Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 61101 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61101 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
“You’re right.” I nod. “I think I’m just feeling anxious about the magnitude of the work ahead of us. Will The Fallen continue to work while we’re resting?” I look at Dante again.
He nods. “Yeah,” he answers me. “Crow told me he’s ready to get back into it. They’ve just taken a few weeks off. We all need a break, from time to time. This job takes its toll. You can’t keep going at hundred miles an hour all the time, little raindrop.”
When he uses my nickname, I can’t help but smile. Dante always knows how to placate me and talk me down from the ledges I invariably climb onto.
He understands how I’m feeling because he and Drake killed their father. I need to trust he knows what’s best for me. And I do.
“We’ve all been through so much. We need this time away,” Harper says gently as she looks over at me with affection in her eyes.
Maybe a vacation is due. Time off from thinking about the organizations and monsters we still have to take down. But the files we retrieved from Bane’s office will be waiting for us when we’re ready to dive back in.
Dante rises to his full height, and I watch as he pours us all a whiskey from the trolley that’s locked in place at the front of the plane. My drink is set down on the table in front of me, and bringing it to my lips, I empty the glass in one gulp. I’m thankful for the burn as the alcohol slides down my throat and warms my chest.
“Another?” Dante arches a brow at me, the surprise on his face is obvious. I hardly ever drink hard stuff. I usually prefer wine, but that whiskey was needed right now.
“I think I will have another one, thank you,” I tell him with a smile that has him chuckling.
Dante looks over to see if Harper wants a refill. “Yes please,” she confirms. “I, for one, am looking forward to talking about something other than the shit we’ve seen and the shit we’ll see in the future.”
The darkness I was feeling earlier is beginning to dissipate, and I’m grateful for that. I don’t want my mother to have a hold over me anymore. I should be enjoying life, and I make a vow to myself I will do just that from now on.
I nod in agreement. “You’re right about that.”
“Of course, I am.” Harper grins at me and offers me a wink. “And I’m sure Dante agrees too.”
Dante places our drinks down on the table, and then he slides into the chair facing me. Leaning forward, he takes my hand, and his eyes capture mine.
“Harper is right. I know things feel tense,” he tells me. “Recovering from the trauma of your past is going to take time, and I know you think you have to deal with it on your own. But you need to trust me when I tell you that you’re not alone. We’re here for you, and you have River, Caia, and Drake as well. We all love you.”
Nodding, I reply, “I know. Thank you for reminding me. I needed to hear that.” I lean across and kiss Dante on the cheek. “I’m still going to worry about getting behind with our work. Taking time off, means there’ll be even more to do when we get back.”
Dante shrugs. “We have The Fallen helping us. We’re all in this together, and the work won’t stop getting done because we’re taking a break.” His assurances calm me somewhat, and I nod in acceptance.
“I never thought I’d get the chance to move on from my past,” I tell him. “It’s hard to fathom that I can put it all behind me and stop worrying about someone coming after me.”
“No one will ever hurt either of you again. I messed up,” he replies, shaking his head as he lowers those baby blues until they’re focusing on the table between us. “I should never have let what happened—”
“That’s not on you, Dante,” Harper interrupts. “I walked out when I should have told you what was going on. That is on me, and it will always be on me. You were the one who saved us.”
“But I should have—”
Harper cuts Dante off again, “Don’t. I don’t want either of you blaming yourselves for my choice to go to Bane. I wanted to make sure you were both safe. I didn’t think it would turn into the nightmare it did. I just wanted it all to be over.”
“And it is,” I say, taking Harper’s hand and gripping it tightly. “It’s over now. I was feeling anxious, but having you both here is helping to calm me.”
“There’ll be more moments, Rayne, when you feel you can’t cope,” Dante warns me. “But when you get to that point, I want you to come to me or Harper. I need you to trust us.”