Rebirth (RAW Family 3)

At that, he let out a rough chuckle, and when he smiled that crooked smile I loved so much, I melted inside. His smile softened, as he uttered, “Said it yourself, baby. You’re my ride or die.”

My heart expanded three whole sizes.

Twitch was crazy.

Crazy beautiful.

And all of what he wanted, I wanted too. But this was too much, too fast.

“I...” the words were whisper-soft. “I don’t know, honey. It’s only been two and a half months, and we’ve barely even—”

He pulled out a black velvet ring box and set it on the table between us.

“—oh my God.” I sounded strangled. “You bought a ring, you cocky bastard.” I forced out a humorless laugh and my knee bounced under the table. “Nope.” I shook my head. “Nuh uh.” My gaze was heavy on the little box taunting me in the center of the table. “No.” But as I said this, I reached for the ring box and pulled it in front of me, staring down at it unblinking.

And when I opened it, my brows furrowed in disappointment.

“It’s empty.”

Twitch made a face. “Is it?” He spun the box around to him, and muttered, “Huh. Weird.” Reaching over the table, he took my left hand and gently brought it to his mouth, pressing a kiss to my knuckles and speaking against my skin. “Ah, look at that.” He brought his other hand up. “I found it.”

My heart stuttered as the golden ring appeared between his fingers. He kept his eyes on me as he gently slid it onto my finger, and when I pulled my trembling hand back, holding it up in front of me to look at the thin, demure ring with a single diamond in the center, I held my breath for a long time.

As I breathed out a shaky exhale, I heard him say, “Didn’t think you’d want something flashy.”

I didn’t. “It’s perfect,” I uttered quietly, almost sadly, and when I opened my mouth to speak, he cut me off with a wave of his hand.

“It’s okay. I know you’ve got mad hesitation, and I get it, so we’re not making any decisions today. I just gotta make it clear that this is the end goal and I’m quietly confident.”

Oh, thank God.

I didn’t trust myself making a decision right this second because if I did, we’d likely be married by nightfall.

Nodding, I looked at the ring once more before I put my fingers to it, sliding it off. But he stopped me with, “Why don’t you leave it on a while?” My eyes met his and a single brow rose, when he added, “See if you like it.”

That sounded reasonable enough.

All right.

“Yeah, okay,” I uttered, slipping the gorgeous ring back on, but I added quickly, “Just to, you know, try it on for size.”

The corners of his eyes creased. “Sure, baby.”

The sticky sweet response told me I wasn’t fooling anyone and he damned well knew I wanted to wear the ring because I wanted to be his as much as he wanted to claim me for his own. I was just too cowardly to admit it.

During lunch, I couldn’t stop staring at the ring, and every time my eyes landed on it, I smiled unconsciously. It was everything I’d ever wanted for us, everything I’d pictured in my mind, in my dreams.

Why was I so scared of making that dream a reality?

We left the restaurant hand in hand, and when Twitch put the keys in the ignition, the car behind us started to honk its horn. I twisted back, looking at the gunmetal gray Lexus as it beeped us again.

Twitch looked into the rearview mirror, his jaw tight. “What the fuck is this clown doin’?” Another honk, and Twitch closed his eyes, gritting his teeth. He wound down his window and threw his arm out, waving the car on. “Go around, asshole.”

More beeping, for longer and longer, and when Twitch shot out of the car looking ready to kill, I whispered, “Oh, shit.”

I heard his angry tirade, “You want a problem, pal? Well, you got one now. Get the fuck out of the car.”

My heart raced as I watched on, wide-eyed and petrified.

The car door opened and a tall, dark-haired, middle-aged man slipped out, and he did not look afraid of Twitch at all. In fact, when he walked forward, his face drawn, he made a point of stepping into Twitch, way too close.

And when Twitch’s shoulder drooped, he shook his head slowly and uttered, “Should’a known.”

The man in front of Twitch smiled then, and Twitch returned it. When they rushed each other, hugging and slapping each other on the back, laughing, I was a little confused. They pulled back, looking each other over, speaking quietly, cheerfully, and that confusion rose a notch when Twitch came back to the car and grinned happily. “I wanna introduce you to somebody.”

“Okay,” I drawled, unbuckling my belt and exiting the car as gracefully as one could in a mini dress.

The moment I was out, Twitch was by my side, pulling me close, and the man smiled broadly, taking all of me in before letting out a slightly Slavic accented, “How in the hell did you land this beautiful thing, you ugly bastard?”

Oh, my. He was so charming, and when he smiled like he was, all eyes and teeth, it did something funny to my stomach.

A stunned laugh left me, and when the man reached out, I put my hand in his and blinked as he kissed my fingers.

Twitch did not like that.

“Yo, Pav. You like your hand, man?” When this Pav turned to face Twitch, my handsome man stated, “Unless you wanna lose it, I’d let go.”

Pav smirked then, releasing my hand gently and putting his hands up in surrender before saying, “Stop calling me Pav. You make me sound like a fucking dessert.” The man turned to me. “And I ain’t that sweet, sugar.” His eyes were warm. “I’m Luka.”

But Twitch tugged me back to his side, and I fell into him with an oomph. He had the nerve to speak for me. “Luka Pavlovic, this is my wife, Lexi.”

Motherfucker.

Slowly, I pulled back to blink at my beautiful, broody jerk, and his eyes smiled down at me. Looking at Twitch, I spoke to Luka. “I’m not his wife.”

“That’s a nice ring you got there.” Luka peered down at my left hand. “He give that to you?”

Umm. “Well, yes.”

Luka’s brows rose. “And you’re wear it freely?”

Hold on. “Yes, but—”

Luka grinned, cutting me off with a matter-of-fact, “Then you’re his wife.”

What? “Now wait a minute.” I turned to Twitch, taking my hand and shoving at his shoulder, looking pissed. “Did you set this up?”

Twitch’s eyes sparkled down at me before he lifted his face to Luka. “Isn’t she somethin’?”

Luka’s gaze darted between us. “I have never seen a woman put her hands on you and live to tell the tale, so—” He nodded, looking thoroughly perplexed. “—yes. She’s something, all right.”

“Yeah,” I muttered. “She’s something.” My eyes narrowed on Twitch. “Sh

e’s pissed off is what she is.”

Both men laughed, and I failed to see the humor in this situation.

After a moment, Luka sighed, watching Twitch carefully. “Heard you were back. I didn’t believe it though.” His face turned serious. “Not many men return from the grave looking as good as you do.” Twitch and Luka exchanged a knowing look and Luka shook himself out of his stupor. “So when I saw you just now, I thought I was imagining things.” He shrugged, grinning. “I had to take a closer look. And here you are, my brother.”

Twitch’s face softened when he glanced at me. “Had reasons to do what I did.”

Luka’s eyes narrowed on Twitch a moment before he looked at me, wearing a weighty look. “Yes. I can see that.” He straightened. “So.” He clapped his hands together, rubbing them greedily. “You’re back.”

Twitch shook his head slowly. “I’m back, Pav, but I’m not back.”

Luka’s brow creased. “You’re out?”

“I’m out,” he stated firmly, and the knot in my stomach eased. “Got a wife. Got a son. I don’t want back in. Got more important shit to think about other than watching my back twenty-four seven.”

The man didn’t look impressed. “You know it’s not that easy, Twitch.”

“It is—” Twitch assessed the man before resetting his dangerous tone. “—if I say it is.”

The conversation continued, and I didn’t understand half of what was said.

“People are going to talk.”

“Let ‘em talk.”

“Word’s gonna get out.”

“I don’t care,” was Twitch’s scathing reply.

“Technically, the throne is still yours.”

“Am I speaking English, Pav?” Twitch was positively incensed. “Listen to me, my brother.” His arm tightened around me, and it almost felt like he was seeking the strength to remain calm. “I’m out.”

“Fuck me.” Luka sighed before stating accusingly, “You’re out. Julius is out. Happy is out.” He glared at Twitch. “It’s funny that when you all needed shit done, I was there with whatever the fuck you needed, and now that shit’s going south in my kingdom, none of you fuckers are around when I need you.”

Twitch stilled at that. “What do you mean shit’s going south?”