Page 37 of Taming Raptor

“Okay,” I whispered feeling suddenly dizzy and nauseous. I got to my feet and flattened my hand to the wall as I attempted to flee the room before I embarrassed myself. Thankfully, my room was closer than the community bathrooms and I stumbled in. No way I was making it further. I grabbed my trash can by the door, held my hair back, and proceeded to lose my lunch.

A touch to my back mid hurl had me trying to push whoever it was away.

“It’s me,” Blade murmured near my ear. He took my hair from my unsteady hand and attempted to soothe me the way he used to when we were kids. The way we’d come full circle drew a sob from the depth of my soul. He pulled me into his broad chest and held me. For years, I believed I had full control of my life. It took one tattooed, broody man to yank those beliefs out from under me.

Now I couldn’t touch him, but he still had a death grip on me. So much so that sometimes I couldn’t breathe for it. “I think you were right,” I whispered with my head bowed and my eyes closed.

“About what?” he murmured as he gently stroked my hair away from my face. Unable to hold back any longer, I burst into tears—and hated myself for my weakness. He pulled me into his embrace, my cheek to his chest.

With my ear against him, his heartbeat strong and steady, he comforted me. I clutched his cut. “I wish it had been you,” I choked out.

“Huh?” he paused with one hand palming my head.

Flattening my hands over his chest, I pushed back to look him in the eye. “You said I’ve been in love with Raptor for years. You were right. But I wish it could’ve been you because now I love a man that doesn’t want me—one who walked away without looking back.”

His lids fell as he sighed, and guilt hit me. It was a dumb thing to say. Because I knew damn well he didn’t see me like that either and now I’d made things awkward.

“I didn’t mean it like that, Finley. I’m sorry, that wasn’t fair of me to say. You’re my best friend and the only person that’s truly been there for me. I only meant life would’ve been easier and different if we both saw the other differently. There will never be enough thanks in the world for everything you’ve done for me—but thank you.” I gave him a pouting smile and cupped his cheek, smoothing his beard. “You’re going to make some girl a really good ol’ man.”

He huffed a laugh. “You of all people should know that’s not true. Every single one of my brothers are fucked up in their own ways. Yet, none of them hold a candle to the twisted, dark recesses of my mind. No woman wants to deal with that shit.”

“You’d be surprised. What about Eliska? What’s up with that?” I searched his gaze to ensure he was being honest.

“Not a damn thing.” His replied held a tight finality so I decided to drop it—for now.

Suddenly exhausted after being up all night, I stood and held my hand out to help Blade up. On his feet, he softly brushed his thumb under my eye and gave me a crooked grin. “You look like you could use a nap.”

After a deep inhale, I let it out in a big whoosh and nodded. “I think that’s the best idea you’ve had in a while.”

He tucked me in like he’d done when I was a young girl. By the time the door clicked shut, I was already drifting off.

True to their word, the guys went to check out George Horacio’s place—The Diamond Palace. I stayed back at the clubhouse and didn’t make an appearance. That might’ve been the wrong choice, because I was being fucked with and I was pretty sure it was them. Phone calls in the middle of the night with whispered threats, feeling like I was being watched, then feeling as if I was being followed.

When Blade told me their undercover assignment was productive, I wasn’t expecting what they discovered. I was shocked to learn that several of my girls who had quit, were working there. It was worse than that, though. To hear that they were obviously using drugs, broke my heart. We had no idea if all of the girls were working there, since the guys had only been there that one night.

Their hypothesis was that George Horacio was trying to run Royal Heaven out of business by crippling us from the inside out. All but a handful of our dancers had either quit or disappeared. The latest was Fiona. Except her defection had been different. She called me.

“Cookie, I’m scared. Who would do that?” Someone had slashed all of her tires.

“I have no idea, doll. You need a ride?” I was so desperate for dancers at that point, I would’ve bought her a new fucking car if it got her to come into work. I didn’t want to have to dance that night—I wasn’t feeling good, and I was beat.

“Please? I can’t afford to miss my shift. Especially now that I have four new tires to pay for,” she groaned. She didn’t live too far from the club, but far enough I didn’t want her to have to walk. I could’ve called her a Lyft, but I was afraid she might flake on me and back out of coming in.

I was already grabbing my keys. “I’m on my way. See you in a few. Watch for me.”

“Thank you so much, Cookie. You’re a lifesaver.” She ended the call, and I shoved my phone in my back pocket.

“Roger! I’m running to pick up Fiona.” After the bullshit with George and his asshole lackey, we now had someone sitting in the back hall.

“Wait! Let me walk you out!” He rushed over and followed me out the back door.

“Roger, I’m good, my car is right here.” I laughed, but he scowled. I’d parked by the backdoor because I had to unload the case of bottled water I’d bought, and I wasn’t feeling up to carrying it across the back lot.

“I was told no one goes out without an escort—that includes you, too.”

“Well, I’m safely in my car,” I teased as I climbed in. I made a production of locking my doors and he shook his head at me with the corner of his mouth lifting. As I backed out, he went inside, and I raced over to Fiona’s apartment complex.

Within five minutes, I pulled in next to her car and winced at the four flats. I glanced up at the second floor at the side her apartment door would be on, but she wasn’t coming out yet. Impatient, I thrummed my fingers on the center console.

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