Rafe Six Months Later “This took way too fucking long!” Doug Denning scribbles his name on the closing document and throws the pen onto the table. “God, I’m so glad this is over.” He loosens his tie and leans back with a happy sigh. “It’s over.” “Glad you’re happy.” I extend a hand. He takes it and shakes. “Enjoy your retirement. I think you can afford it now.” He snorts and climbs to his feet as Theodora and his lawyers speak quietly, wrapping up the meeting. “Brother, I got four kids, an ex-wife, a current wife, and more creditors than you can imagine. All this money is already earmarked for other people.” “Then why do you seem so happy?” “All those other people are gonna shut the fuck up for once.” He grins and waves as he walks out of the room. The remainder of the meeting is procedural. More documents, more signatures. Most of the real closing costs were settled weeks ago. Theodora congratulates me when it’s all done and we’re alone in the conference room of my shiny new pharma distribution company. “How’s it feel to be a drug peddler? Oh wait.” She smirks at me. “Seriously, congrats, Rafe.” “Thank you.” I wander to the windows overlooking the city. “You know what it took to get here.” “I sure do.” She joins me. “But you deserve it. You and your brothers.” “I wonder about that word, deserve. I suspect I deserve much worse than this. But I’ve always taken what I wanted and now here I am.” “Good enough for me.” “I had a feeling you wouldn’t mind.” “The massive check I’m getting sure as hell helps ease any moral issues I may have with our partnership.” I arch my brows at her. “Moral issues? Since when did you have any sense of morality?” “Great point.” I think about how busy the next few weeks will be on the drive back home. Denning is a mess, but we’re going to fix it. Silas has plans, Devlin and Kellan have
grit and determination, and I have an iron will. Cassian is Cassian and will remain in the woods until needed. I stroke my knuckles and walk up my stoop. I open the front door— “CONGRATULATIONS!” I drop to a knee, one hand going to my jacket on impulse, reaching for a weapon. Until I realize it’s June holding Hattie. My brothers, minus Cassian, are behind her, all three cracking up at my reaction. “Ah, I wasn’t expecting this.” I straighten and clear my throat. “Erm, thank you.” “Daddy Rafey, were you tying your shoes down here?” Hattie reaches for me. I take her from June. “That’s right, baby.” June rolls her eyes at me and kisses my cheek. “Congrats, bro.” Kellan pounds my shoulder. Devlin punches my other arm. “Can’t wait to tear that place to pieces,” my youngest brother says happily. “God, it’s going to be fun to fire all those assholes.” I glare at him. “Watch your language in front of my daughter.” “It’s okay, Daddy Rafey, I hear you say bad words all the time.” She wriggles from my grip and runs off. Devlin cackles in my face and I scowl at him. June takes my arm and steers me away. There’s champagne and food already pr epared. “I’m just happy that it’s over. You’re happy too, right?” she asks. “You’ve been a ball of stress this last week.” “I’ve never bought a company before, but I’m glad it’s over.” “Think you’ll do it again?” I shrug and tug her to my side. “Never say never. Anything’s possible.” “That’s true.” She sounds softer now. Kellan and Devlin are arguing in the other room. Silas is with them trying in vain to play referee. Hattie’s likely upstairs in her room on her tablet. That girl gets too much screen time. I’ll talk to Priya about it tomorrow. “What’s the matter? You seem all serious.” She chews her lip. “It’s nothing, really.” “June, my love, my life, if you don’t start talking immediately—“ “I wanted to tell you later but I’m so freaking bad at ke eping secrets.” I tighten my grip on her. “Did something bad happen? Did someone approach you? Is Marnie okay?” “Marnie’s fine. Beth’s fine too and I’m totally good.” She laughs awkwardly and buries her face in my chest. “Please don’t be mad.”
“I am going to be mad if you don’t spill it.” “Shit. Okay.” She takes a breath and looks up at me. “I’m pregnant.” The world stills. I don’t hear my brothers anymore. I can barely breathe. Pregnant. Again. Oh my god. I felt like my life couldn’t get better. June makes me feel whole. Hattie teaches me how to really love and how to expand myself. My brothers are the foundation of my existence. Despite the horror it took to get here, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Exc ept... This... “Holy fuck, YES!” I lift her into the air, laughing and roaring with delight. “I’m so god damn happy!” “Rafe!” June laughs, bouncing in my arms. “Settle down!” I swing her around the kitchen, kissing her over and over. “I’m so happy right now. More babies!” “Did I hear something about babies?” Silas frowns at us. Kellan and Devlin are behind him. “Don’t tell me?” “It’s true.” June flushes. “I was going to ke ep it a secret until we were past the first trimester, but, you know—“ “Wow! That’s incredible!” Silas hugs June and Devlin shakes my hand, beaming, while Kellan pours drinks. June gets a seltzer and we toast to good fortune, good futures, and growing families. “I really am happy for you two,” Devlin says, leaning up against the kitchen counter an hour later. Silas already left and Kellan’s getting ready to go. “But man, another kid? You won’t catch me fucking dead having babies.” I smile, not insulted at all, and gaze into the other room where June’s getting Hattie set up for dinner. “You’d be surprised. What have I always taught you? Ke ep an open mind.” “Watch your back. Pay your debts. Kill your enemies.” Devlin recites the list like it’s tattooed into his mind. “But didn’t we say we wouldn’t do this again? The bigger we build our families...” He trails off, grim. I know what he means. After the fire, we took our oath, and promised to watch out for each other, but never to get attached to anyone ever again. People are nothing but ash. Why love them? Only power remains. But June and Hattie showed me a different way. A better way, maybe. I hope my brothers can see it too one day. I join my pregnant wife and our little girl once my brothers are gone. I sit across from Hattie and talk about hippos (unicorns are so last year) and laugh at her wild stories. June leans her head on my shoulder, and I wonder, even if this is all built on a foundation of blood, bone, and fire—would I want anything else?
Definitely not.
Epilogue June Six Months Later “I’m serious, if he doesn’t emerge in like ten seconds I am going to flip the fuck out!” The bride paces back and forth in the hall outside her groom’s suite, looking panicked. “We’ll handle it, I promise.” I shoot Beth a pleading stare. “He’ll be fine.” Beth pounds on the groom’s door for the fifth time and I try calling his phone. The cell connects. “Yeah? Hey? Can you stop hitting me in the head?” “Brad, are you okay?” Relief floods me. “DID YOU GET THAT USELESS FUCK ON THE PHONE?! LET ME TALK TO HIM!” The bride tries to grab my cell away but I dance from her grasp. Which isn’t easy, considering I’m so freaking pregnant. I’m practically waddling these days. Forget normal walking. “What’s going on?” He groans. Then: “OH FUCK, WHAT TIME IS IT?” “Listen, this is June, your wedding planner. You are late. The ceremony is in twenty minutes. Your future wife is losing her mind. I know, I know, you feel like death right now. You had your bachelor party last night, even though I told you that was a stupid idea. I get it. You want to die. But Brad, your life will be over, and I suspect mine will be too, if you can’t pull it together. Can you do that for me?” “BRAD, I AM GOING TO CUT OFF YOUR DICK!” the bride screams as Beth tries to calm her down. “Shit,” he whispers. “I’m so fucked.” “Get out of bed. Shower. Dress. You can do it.” “You think so?” Fuck no. He’s screwed. “Yes, you got this.” “Cool. Yeah. I got—“ I can hear him puking through the door. The bride breaks down into a puddle of tears and Beth does what she can to console the poor woman. My back hurts. My feet ache. My shoulders are so tense I’m afraid they might break. And I love it.
Eventually, the groom gets himself together and makes it down the aisle. He pukes again before dinner, but a few drinks straighten him out. The bride seems happy enough. Overall, it’s a lovely wedding. “Why do we do this?” Beth complains at one in the morning as we’re helping to get everything cleaned up. She shoves another present into a too-small car. “Seriously, June. You don’t even need the money.” “Nope, I really don’t.” “So why? Why are we torturing ourselves?” “We love it.” I nudge her with my hip. “And I love you.” “Bitches!” Marnie strides over and heaves her body against the box, finally shoving it into the car. She sighs and leans against the mess to catch her breath. “Did I tell you two how much I hate weddings yet?” Beth and Marnie get back to finishing up. I help, but I’m even slower than Marnie, who still isn’t back to her old self. She’ll never walk normally again. I carry that guilt in me, even if she says she doesn’t blame me for what happened. I make sure she’s taken care of, despite the number of times she has begged me to stop watching over her like a psychopathic guardian angel. I make it home by two in the morning. “This is unacc eptable.” Rafe is waiting up for me. He’s sitting in the living room with a heavy frown. “You’re too pregnant to be pulling twelve-hour days, June.” “I’m fine.” I collapse beside him with a groan. “Mostly fine.” “Love, you will not push yourself too hard.” He places a hand on my belly and kisses my hair. “You’re too precious and so is our future child.” “Yeah, yeah, whatever you say.” I grunt and shift closer to him. “Hey, listen, the baby’s moving.” He presses his ear to my belly and lets out a satisfied sigh. I stroke his hair and hold him. We sit in quiet on the couch. Hattie’s fast asle ep upstairs. Contentment washes over me. I can’t remember the last time I felt like this. Everything’s where it should be. The baby, my friends, Hattie, my husband. Even his family is growing on me. Cassian’s still hard to know, but Silas is outgoing and funny. Even crazy Devlin and tough Kellan make me laugh. When I first fell into Rafe’s life, I thought my world was over. I figured I’d be a mob wife, chained to a kitchen, k ept captive. Instead, Rafe’s done nothing but support me and try to make me happy. There are some requirements—dinners, meetings, events, that sort of thing—but nothing too onerous. But this is it. Hattie’s doing better with Priya’s help. Rafe and his brothers are building the new business and expanding their empire. Nothing’s easy, nothing’s
perfect, but it’s all good. It’s all right because I’m with him. We’re partners. Mostly, anyway. He still rules certain... other areas of our life. “Oh god, yes, that’s the stuff,” I moan. “Rafe, god, I love you.” “You’re only saying that because I’m pleasuring you.” “Hell yes, I am.” He slips off my socks and continues to rub my feet. Heaven. Straight-up heaven. Want more from June and Rafe? Download a bonus scene right now! >> Click Here Today I’m marrying my arranged husband... but he’s not standing at the altar. Instead, it’s my stalker. Read Bianca and Cormac’s story in Arranged Obsession right now! >> Click Here Join my Facebook group, BB’s Book Addiction. >> Click Here Find all my bonus content, reading orders, and family trees at my website: >> Click Here Ke ep reading for a preview of Arranged Obsession!