Chapter 84: EIGHTY-FOUR

RAYNA’S POV

Drake’s chest rose and fell like a caged beast. Blood ran from his knuckles, his shirt was torn, and his jaw locked like stone.

‘You have a fucking brother?’ I asked, eyes widened in shock.

He shrugged ‘Yes I do’

‘You never told me Drake, why is that?’

‘I didn’t think it was necessary Rayna, as you just saw we hate each other’ he replied, cleaning the blood on his jaw.

I scoffed ‘Oh I can see that you hate everybody’

‘I told you not to come back unless I sent for you,’ he growled. ‘Why are you here, Rayna?’

His voice wasn’t calm. It wasn’t tender.

Tears burned behind my eyes, but I refused to let them fall yet. ‘You think I want to be here? That I enjoy being treated like an option you can dismiss at your convenience? I just came to check up on you just as friends should and now, I can see I made a terrible mistake.’

‘But I told you not to come’ he reminded me.

‘Is that how much you don’t want me here. The last time I was here, you were all over me and you were so excited to have me. Why are you now acting like this?’

His eyes flickered, but only for a second. ‘That was then Rayna not now. I told you that I’m an Alpha now, I literally had to secretly send you away last time, but you just decided to disobey me and come back here without informing me first. Why do you keep crossing the line?’

This place was changing him, there was no warmth in his eyes any longer for me just ruthlessness. Yes, I know he told me not to come again unless he tells me to, but I missed him so much that I could not wait any longer. I felt maybe if I surprised again since it has been so long since we last saw each other, he would be excited to see me. Now, I could see how wrong I was.

‘I lost my dad,’ I whispered, bowing my head. The words felt like a dagger piercing through my heart ‘He died last night. Heart attack. I wasn’t there with him, nobody was. He died all alone.’

His gaze dropped for the first time. He didn't speak.

‘I didn’t know who to go to, you were the only person that came to my mind,’ I continued, my voice shaking. ‘I have spent my whole life being strong. For myself. For everyone. But right now? I feel like I’m falling apart, and all I wanted was someone… you… to help me stand. I blame myself for what happened; maybe if I was there with him, I could have saved him you know.’

He still said nothing. He just stood there; head bowed without saying any words to me.

I was pained, after everything we have been through together, he couldn’t even look at me in the eye, and console me. So I laughed bitterly. ‘Of course. What was I thinking? Coming to a man who chokes his brother in his office, and forgets his own daughter exists.’

That got his attention.

His eyes narrowed. ‘Don’t bring Shirley into this’ he warned me.

I laughed again ‘Wow how nice, that was the only thing that could get your attention. Let me ask you a question, why shouldn’t I bring her into this?’ I snapped. ‘She hates you, Drake. You told me that yourself and do you know why she hates you? It’s because you have made her feel like a ghost in her own home. Just like you make me feel like something temporary. Something you can use when it suits you.’

He sniffed ‘I know you are hurt, but don’t act like you don’t know what this stuff between us is. You accepted that we could still be friends and still fuck too’

‘I did’ I said, already regretting why I was sounding so desperate for his attention.

‘Then why are you acting like you have feelings for me now or do you?’ he asked, his eyes narrowing.

I shook my head immediately ‘God no, I just…I..I need you to comfort me. Yeah, my dad was a douche bag, but he was still a great dad flaw and all.’

Silence fell between us, thick and painful.

So I turned, humiliated, broken in a way I hadn't felt since I was a child. I have always been there for him, but he didn’t want to be here for me just this once. That was very selfish.

‘I’ll go. I shouldn’t have come.’ I said carrying my bag heading to the door, and fighting the tears that were about to fall.

‘Rayna,’ he called finally, voice low, rough.

I froze at the door, hoping and praying that he finally changed his mind.

He didn’t move. ‘I’m I’m ….shit..I’m sorry… about your father. I know I can be such a shithead some times, but I..I’m sorry.’

My heart clenched. It wasn’t enough. But it was something.

Tears of gratitude flowed down my cheeks ‘You could have just started with that instead of crushing your brother’s windpipe,’ I said dryly, wiping a tear from my cheek. ‘Might have saved us all the drama.’

A small smirk tugged at the edge of his lip. Just for a moment.

And that was the problem.

Even when he was a monster especially when he was a monster; some part of me still wanted him.

Still loved him.

God help me.

‘Stay,’ Drake said, voice low, but not commanding.

I turned, my chest rising and falling far too fast, the tears I’d fought still clinging to the corners of my lashes. ‘But you don’t want me here and besides I would want to stay here for a few days to just grieve you know.’

‘I want you here Rayna it’s just that I didn’t want anyone to see me like that especially not you, and yes, you can stay here for some time. I will try to be here for you, but just remember I’m not promising anything.’ he said, stepping closer to me.

I smiled at him ‘Thank you Drake, I really appreciate it and I promise I won’t be in your hair’

His jaw flexed. His silence was answer enough.

And then he kissed me.

It wasn’t soft. It wasn’t tender. It was rough…like he needed to drown himself in something, or someone, to quiet the rage and pain he was feeling.

I kissed him back just as fiercely, and it was enough.

‘Rayna,’ he groaned against my neck, his voice hoarse and ragged. ‘You always feel like home and hell all at once.’

I clung to him tighter.