Worth the Risk (Carolina Rebels 5)

Hell, I want a true relationship with someone. The kind where I can count on my woman for support just as surely as she knows she can count on me. The kind where I’ll always love her, even during the struggles. I want to settle down and be happy, sad, angry, excited, scared, and all the other emotions we feel with someone else.

And I’m pretty damn certain I can do all of those things with Raelynn.

“Tell me what you said to him before I call him,” she says to me later once the kids are in bed for the night.

She sits next to me on the couch, which isn’t good enough. I grab her hips, lift, and place her in my lap, which does nothing but cause her to frown at me over her shoulder. That quickly disappears when I begin massaging her shoulders.

“Relax, Raelynn.”

“This isn’t a situation that calls for being relaxed,” she points out.

“I know. I also don’t care.” That earns me a glare, but she sighs as I knead her muscles some more. I wait until she’s resting her back against my chest, completely relaxed, before I spill any details. “He texted you, but it failed to send. He knows he fucked up and he’s worried you’ll try to keep Jackson from him.”

Raelynn tries to sit up, but my arms are now around her waist and chest, so I keep her against me. “I would never do that to Jackson so long as Henry’s trying and he’s being a decent human being. And he still should’ve waited for an answer. Let me go so I can call him.”

“What are you going to say to him?” She’s all tense again, my hard work for nothing.

“That he’s a pain in my ass.”

I laugh, totally not expecting that. “Okay, Little Grizzly, maybe you shouldn’t start with that.”

She twists in my arms. “Little Grizzly?” she questions with a hint of a smile.

“You’re a momma bear, Raelynn, but you’re small.” I squeeze her hips to prove my point. “Hence, Little Grizzly. It makes perfect sense to me.”

I don’t know what it is about what I said, but Raelynn wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me like I just professed my love for her and proposed marriage. My entire body reacts to this kiss. I pull her closer, though surely she can hear the rapid acceleration of my heart, and then I lay us down on the couch. Her fingertips trail lightly up my arms as if she’s tracing over my tattoos. That shit drives me crazy, especially since she can’t see them. The moment my hand sneaks underneath her shirt, her phone rings.

Henry.

Fucking Henry!

Guess he doesn’t want to wait for Raelynn to call him. I sigh, my breath hitting Raelynn’s cheek. She smiles. I don’t know why. She kisses my cheek before pushing me away and grabbing her phone as we sit up. She surprises me again because I’d think this is a conversation she’d want to have in private, but she leans into my side, tucking her feet up next to her thighs.

“Yes, Henry, but...”

Guess he wants to make sure he fully apologizes and makes his promises before she can lay into him for what he did.

“You want to do what?” Raelynn asks quietly, her body solidifying next to me. “Well, of course that makes sense, but...” She reaches up and begins twirling her hair around her finger. “I don’t know, Henry. It sounds like a long, complicated, and expensive process.” Her shoulders slump a fraction. “I know that, and I swear if you imply I’m not doing what’s best for Jackson one more time, I’ll hurt you. You have to give me time on this. Unlike you, I don’t have a lawyer on standby.” She’s quiet for a moment. “I don’t think you’re in a position to be asking more of me right now. Thursday won’t work for us; sorry. I’ll talk to you this weekend.” She hangs up the moment the last word is out of her mouth.

“What happened?” I ask.

“He apologized, but then came at me with a list of demands. I swear, he’s his daddy through and through. He might be down here, trying to be in Jackson’s life and to get away from his parents, but he’s still just like his daddy.” Raelynn huffs. “He thinks it’ll make me feel better if we just go ahead and make ‘custody arrangements.’” She does the air-quotes with her fingers. “Which means I need to get a lawyer, which will cost god only knows how much, and I doubt my lawyer will be as good as his. He can say this will be smooth as much as he wants, but if he thinks he’s getting anything other than visitation, he’s lost his fucking mind.

“Then, he said he wanted Jackson to go to his house Thursday since he hasn’t been there yet. I feel relieved I could legit say no since you’ll be away and I’ll have Bree. I don’t know if you’d be okay with her going over there with us, but either way, I’m not taking her right now, even if you are okay with it. It feels like he’s stealing my power and I don’t like that.”

I pull her back in my lap, but make her straddle me this time. My hands cup her face and I rest my forehead against hers. “Repeat after me.”

“Elias,” she starts, thinking I’m not being s

erious.

“Repeat after me,” I say more firmly. “Jackson isn’t going anywhere except for visits because I’m Little Grizzly and the best parent he could possibly have.”

Raelynn rolls her eyes, but it’s with a smile on her face.

“Say it, Raelynn.”

“Jackson isn’t going anywhere except for visits because I’m Little Grizzly and the best parent he could possibly have.”