Chapter 194

Rainey's POV

The French legal text blurred before my eyes. Les sociétés anonymes sont soumises à... I rubbed my temples, trying to focus. Tomorrow was the wedding. My wedding. The thought made my heart race every time.

My phone shattered the quiet, Rick's name flashing across the screen.

"Hey, Rick? It's pretty late—"

"Rainey! Thank god. Look, I need you to come save us. Sunny's completely wasted and he's lost it."

My stomach dropped. "What? Is he okay?"

"Physically? Yeah. But he's out of control." Rick's voice was tight with barely contained panic. "I don't know how much he drank, but his eyes are all glazed over and he's stumbling around the room going 'Where's my Rainey... what did you do with my girl?' Mike tried to help him sit down and Sunny threw a punch. Split Mike's lip. Now everyone's too scared to get near him."

My hand flew to my mouth. "Oh my god."

"We're at Elysian—that private club downtown. Can you come? You're literally the only person who can handle him right now."

"I'm on my way. Just... keep him from hurting himself, okay?"

"Hurry."

I looked down at my sleep shirt and pajama shorts. No time. I grabbed the first dress I saw hanging on my chair and pulled it over my pajamas, shoved my feet into flats, and twisted my hair into a messy bun as I ran out the door.

---

The moment I pushed open the heavy soundproof door, I was hit with the scene Rick had described.

Sunny sat on the expensive carpet, surrounded by empty whiskey bottles, the dark liquid pooling around him. The air reeked of alcohol. He clutched an empty bottle, peering into its opening with drunken concentration.

"My Rainey..." he mumbled at the bottle. "You hiding in this little dark room? Come out..."

A group of trust fund kids huddled against the far wall, watching him like he was a dangerous animal. Which, technically, he was.

"Holy shit," someone whispered. "That's Sunny Hayes? The cold-blooded genius?"

"Shut up, he might hear—"

They stopped when they saw me.

I walked straight toward Sunny, and the crowd literally parted like I was Moses at the Red Sea. Every eye tracked me as I crossed the room in my wrinkled dress and messy hair, completely out of place in this world of designer clothes and expensive cologne.

I crouched beside him, ignoring the sticky floor. "Sunny, hey. You drunk?"

My voice cut through whatever fog he was in. He looked up slowly, those golden eyes struggling to focus. When recognition finally hit, every hard edge melted away.

"Rainey..." His voice broke on my name. He dropped the bottle and opened his arms wide, swaying slightly. "Hug me."

Behind me, someone gasped. I heard frantic whispers—"no way" and "did he just—"

Sunny's eyes flashed toward the noise. A low, warning growl rumbled from his chest, and everyone immediately looked away, suddenly fascinated by the floor.

I wrapped my arms around him, one hand rubbing soothing circles on his back. "I'm here. Does anything hurt? Do you feel sick?"

He buried his face in my neck, breathing me in like I was oxygen. "Don't feel sick. Just... missed you. Missed you so much."

My throat tightened. "Baby, we're getting married tomorrow morning. You'll see me in like eight hours."

"Married..." His eyes went unfocused, a dopey smile spreading across his face. "Getting married... to Rainey..."

I cupped his face, checking for injuries. "Rick said you hit someone. Are you hurt anywhere?"

His expression immediately turned petulant. He pointed at the guys pressed against the wall. "They're mean to me. They wouldn't let me find you. They locked me in here." He held up his hand—the one he'd used to punch Mike—knuckles slightly red but otherwise fine. His face crumpled like he might cry. "My hand hurts. They grabbed me and it really, really hurts."

I bit my lip to keep from smiling. Drunk Sunny was apparently a giant baby.

"Okay, let me make it better." I lifted his hand and blew gently on his knuckles. "There. All better now?"

"No." He pushed his hand closer to my lips, eyes pleading. "Still hurts. Need a kiss to make it better."

Someone made a strangled sound behind us.

I pressed a soft kiss to his knuckles, my heart melting at his shameless manipulation. "Better now?"

He nodded, finally satisfied. "Yeah. Better."

I stood up and offered him my hand. "Come on. Let's get you home, okay? I'll take care of you."

"Home." He grabbed my hand and pulled himself up, immediately swaying into me. His arm locked around my waist, pulling me against his side. "Go home with Rainey."

Rick stepped forward cautiously. "Hey, Rainey. Thanks for coming. Look, I can have my driver take you both—"

Sunny went rigid. His arm tightened around me, yanking me behind him as he glared at Rick with sudden intensity. That growl started up again, deeper this time.

"Sunny, stop." I patted his arm. "Rick's trying to help."

But Sunny kept himself planted between me and Rick, protective instinct overriding everything else.

I tried a different approach, leaning in close. "It's okay. I drove here. My car's downstairs. I can handle getting us home."

Rick held up his hands. "Yeah, okay. You got this. I'll just... stay here."

I turned to Sunny, keeping my voice soft. "Ready to go?"

"With you?" He looked down at me, those golden eyes clearer for a moment.

"Yes, with me."

"Okay." He nodded and started moving, but kept me tucked against his side, arm locked around my waist like someone might try to steal me if he let go.

"Thanks, Rick," I called over my shoulder. "Sorry about... all this."

"Are you kidding? This is the most interesting thing that's happened all night." Rick grinned. "Good luck getting him home."

Getting Sunny through the club was like trying to move a very large, very affectionate puppy. He kept stopping to nuzzle my hair or press kisses to my temple, completely ignoring the staff members we passed.

In the hallway, he nearly knocked over a server. "Sorry," I called back. "He's not feeling well."

"Feeling great," Sunny corrected, voice muffled against my hair. "Rainey's here. Everything's perfect."

My face heated. "Baby, you need to walk straight."

"I am walking straight."

"You're leaning on me so hard I'm about to fall over."

"Oh." He tried to straighten up, wobbled dangerously, then gave up and went back to using me as a crutch. "This is better anyway. Like holding you."

By the time we reached the elevator, I was half-carrying him. He was so much bigger than me, all lean muscle and height, but drunk Sunny apparently had zero concept of his own weight.

"Almost there," I panted as the elevator doors opened. "Just a little further and—"

"Rainey's so strong," he announced to the empty elevator. "Strongest girl in the world. My girl."

I couldn't help but smile, even as my legs screamed in protest.