Then it happens almost simultaneously, as she says my name in a praising whisper meant for gods, and her name flows through my lips involuntarily. There's no question about how I feel for her.
We both collapse to the bed, and within minutes, she's asleep in my arms. I kiss her sweetly across her shoulders, waiting until I know for certain she can't hear me.
"I love you, too, Raya."
"Mr. Colton, your table will be ready at seven. You'll have the terrace to yourself," the happy-to-oblige man says over the phone.
I've tried at least a hundred times to stop smiling, but I can't. Dad called me today to tell me Granddad went to get his treatment, meaning he's still trying to give us as much time as possible, and Raya somehow made everything seem better last night. I'm tired of fighting it, or fearing it, or what the hell ever. I want to be with Raya, and I want to give her everything, starting with one hell of a date.
"Thanks," I say before hanging up, my eyes moving to the new dress on my bed. Raya is going to look stunning in this.
I want to text her again, just to tell her she needs to come straight home, but I can't do it. I've probably already made myself look pathetic, but... ah, fuck it. I don't care if I look pathetic.
As soon as I pull out my phone, the doorbell rings. That's obviously not Raya. It had so better not be that friend of her father's.
Speaking of her father, maybe after I finally tell her how I feel, she'll trust me enough to let me in and tell me what's going on there.
I jerk the door open, and immediately regret not looking through the window. Son of a bitch. Courtney Hughes.
"What do you want?" I ask, scowling at the girl who has a wicked gleam in her eyes.
She's up to something.
"I came to speak to you. I figured you wouldn't answer my calls, so—"
"You're right. I wouldn't have. Raya is on her way home, and we have plans, so you should go," I interrupt, closing the door, but the bitch stops it with her high heel.
I debate whether or not I should slam the door on her foot, but reluctantly pull back as she pushes her way through.
"Your manners are always astounding," she says as she walks by me, pissing me off.
"What the hell are you doing?" I growl, following behind her as her monstrous purse weighs her down.
"Saving your ungrateful ass."
My steps slow as I try to decipher those words. I've got nothing.
"How are you saving my ungrateful ass?"
I follow her into the living room as she drops to the couch, and she pulls out several large manila envelopes. She looks at me as she starts dumping out their contents, and my stomach clenches when I see a picture of Raya leaving the... prison? Why the hell would she be at a prison?
I pick it up, studying it as my mind searches for answers. This is recent. Those are my father's clothes on her body.
"What is this?" I ask, glancing down at several other pages that have more words than I care to read.
Courtney hands me one, and I warily accept it, absently sitting down on the couch.
"This is your girlfriend's big, bad secret. Her father's name is Ray Drivel. He's a conman, Kade. A big time conman. This guy would put anyone you've ever heard of to shame. He stole millions before he was caught, and daddy's girl is very devoted to him."
I get sick, but this doesn't make sense. Why wouldn't Raya tell me this?
"How did you find this out?" I ask, growing sicker with every flip of the page.
This guy did some twisted shit, but he was only put in prison for one of them, due to lack of evidence for everything else. He knows more rich people than I do, and he scammed them all.
"I asked questions. The way you should have when a poor girl magically ended up in your house."
I turn to glare at her, ready to knock her smug ass off my couch. She sighs as she puts her hand on my shoulder, but I shrug her off.