“Stop it.”
“And above all else. When this guy does this to you. You can’t fight it. You can’t hate it. You’ve got to embrace what he does and not feel guilty. I don’t want you to waste away on me.”
Rain wiped the tears from her eyes before taking a final sip of her coffee cup.
Wolf Jackson made her heart do crazy things.
He … drove her insane.
He’d captured her, taken her, and forced her to become a nanny to her own child, only, that had somehow stopped. She was already sharing his bed, and out of the blue, her clothes had also appeared in his closet.
She’d moved into his room without any trouble.
Rubbing at her temple, Rain knew what was going on, and it terrified her.
These feelings that he inspired were not new to her.
Wolf had somehow worked his way into her heart, and now, she was more scared than when she’d first been taken. She couldn’t believe she had fallen in love with this man. This … strange, sexy, annoying, pain-in-the-ass man.
Glancing back to the yard, she saw Mitchell had approached Wolf, who’d stopped twirling Evelyn.
Wolf looked back to the house and nodded his head.
What had happened?
Rain got to her feet and made her way toward the back of the house. There were three access points to the yard. One was through the kitchen, the other a laundry room, and then at the far games room.
She let herself into the yard through the laundry room. There was barely anyone ever there.
Wolf had already stepped up onto the main porch at the back of the house. Evelyn hugged him tightly.
Leanne approached seconds later, taking her from Wolf.
He stepped up to her. “We need to talk.” He took hold of her arm, leading her back through the house, going toward his office.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Rain asked.
He let her go and she missed his touch.
Get a grip, Rain.
Wolf ran fingers through his hair and looked toward her. “I need you to get in contact with your and Daniel’s parents.”
“What? Why?” That was insane. She’d left everything behind, including them. They had abandoned her and Daniel, rather than support them.
She’d been all alone in raising Evelyn in those early years, and now they wanted the chance to be part of her life? They had told her and Daniel it was a big mistake. That they’d regret Evelyn.
Not happening.
“They’ve put out a missing person’s report. I’ve tried to alleviate concerns, but it would seem I have failed. No one knows where you are, and well, I need you to call them.”
Rain realized this was a chance. He was giving her an opportunity to run.
“I’ll call them,” Rain said.
Wolf nodded after a moment’s hesitation. It was a single nod of his head. He moved toward his desk, spinning the telephone toward her.
She expected him to give her orders. To tell her she couldn’t give away her whereabouts.
Gritting her teeth, she looked down at the phone, lifted the cradle, and pressed it against her ear. She knew her parents’ number by heart, and she pressed it into the phone, listening to the beeps, followed by the ringing.
For several seconds, it rang and then, her mother picked up.
“Hello.”
Rain didn’t say a word, looking at Wolf the whole time.
He was putting himself at risk like this. Why?
“Hello?”
“Hi, Mom,” Rain said. “It’s me.” She frowned as she said it. She was an only child, of course, her mother would know who Mom was from.
Stupid.
“Rain, darling. Oh, my God, honey, it’s Rain. She’s on the phone. What is going on, Rain? We’ve been trying to call you, but you’re not answering your cell, and we don’t know how to find you. We’ve been worried sick, and you haven’t called.”
“I’ve been so busy,” Rain said. Like the last four years hadn’t happened. Rain didn’t know if she should be happy or angered by the way her mother was being.
“What could have possibly made you so busy that you couldn’t come to the phone?”
“I met someone. I met a guy while I was here.”
“A man, isn’t that so soon?”
“Mom, I’ve been…” Rain closed her eyes. “I know you won’t support me in this, but you have to know that I have fallen in love. I’ve fallen in love with this man. It was unexpected, and I didn’t plan on this. He adores Evelyn. They are so good together, and he treats me like a princess, Mom. I don’t know what gave you the right to put out a missing person’s report, but retract it. I’m safe. I’m happy. I’m in love.”
“Rain, sweetheart, don’t you think we should meet this man?” her mother asked.
She opened her eyes and looked at Wolf. He stood so close. His body looked so warm and so inviting. She tilted her head back, wondering what was going on in his mind.