"Are you sure?" She asked as I stared at her. "She's your wife, Declan." He voice lowered as she looked at the ground. "I am someone else's wife." Her voice was low, and I grimaced.
"I don't want her back. She's regretting her choice now, that's all. She left me for a child," I said, touching her chin to make her look at me. "The car will be here in ten minutes. I am taking the damn key from her tonight." Rayna looked like she was going to cry and I sighed as I glanced into the kitchen to see Claire looking through the fridge. She had the wine, and I moved towards the door. "Claire, you don't need any more alcohol." I opened the door and yelled inside as she jerked her head up. "You are leaving, and I don't care where you go. I just want you out of here."
"Please forgive me," she asked as she stared into my eyes. "Please. I messed up, Declan." I was well aware that Rayna heard all of this and I shook my head.
"It's over. We're getting a divorce, and nothing will change that, Claire. Go to a hotel and sober up, figure things out for yourself." I took the wine and set it on the counter, making sure that she didn't open it. That wine was for dinner. "You have a great job, and you're a good person, just not the one for me."
"She is, though?" Her tears slid down her cheeks as I nodded, unable to lie to her.
"It would seem so," I replied softly as I walked back out to plate the steaks as I glanced at Rayna sitting in a chair with her purse in her lap. She looked miserable, and I glanced at my phone.
Soon.
I got Claire to the car and knew that it was going to take her to a good hotel if she chose that. I sighed as I ran my hands through my hair, preparing to walk back inside. This night was a train wreck, and I had to fix that. "Ray?" I called out as I walked back into the house and looked around. She was nowhere to be found, and I looked outside to see her sitting and staring at the ground. "That was completely unexpected. She just showed up whining about her boyfriend, since she realized that he's not a great guy. I told her that she had to leave from the start." I knelt before her, and she looked at me with tears sliding down her cheeks. "Oh, Rayna."
"She was in your arms." I stared at her for a moment, not saying anything. "The way that you pushed her away when I walked in looked … bad. It looked like guilt to me."
"I just wanted her the hell out of here. There's nothing about Claire that I miss. I have moved on," I assured her as I slipped my arms around her waist, resting my head in her lap as she froze. "Do you think that I would be the way that I am with you and then sleep with another woman, Rayna? Do you?"
"No, I don't want to think that," she said as she sniffled.
"Then don't, because I'm in love with you. I don't want anybody else." I told her before I could stop myself. She gasped, and I closed my eyes as I felt her hands in my hair. "I do. I love you, Ray."
"You shouldn't," she murmured as I felt her fingers against my scalp. "I'm trouble, Declan."
"No, you are unbelievable. I am going to keep you safe from anything that you're scared of, Ray. I won't let him hurt you." I stood slowly and pulled her into my arms as she sucked in her breath.
"I am scared that he'll hurt you," she told me as her arms slid around my neck. "He won't let me go."
"The fuck he won't. You're mine," I growled before our lips met roughly. She gripped my hair as I pulled her hips against me, digging deeply into her skin. I wanted her. No, I needed her in a way that I'd never craved a woman before this. I lifted her just as she wrapped her legs around my waist, bringing her inside to the couch as our tongues slid together. Rayna had worn a dress to work, and I pushed her down on the cushions as I slid it up. She was crying out as I stroked her skin, drawing her underwear down and over her feet. I dropped my pants, moving in front of her on the couch before I moved my mouth between her legs. Emotion turned her on, and I lapped at the sweet juices that covered her folds as she clawed at my head. "Ray," I moaned before diving in for more, feeling her arch against me.
She came with a scream, demanding for me to sit down once I'd pulled away. I moved to my back as she jumped over me, claiming my cock with her tight pussy. She slipped all the way over me with one movement, making us both cry out as she stayed there for a moment. It wasn't long before she was riding me fast, rocking her body against mine as I held onto her. We came together as she kissed me, moaning against my lips. I pushed her onto her back, still hard for her as I thrust a few more time just to feel her around me.
After some time, we made our way to the kitchen, half-dressed and hungry. I heated up the meat and potatoes for us, plating it as she got the salad out of the fridge. We sat outside tonight, sipping wine and enjoying the fresh air after the wild sex. Rayna didn't say anything as she took small, careful bites and kept looking at me as I watched her. "You knew who she was, didn't you?" I asked to break the silence.
"Yes, I did. You have a couple of pictures left in the house and I … I looked at her Facebook. I know that she has a lot of pictures of the new guy, but the ones of you make you two look so happy. It seemed like a great life." I watched her sigh as her shoulders slumped.
"What did we say about fucking Facebook earlier?" I asked as she looked at me. "It's fake bullshit."
Rayna nodded slowly. She stared at me for a moment and then licked her lips. "Did you mean it?"
"Every word. It took me by surprise because this was just supposed to be a night at a hotel with a woman. I was just going to release some demons, but then I saw you." She blushed and smiled faintly.
"I never loved James," she admitted as I watched her carefully. "I knew him, and I got on well with him, as friends. There was just never that attraction with him that I felt should be in a marriage, but it's so common for families like ours. It was just known that we'd get married, and I wonder if I didn't look for anything else because of that." Rayna sipped her wine and seemed to think for a moment. "The moment that I kissed you, I felt something. I went into that night thinking that I'd have to force it but it was great. I have never wanted anyone like I did you that night."
"But you never did it again?" I asked her as she shook her head.
"It was never going to be a career. I was just rebelling, I suppose. I never thought I'd find you doing that." Her eyes clouded over and she shook her head. "I'm going to get you hurt, Dec. I'm not worth it."
"Woman, I am going to take you to one of the most beautiful places in the world and show you just how worth it you are. If you like it there, I'll get us a house, and you'll never have to come home. I'll give you the world, Rayna." I reached across the table and took her hand, stroking it gently.
"You're too nice to me, Declan." Her eyes filled with tears and I stared at her as she wiped at them.
"You're a wonderful woman," I assured her as I stood to take the plates inside, smiling as she followed me to help wash them as she always did.
"I can't believe that we're leaving in two days," Rayna told me in a hushed voice as we worked together, making me smile. "I've never looked so forward to traveling before."
"I can say the same," I told her as she glanced over at me.
"You've had such a life, Declan. I'm sure you've traveled the world," she spoke in a disbelieving tone and shook her head. "You've been to this place before?"
"I had with a girlfriend years ago, but it wasn't like this. I'm looking forward to this time with you, where we can just be us."
"I am, too." We finished the dishes and made our way to the bedroom, stripping down to shower together before we dried off and crawled into bed. I held her close, kissing her damp hair as she snuggled close to me. I wondered if I should have told her that I loved her now since it slipped out in the heat of the moment.
CHAPTER 21
Rayna
I worked my last shift and smiled as I walked to my car. We were packing tonight and flying out first thing in the morning. I trained Maria at her place the last night, looking at the beautiful Hispanic girl as I wondered if Declan would've fallen for her. She was sweet and feisty, making me laugh all night. She wanted to work from home due to a knee injury, and I thanked her before I left for covering for me. "Lana told me that you're going away."