down a bear because that would become an entirely different conversation.
“We’d better go before we get kicked out of here and told not to come back,” she said, leaning down to brush a kiss on Raine’s forehead. “You hang in there. We’ll be back in a couple of days.”
“Are you coming back to the café with us?” Shabina asked.
“One of Rainier’s men returned my camera, so I’m going to spend time in my studio.
I desperately need to. You know how I need that…
” She broke off. She’d almost said alone time, but she quickly changed it.
“Creative time. That part of my brain goes crazy if I don’t feed it.
” That much was true. She really needed to work in her studio.
The moment she was in possession of her camera, she was excited to see the various shots she’d gotten.
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