Valan slumped into a chair, “No
shit?”
Ghost started to laugh, hard, “I always knew I was a bad motherfucker.”
Jake glanced at Pete and R.J., “We always have been a bit different huh?”
“Yeah,” R.J. agreed. His gaze turned to me, “What about Rae?”
“Ron’s parents were founding members of the RRMC. She’s one of us. In fact, Rae is a pureblood.”
Wow, both my parents? “My mother and father were Riders? Maybe that’s why Peter and I have always had such a pull toward one another.”
Pete held me tighter and kissed my lips softly, his voice relieved, “I think so which makes me feel less anxious.”
“Me too,” R.J. whispered.
“Patty was sent here to retrieve the others who first crashed. The night I met her was the night she landed on Earth to find the others and bring them home, only her ship was badly damaged. A beacon led Ron and Sarah right to her. For months, years she tried to repair it but didn’t have the technology here to enable the repairs.”
“So she stayed and fell in love, twice,” I observed.
“Yes, but she was torn. She wanted to leave, her planet was in danger, but she had her life here. I never learned what was happening. She kept a lot of secrets, I didn’t want to lose her so I never demanded answers. I’m a hardass, but with her I couldn’t raise my voice. She cast a spell over me, much the way you have over my son Rae.”
Huh. Interesting.
“What about Rafe? He must have been one too?” Valan’s observation silenced the room.
“Yes, but that doesn’t matter. He got what he deserved. His plans to kill Pete and I were his mistake, and he paid for it. If none of you have any more questions I suggest we include the rest of the club. It’s time we reelect officers and heal the rift among members that Rafe caused.”
I think there were plenty of questions but the rest needed to be answered in Church.
I spent the remainder of the afternoon and early evening with Hayley, spilling my guts about who we were and how it impacted the future. She was stunned, but my bestie took it all in her stride. I knew I could trust her and she loved Jake. Including her was a necessity and I didn’t care who disagreed.
She wasn’t one of us, not that I knew but we could figure that out later.
Peter was one of the first to leave the V and headed right toward me, his face worn with fatigue but happy. I met him halfway and jumped into his arms, hugging tight.
He let go of me and placed his palms flat against my cheeks, his warm hazel irises captivating my attention as they always did, “I know you don’t want to be a part of this life, Rae –”
I silenced him with a kiss, knowing I would take Pete any way I could have him, even if he was some weirdly powerful half alien guy. Hell, I was a weirdo too. Damn, this was going to take some getting used to, but I loved Peter enough to make this work.
“Come with me Edge,” I took his hand and walked down the hall toward the bedroom.
He arched a brow in surprise. I’ve never called him Edge until now, but his slow wide grin told me he liked the way I said it.
“I thought you didn’t like my nickname.”
“I love you Peter but . . . I think I prefer Edge in the bedroom.”
His answering growl was low and seductive. Tossing me carefully over his shoulder and giving my ass a light smack Pete headed straight for his room and our king-sized bed. Laying me back against the cool sheets his eyes pierced mine with such intensity they nearly stole my breath, “Tell me? Do you really want to marry me?”
“Oh yes,” I answered as I pulled him closer. “We share the same soul Pet,” I whispered and let his nickname roll seductively off my tongue. “Without you, I would be lost.”
He lowered his lips to mine, crushing them in his hunger as his arms wound tight around my waist. Our clothes were flung in all directions and hit the floor in a discarded heap. Heated flesh, pounding hearts, and gasping breaths – we joined our bodies as he plunged inside me. Clasping our hands together Pete held them tight, his tongue dueling with mine as his hips moved with that delicious friction that owned my body as well as my heart.
“Faster,” I begged, knowing he would take me to the edge but not over, teasing and slowly increasing my pleasure until I couldn’t stand it any longer.
“Rae, I love you.”