37. Rafe
RAFE
Six Months Later
“This took way too fucking long!” Doug Denning scribbles his name on the closing document and throws the pen onto the table. “God, I’m so glad this is over.” He loosens his tie and leans back with a happy sigh. “It’s over.”
“Glad you’re happy.” I extend a hand. He takes it and shakes. “Enjoy your retirement. I think you can afford it now.”
He snorts and climbs to his feet as Theodora and his lawyers speak quietly, wrapping up the meeting. “Brother, I got four kids, an ex-wife, a current wife, and more creditors than you can imagine. All this money is already earmarked for other people.”
“Then why do you seem so happy?”
“All those other people are gonna shut the fuck up for once.” He grins and waves as he walks out of the room.
The remainder of the meeting is procedural. More documents, more signatures. Most of the real closing costs were settled weeks ago. Theodora congratulates me when it’s all done and we’re alone in the conference room of my shiny new pharma distribution company.
“How’s it feel to be a drug peddler? Oh wait.” She smirks at me. “Seriously, congrats, Rafe.”
“Thank you.” I wander to the windows overlooking the city. “You know what it took to get here.”
“I sure do.” She joins me. “But you deserve it. You and your brothers.”
“I wonder about that word, deserve. I suspect I deserve much worse than this. But I’ve always taken what I wanted and now here I am.”
“Good enough for me.”
“I had a feeling you wouldn’t mind.”
“The massive check I’m getting sure as hell helps ease any moral issues I may have with our partnership.”
I arch my brows at her. “Moral issues? Since when did you have any sense of morality?”
“Great point.”
I think about how busy the next few weeks will be on the drive back home. Denning is a mess, but we’re going to fix it. Silas has plans, Devlin and Kellan have grit and determination, and I have an iron will. Cassian is Cassian and will remain in the woods until needed.
I stroke my knuckles and walk up my stoop. I open the front door?—
“CONGRATULATIONS!”
I drop to a knee, one hand going to my jacket on impulse, reaching for a weapon.
Until I realize it’s June holding Hattie. My brothers, minus Cassian, are behind her, all three cracking up at my reaction.
“Ah, I wasn’t expecting this.” I straighten and clear my throat. “Erm, thank you.”
“Daddy Rafey, were you tying your shoes down here?” Hattie reaches for me. I take her from June.
“That’s right, baby.”
June rolls her eyes at me and kisses my cheek.
“Congrats, bro.” Kellan pounds my shoulder. Devlin punches my other arm.
“Can’t wait to tear that place to pieces,” my youngest brother says happily. “God, it’s going to be fun to fire all those assholes.”
I glare at him. “Watch your language in front of my daughter.”
“It’s okay, Daddy Rafey, I hear you say bad words all the time.” She wriggles from my grip and runs off.
Devlin cackles in my face and I scowl at him.
June takes my arm and steers me away. There’s champagne and food already prepared.
“I’m just happy that it’s over. You’re happy too, right?” she asks. “You’ve been a ball of stress this last week.”
“I’ve never bought a company before, but I’m glad it’s over.”
“Think you’ll do it again?”
I shrug and tug her to my side. “Never say never. Anything’s possible.”
“That’s true.” She sounds softer now. Kellan and Devlin are arguing in the other room. Silas is with them trying in vain to play referee. Hattie’s likely upstairs in her room on her tablet. That girl gets too much screen time. I’ll talk to Priya about it tomorrow.
“What’s the matter? You seem all serious.”
She chews her lip. “It’s nothing, really.”
“June, my love, my life, if you don’t start talking immediately?—“
“I wanted to tell you later but I’m so freaking bad at keeping secrets.”
I tighten my grip on her. “Did something bad happen? Did someone approach you? Is Marnie okay?”
“Marnie’s fine. Beth’s fine too and I’m totally good.” She laughs awkwardly and buries her face in my chest. “Please don’t be mad.”
“I am going to be mad if you don’t spill it.”
“Shit. Okay.” She takes a breath and looks up at me. “I’m pregnant.”
The world stills. I don’t hear my brothers anymore. I can barely breathe.
Pregnant. Again.
Oh my god.
I felt like my life couldn’t get better. June makes me feel whole. Hattie teaches me how to really love and how to expand myself. My brothers are the foundation of my existence. Despite the horror it took to get here, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
Except…
This…
“Holy fuck, YES!” I lift her into the air, laughing and roaring with delight. “I’m so god damn happy!”
“Rafe!” June laughs, bouncing in my arms. “Settle down!”
I swing her around the kitchen, kissing her over and over. “I’m so happy right now. More babies!”
“Did I hear something about babies?” Silas frowns at us. Kellan and Devlin are behind him. “Don’t tell me?”
“It’s true.” June flushes. “I was going to keep it a secret until we were past the first trimester, but, you know?—“
“Wow! That’s incredible!” Silas hugs June and Devlin shakes my hand, beaming, while Kellan pours drinks. June gets a seltzer and we toast to good fortune, good futures, and growing families.
“I really am happy for you two,” Devlin says, leaning up against the kitchen counter an hour later. Silas already left and Kellan’s getting ready to go. “But man, another kid? You won’t catch me fucking dead having babies.”
I smile, not insulted at all, and gaze into the other room where June’s getting Hattie set up for dinner. “You’d be surprised. What have I always taught you? Keep an open mind.”
“Watch your back. Pay your debts. Kill your enemies.” Devlin recites the list like it’s tattooed into his mind. “But didn’t we say we wouldn’t do this again? The bigger we build our families…” He trails off, grim.
I know what he means. After the fire, we took our oath, and promised to watch out for each other, but never to get attached to anyone ever again. People are nothing but ash. Why love them? Only power remains.
But June and Hattie showed me a different way. A better way, maybe. I hope my brothers can see it too one day.
I join my pregnant wife and our little girl once my brothers are gone.
I sit across from Hattie and talk about hippos (unicorns are so last year) and laugh at her wild stories.
June leans her head on my shoulder, and I wonder, even if this is all built on a foundation of blood, bone, and fire—would I want anything else?
Definitely not.