Page 85 of No Fear
Her bottom lip trembled, “He’s the only family I have left.”
“No, baby. He’s not. Not anymore.” Remy shifted, pulling her into his arms until she was caged between his legs, her back to his chest and her head on his shoulder as he leaned against the headboard, “I’m your family now. If you’ll have me that is. I know it’s tough to believe me after everything you’ve been through but I’m not leaving you.”
“Remy…”
“If you don’t want me anymore, you still won’t be alone, Rachel. You have Skylar and you have Jemma and that means you have Cash and Colt. Even if you don’t want me, you’ll have them.”
“What?” Rachel spun to face him as best she could considering he still held her tight, “What are you talking about? Why would I not want you anymore? I love you! My worst fear is that you’ll leave me, not the other way around!”
Even the words had felt wrong on his tongue but he’d felt like he had to say them. If she’d really only been with him for protection, like Lincoln thought, then he would have to let her go. He didn’t think it was true but if she wanted out, he needed to know now. Because the kind of family loyalty that was expected of the Bomars was intense and what came next, it would mean there was no getting out for her, for them.
They were in too deep to simply walk away from the family like Cash had. Maybe Remy had only joined the family business to help get Colt out and maybe he’d always secretly hoped that he would eventually figure out how to get himself out too but he knew that would be impossible now. That was the conversation he had to have with Rachel now because if she wanted to walk, she needed to do it now.
“I’m never going to leave you but…” He tucked her hair behind her ear, “You saw my family this morning. Me and Decker trading blows. Lincoln making threats. You saw for yourself what I come from.”
“You’re not them though, Remy. You’re not like them.”
“I am.” He sighed heavily, “When I think about what Craig did to my brother… I could rip him apart with my bare hands and not even blink.”
“I… I know.” She dropped her gaze again.
“And you know if I feel that way, my entire family will. You know what’s going to happen next, don’t you?”
Rachel gave an involuntary shiver, “L-L-Lincoln’s gonna kill him, isn’t he?”
“I don’t know babe but if I had to guess… Craig’s going to wish he was dead long before that happens.”
“That’s what I thought.”
“So you have to decide if that’s something you can live with, Rachel. Can you be with me knowing my blood is going to hurt yours?”
Rachel cringed and her voice was soft, barely a whisper when she spoke, “Mine hurt yours first. If it’s true, if Craig really was part of that attack on Colt… He left him for dead. Jesus, Remy, I’m so sorry.”
He groaned and held her close, “You keep apologizing but that wasn’t your fault. You didn’t know. Now that you do, you have to choose. I wouldn’t blame you if you want nothing to do with any of us Bomars.”
“I want you, Remy. I choose you.” She tilted her head back up and met his eyes, “I-I-I told Lincoln I would help.”
His heart squeezed painfully in his chest as he remembered the offer his cousin had made this morning. Lincoln wanted Rachel to help him get to Craig. The bastard had been smart enough to go into hiding at some point this week and he couldn’t help but wonder why that was.
Had he seen Rachel with Remy? Had it been obvious they were in love? If so, the logical conclusion would be that she would tell him the truth eventually. Craig must have known his time was limited when he realized he couldn’t scare Rachel into coming home. Because she already was, with him.
But the very thought of Rachel putting herself in danger had him shaking his head.
“No.”
“Remy…”
“No, Rachel. You’re not helping Lincoln. You’re staying out of it.”
“I can’t.”
“You can.”
“Remy, I have to do this. I have to help, Lincoln. It’s the only way I can make up for not telling what I knew sooner.”
“Dammit you don’t owe Lincoln.”
“No, I owe you and Skylar and Colt. You said yourself that you’re my family now. That means I have to do my part to protect the family, right? Just like you did for Colt by walking into that cage.”
