“Fine.” She rolls her eyes. “I could be an asset, but whatever. As far as telling my brothers, I came up with a plan.”
I lift her onto the prepping island countertop and station myself between her long, toned legs. “I’m listening.”
“I’d like us to have a couple of days to just be, but then I’ll call Axel and ask for only him and Jax to come out here. He’ll go for that because Jax is my best friend, and of course, Axel is all fatherly. Even if Jax extends concerns in private, he’ll take my side in front of Axel. And Axel hates fighting both of us.” She inhales and exhales quickly because she spewed all that within in a single breath. “The key is to keep Ryker out of it until we have Axel convinced. He riles everyone up. And he’s absurdly protective, like in an angry, beastly warrior kind of way. He might shoot first and ask questions later.”
“I believe that.” I sigh as my fingers cruise up her thighs. “He’s no doubt considered shooting me because of how I handled Mercy.”
“Not really.” She shakes her head and glances between Gage and me. “Don’t tell him I told you this, but he respects you because you never backed down to him. You put her first. Elevating a woman’s needs for no other reason than her protection is a rarity in our world. So, even though it’s killing him to be left out of her life right now, he feels like he owes you.”
That shocks the hell out of me. “I didn’t—”
“We can use that,” she tacks on before I finish my thought.
“She’s cunning. I like it,” Gage bellows from the opposite side of the island. “You two take some time. I’m going to claim a room and rest before we head out.”
“Thanks, Big Guy,” I say and turn back to Rena while he treks to his room. “How are you feeling?”
“Good.” Her cheek bounces in a crooked smile. “Sore, but I don’t mind.”
I nibble on her bottom lip and relish her chest rising against me with her hitched breath. “Did the bath help?”
“Yeah,” she whispers against my lips with a teasing sweep of her tongue. “I think I’m ready for round two.”
“Not yet,” I groan. “We need to talk about things, and I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to hold back as much on round two.”
She hooks her arms behind my neck. “That’s the kind of sweet nothing I can get behind. Ruin me, sailor.”
“No worries there. Tonight, when I get back.” I chuckle and brush my thumb across her cheekbone. “You’re so beautiful, baby girl. It hurts to look away.”
“So don’t.” Her voice is casual with that, but there’s apprehension swimming in her glossy eyes. Insecurity I put there.
“Never,” I promise. “You’re stuck with me now. I like the plan with your brothers. We’ll tell them slowly, ease them into it. I don’t want to wait too long because they’re so upset, but I’ll talk to Wells tomorrow, and maybe he can assure them of your safety and buy us some time.”
She relaxes a little, gliding her fingertips across my scruff while her hazels dance around my face. “Perfect. We need that time. A few days at least, without running or drama.”
“Agreed.” I straighten and study her. “But I also need to know what you were running from. It’s not just finding out about the tracking.”
Her chest deflates, and she diverts her gaze from me, hesitant or hiding something. “How about a secret for a secret? What’s the big thing that you all fell into?”
I crowd myself around her again and wait for her to grant me her attention. “I plan to tell you everything, but I already gave up our erased identities—a secret that could get my family and me killed. So, the scale is tipped in your favor. Why don’t you share why you’re running away from a family you love?”
She hangs her head, defeat mantling her frame. “It’s not because I don’t trust you. It’s because it will make it real, and I can’t …”
“Look at me.” I lift her chin so she has no choice but to comply. “Whatever it is, we’ll face it together. This won’t work between us if we’re hiding things from one another.”
That’s the shit that will get us killed.
“I was wrong to tell you that I couldn’t be your compass before,” I add. “No more being lost, Little Moon. I’ll be your true north, and you’ll be mine. One direction, okay?”
“Okay.” She nods in my embrace. “I’m pretty sure I’m not a Noire.” And the dam fucking breaks. Her chin wobbles, tears stream. “My mom had an affair or something, and I … I don’t know who I am if I’m not … and Axel has been lying to me. Everyone has, so I don’t know who I can trust.”
It makes sense that she’d be devastated by that. It’s more than the name, the affair, or even the realization that her father is someone she doesn’t know. Rena’s entire identity is encapsulated in being the Noire princess. No wonder she feels lost.
“I’m sure that’s a lot to process.” Yanking up my shirt, I use it to dry her cheeks before folding her into me until she melts against my chest. “But who you are doesn’t change because of that. Axel lying about it is proof. He obviously didn’t want these thoughts in your head. You will always be theirs and an important part of the Noire empire, no matter the lineage.”
She tips her face to me, and it’s clear that she wants that truth to penetrate, but something is keeping it at bay.
“Is that it?” I probe because that’s not it, and as much as her anguish is shattering me, I can’t get distracted. I need to know whether she can handle being transparent with me, even concerning her family.
