Chapter 39
Chapter Thirty-Nine
THEO
“Ineed a favor,” I call out as I open James’s front door.
I might not have instant access to Caleb or Noah’s places, but I do to my bestie’s. I think the not-so-subtle hints finally got to him a few years back, so on my thirtieth birthday, he gave me a key to his place. Best birthday present ever. I may have even shed a tear or two.
“Hello?” a voice calls back.
“Is that my favorite redhead I hear?” I ask as I walk through to the kitchen.
Raven’s sitting at the breakfast bar, her curly red hair up in a ponytail, fresh-faced and still in her pajamas. It’s 8 a.m., so I shouldn’t expect anything less.
“Hey, you,” she greets warmly, jumping down from her stool to hug me. “I didn’t know you’d be popping by. James is in the shower.”
“Trouble in paradise already?” I tease, walking to the coffee pot and pouring myself a mug.
Raven chuckles. “Nope. I just had my nose stuck in this book and needed to get it finished before heading off to class.”
“Why am I not surprised? Is there ever a time you don’t have your nose stuck in a book?” I ask, but I already know the answer.
“The day that happens, there’s something seriously wrong, and you’ll need to call the doctor,” she quips, laughing.
“Noted.”
She goes back to perching on the stool. “How’s everything going?”
“Good.” I nod. “Some days are better than others, but I think I’m finally getting there. Having Oscar around is really helping. I don’t know if that’s because my focus is on him now and not me.” I shrug, sipping my coffee. “All I know is that I feel better than I have in years.”
“I’m so pleased to hear that, Theo.” She smiles softly. “If anyone deserves a happy ending, it’s you.”
I wave her off, uncomfortable at the praise. “How are things with you? Is James treating you good? Cause I swear if he’s not—”
“He’s treating me just fine.” She chuckles. “Dad is finally coming around, and I think I know what I want to do when I finish college.” She blushes and brushes a hair behind her ear.
“Don’t keep me in suspense, girl. What is it?” I ask, leaning on the counter, curious.
“I’m… going to open my own bookstore,” she murmurs.
“Yes!” I shout excitedly. “That’s the perfect job for you.” I rub my neck, my face scrunched. “Honestly, I don’t know why you didn’t think of it earlier.”
Raven sighs. “I guess I thought following in my mom’s footsteps was the best idea all around. I was so worried I’d be letting people down with my choices, but ultimately, this is my life, and I should get to choose what I do or don’t do.”
Pushing away from the counter, I walk around and envelope her in my arms. “It would be impossible for you to let anyone down, Raven. I can’t help you with the legal front—I’m not that kind of lawyer—but let me talk to one of my guys who owes me a favor.” I wink as I draw back.
“Oh, Theo, no—” she starts to protest.
I squeeze her arms. “Please. Let me help you. I can’t do much, but I can do this.”
“Okay,” she reluctantly agrees.
“If you don’t get your fucking hands off my woman and step back at least twenty paces, I’m going to knock you on your ass,” James growls behind me.
I chuckle, not stepping back and not dropping my hands. What can I say? I’m a mischief maker.
“Good morning to you too, snookums,” I reply, turning around and draping an arm across Raven’s shoulder as I give him a wide grin.
James pinches the bridge of his nose. “Pretty girl? Could you help me out here? I really don’t want to get arrested for beating my best friend to a pulp.”
Raven giggles, gives me a quick squeeze, then skips over to him. “Your overbearing tendencies still have no bounds, do they, pretty boy?” she teases.
“When it comes you? Absolutely-fucking-not,” he replies, brushing a strand of hair out of her face, then bends down to kiss her.
Finally coming up for air, he turns to me and says, “I can’t wait for the day you find your own woman… payback’s a bitch, and you’re gonna get it tenfold,” he says jokingly, but I can hear the underlying threat in his tone.
“You wouldn’t dare?” I exclaim. Thoughts of Blake being anywhere near him are about to send me into cardiac arrest. The resulting smile I get doesn’t fill me with much hope.
“I think Caleb has a little payback of his own to dish out as well,” he muses, tugging Raven into his side.
Fuck!
“Fine, alright,” I huff, my hands coming up in a placating manner. “I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”
“What are you doing here so early anyway?” he asks, walking to the coffee pot, Raven still firmly tucked to his side.
I tilt my head in Raven’s direction. “You know she isn’t going to magically disappear if you put her down for two seconds, right?”
“Yeah, I know. I just don’t want to,” he says with a shrug.
Raven glances up at him, a soft smile playing on her face and all the love in the world shining in her eyes.
For once, it doesn’t make me nauseous, it doesn’t make me wish I had that, and it doesn’t make me feel sad.
It makes me feel good, like I’m finally getting that for myself.
I just need to get James on board first.
“I need to run something by you. It’s an… investment of sorts.”
Fuck, I hate asking for things. I hate asking for any help. I’m always the first one to offer my services, but when it comes to me? Absolutely not. But if I want what I want to happen, then James is my only option. Okay, he’s not my only option; he’s just the one I trust not to laugh at my idea.
“I’m in,” he says, leaning back against the counter with Raven’s arms wrapped around his waist and his arm tightly clutching her in return.
“You don’t even know what it is yet,” I say, my eyebrow raised. “I could be asking you to kill someone for me.”
“Done.”
He loves me.
“Okay, my needy ass needed to hear that,” I reply, the warmth in my chest rising to my cheeks and making me blush. “But I have a business proposition for you.”
Kissing the top of Raven’s head, he says, “Let’s go to the office, and you can show me what you have. The answer will be the same regardless.”
Damn it, I will not cry.
“I’m heading out,” Raven says, looking toward James. “I’ll see you later?”
He hums his agreement. “Is Leo driving you?”
“Yes, Daddy,” she sasses, a smirk pulling at her lips.
“Later,” he growls before drawing her in for a kiss. He slaps her ass as she leaves, and a yelp falls from her lips.
“One of these days I’m going to stop jumping when you do that,” she says, chuckling.
“Why? It’s cute,” he replies seriously, like everything she does is adorable.
“Love you, bye,” she calls over her shoulder as she exits the room, the front door slamming shortly after.
James shakes his head at her antics, a soft smile on his face and hearts in his eyes. “Fuck, I love her.”
“Really?” I gasp, clutching my chest. “I had no idea. The possessive ‘touch her and die’ vibes didn’t clue me in at all,” I drawl sarcastically.
He slaps the back of my head. “Alright, smartass. What do you need?”