“So what, Sloan? What are you saying?”
“I’m saying don’t call me anymore. You’re going to wait until you hear from me or my lawyer again. I’m saying that you might not see the girls again until they want to see you and until I trust you with them again. And that might not happen.”
“The hell it won’t.”
“Goodbye, Drew.” Sloan hit the end button and tossed her phone across her bed.
17
Rafe was exhausted, but he was still too amped up to sleep. His ride helped, and so did the unplanned trip to his parents’ house. When he’d pulled up at the curb, he sent his dad a text letting him know he was outside and that he needed to talk. His dad didn’t ask any questions. Just walked outside a few moments later in his old beat-up robe. Rafe told him what had happened, told him how close he’d coming to breaking Drew Ballos in half.
He’d even showed him the video that Sloan had forwarded to him, just in case. Rafe knew he’d done the right thing, but it meant a lot when Joe said he was proud of him. When Joe asked him if this changed how he felt about Sloan and their arrangement, Rafe told the truth—not one bit. He only regretted not giving Sloan a proper kiss goodbye before he’d taken off and told himself he’d apologize and make up for it when they grabbed a few moments alone again.
Before Rafe had headed back to the house, Joe reminded him of one crucial fact. Whatever happened between him and Sloan, blended families were complicated and unique. They came with extra care, understanding and patience. He’d been honest with Monica about how much he felt like he was fucking up as a father and that made it much easier for Monica to understand the way Rafe was feeling when he got out of juvie.
Rafe had thought back to the conversations he and Monica had had when they first met, how kind she’d been and how she’d layed out her own boundaries with father and son. It wasn’t an easy transition, but Rafe wouldn’t have changed a thing about it. He loved his step-mom and his sisters, and he loved his father for growing and trying to be a better man.
Would he have liked more time to enjoy the carefree, light-hearted, getting-to-know-you period with Sloan? Hell yeah, but this was the reality of the situation. Sloan came with an asshole ex-husband and Rafe was just going to have to deal with it. After he and his dad hugged it out, he’d climbed back on his bike, but he still wasn’t ready to head home.
He’d rode around for another hour, winding his way back across town, minding the speed limit ’cause the last thing he needed was to wreck. He thought he’d be out cold the minute he got in his bed, but something was still eating at him and he knew he just had to accept it.
He still wanted to beat the everloving shit out of Drew and there was nothing he could do about it. He also didn’t know how long he would be pissed off about the incident at the airport. He didn’t know how long it would take for him to fully accept that as long as he was with Sloan and as long as he was taking care of Addison and Avery, Drew was a factor.
Rafe gave up trying to sleep and turned his TV back on. Just as he decided on someInk Mastersspin off, he heard a tap on his door. He hopped up and found Addison and Avery standing in the hallway. He squatted down to their level.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“We heard your motorcycle. We thought you left,” Avery said.
“I left for a little bit, but I just went to go see my dad. But, see? I’m back.”
“Are you staying?”
“Yeah. I’m not going anywhere.”
The twins were quiet for a few moments, but Rafe knew they both had more on their minds. Addison glanced at Avery, probably deciding which one of them would tell the other reason they wanted to talk to him in the middle of the night. Addison went for it.
“Do you love Mommy?” she whispered, maybe so Sloan wouldn’t hear her upstairs.
“She’s very special to me.”
“Do you love us?” Avery asked, her tone cheery and a little louder, like she already knew the answer.
“Are you kidding me? I’m crazy about you two. But let’s talk more about this during daylight hours. Let’s get you back in bed.”
“We can’t sleep.”
“Oh yeah? I was have trouble sleeping too.”
“Do you know what would make me sleepy?” Avery said. That scheming look crept back in her eye. Rafe tried not to laugh.
“What’s that?”
“A cookie.”
Rafe shook his head, matching her expression. “No.”
Avery shot him a brutal side eye, but she let it go.
