Page 34 of Rafe: Sins of the Father

“Got any orange juice in the fridge?”

“Sure.”

I pull the bottle of vodka. “Screwdriver it is, then. Come on.” We head to the kitchen, and I make one and slide it across the island to her. “Try this.”

She scoots on a barstool and takes a tentative sip, then gives me a small smile. “It’s good.”

I lean on my elbows and wink. “I’ll be your bartender anytime.”

That gets me a real smile.

Her eyes drop to my cut again, and she tips her glass toward it. “So, how long have you been in that… club?”

I huff a laugh and stare at the granite. “Unofficially? Seems like my whole life. My father was a member. I guess you could say I was raised in the club.”

“And officially?”

“Started prospecting after high school. That took until I was twenty-one. Been a full patched member for a few years now.”

“I see. And… what does that mean, exactly… being a full patched member?”

“Means I’ve got a dozen club brothers at my back.”

“All for one, and one for all?”

“Exactly.” I grin, then tilt my head. “You got any brothers or sisters, Tori?”

“I’m an only child. How about you?”

“I’ve got a couple of younger sisters, Fiona’s twenty-one and Ella’s nineteen, and a twin brother named Kyle.”

“A twin? Wow. Do you like having a twin?”

The corner of my mouth pulls up, but the smile doesn’t reach my eyes. “We fight a lot. It’s complicated.” I straighten. “Come on. Let’s sit by the fire.”

She curls in the corner of the couch, and I sit on the floor, leaning against it a couple feet away, giving her space. We both stare at the fire for a while.

“You’re not what I thought,” she murmurs.

I study her face. “You’re not either. I’m sorry I called you a bitch the other day.”

She grins. “I’m sorry for what I said, too.”

“Seems there’s more to both of us than meets the eye, huh?”

“You know the funny thing? Guys like Connor with money and status are supposed to be good guys, and bikers like you are supposed to be bad. That’s kind of been flipped on its head for me tonight.” She drains her glass.

“You want another?” I ask.

She shakes her head and tucks her feet under her, laying her head on the decorative pillow. “If I fall asleep, you’re not going anywhere, are you?”

“I won’t leave your side, Tori. I promise.”

We sit and watch the fire, and in a few minutes, I glance back and see her eyes are closed. My gaze freely travels over her face, memorizing every detail. She looks beautiful in the firelight, even with the bruise. I cross my arms and stare at the fire, and tell myself this is just one crazy night. Tomorrow we’ll be from two different worlds again, and I may not ever have another conversation with her. It’s a sad thought.

I rest my head back on the couch cushion and close my eyes.

A few minutes later, my phone vibrates in my hip pocket with a text. Digging it out, I frown at the screen.

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