The Sterling Boys (20 page)

"You should have told me!" I yell, glaring at him like I want a few more rounds.

"You're right," he concedes, slumping in defeat. "I can't tell you how sorry I am. I was stupid enough to think she'd look at me the way she always did you, and I was a bastard for doing that to you."

I clench my fist, wanting to punch him again, but I refrain as I drop my head back into my hands and let the tears fall discreetly.

"So no one knows why she left this time?" Britt asks softly, her voice calming me when it reminds me my sister is in the room, witnessing this meltdown.

"No," Maverick answers with a sigh.

"She just said it wasn't going to work, and she believed it because it wasn't a lie," I murmur without looking up, my voice breaking on the end.

"It was obviously something big that happened," Britt continues. "She told me the day before she left that she wanted to take me shopping. I know I suck at reading people, but if she was planning on leaving, she wouldn't have been making future plans. We were even going to cook you a surprise dinner."

I know she's trying to help, but it's only making my heart hurt worse.

"When I left her that morning, she kissed me and told me she loved me. When I got home, she was in the process of moving out. I wasn't even there to fuck anything up."

Everyone breathes out wearily as we search for reason in the illogical. "Maybe she'll write another fucking book to explain it, because it's obvious she can't just talk to me," I mutter dryly, managing to regain some composure as my anger returns.

"They can call it, Gallbladder Surgery Rekindles Forgotten Romance," Corbin adds with a small snicker.

Dale shakes his head in disapproval, and Corbin's laughter tapers off as he coughs and looks away shamefully.

"She had gallbladder surgery, too?" Britt asks while coming to sit beside me, placing her body on the arm of the chair.

"It's the surgery she had when I went to stay with her," I explain, still trying to wrap my mind around things, going over every detail of that morning.

She was smiling when I left.

"No. She had a hysterectomy," Britt argues.

My head leaves my hands as I study her. She seems certain she's right.

"No. It was gallbladder surgery. Why do you think it was a hysterectomy? Did she say something like that?"

Britt stands while shrugging. "You don't let me ask personal questions like that. I saw the scars on the lower abdomen—the two small cuts. I looked up what they could be. They fit a hysterectomy. Gallbladder cuts are higher, and there are usually more of them. And considering her mother and grandmother had endometrial cancer—or uterus cancer—it makes sense that Rain would most likely have it, too. Especially after her close call with breast cancer. And you had sex exactly six weeks after the surgery. That's the typical wait time."

Maverick and Corbin chuckle lightly at that last bit, but I'm too distracted.

I lean back, taking a deeper breath than I've had in a month as I try to digest all of this. "Why would she lie?"

Kode looks up, shaking his head. "Because it's Rain. If she had any sort of cancer, she probably wouldn't tell a soul after last time. It made her feel insecure, lost, and embarrassed. She fails to see how much we all care about her."

"Wait, Rain had cancer?" Maverick asks, finally grasping the important part of the story.

"And she didn't fucking tell us?" Corbin barks, also catching on.

"I'm kicking her ass," Dale gripes.

"I wish she had balls to kick," Corbin grumbles. "If anyone deserves a shot to the balls, it's her right now."

"That's why she left. She still has cancer," Maverick panics, and I almost throw up.

"No," Britt says quickly. "Considering Rain has an appointment book full of doctor's visits, I think she keeps a close eye on things. They would have caught it early, and the hysterectomy would have most likely taken care of it. Not to mention, she just went to the doctor a week before she left and came home in a great mood. I'm assuming all was clear on the scan. That wouldn't have changed in a week, and besides, she didn't go to the doctor after that."

My panic subsides somewhat, but everyone is still tense. "Then why?" I groan.

Kode curses as he jumps up from his chair and dashes to his dining room. He comes running back in holding his iPad. "When did that article come out on you? The one where the chick was supposed to interview all of us and Rain, but she only interviewed you instead."

"I don't know... why?"

"It came out the day Rain left," Britt says, her eidetic memory kicking in. "Do you need me to recite the article?"

Kode curses again as he hands me the iPad. "No, but thanks. I found it." He turns to me as I stare at the screen, confused. Why do I need to read my own interview?

"Read it. The part after she talks about Tag."

Lisa:
What about you? Any children on the horizon?

Me:
I'd love nothing more than to have a houseful of children. That's actually something I've given a lot of thought to for the past few years.

My stomach rolls with a wave of nausea, and I close my eyes as I try to get a grip.

"What? What the fuck?" Maverick prompts, taking the iPad from my lifeless hands.

"Oh shit," he says seconds later.

"Which part is disturbing?" Britt asks obliviously.

"Dane wants a houseful of children," Kode groans. "She left you because she couldn't give you kids. Rain's always wanted kids, too. Shit! She should have fucking told someone!"

He slaps the wall, and I fold over, dropping my head to almost meet my knees. She left because I made her think she wouldn't be enough. Fuck!

"She kept saying it wouldn't work because she believed that," I mumble. "She chose those words carefully so she wouldn't have to lie. I'm such a dick."

"You didn't know she couldn't have children," Britt interjects, defending me.

My heart rips a little more. Rain is somewhere dealing with this on her own, and no one is there to convince her to come back to me.

"Tria. Tria might know where she's at," I say quickly.

Kode grabs his keys to his Range Rover, and everyone stands.

"You're not going without us," Dale says, answering the unasked question.

I just nod, because he's right. We're going to kick her ass together, after I tell her I fucking love her and make her listen to me. I didn't go after her last time. This time I won't make that mistake.

"You have to tell me, Tria,"
I beg. Tria stands guarded by the door in front of her, keeping it locked as she speaks through the glass.

Five Sterlings showing up at her front door had to be her worst nightmare come true.

"Dane, I want to help, but Rain would kill me. It's been a month. She's just now learning to get along without you."

"She left me, Tria. Not the other way around. I still can't function. I know about the hysterectomy. The kids... I know why she left. I have to go to her. I have to tell her she's enough."

"You didn't go after her the last time," Tria scolds, uncharacteristically glaring at me.

She's been so quiet and sweet since I spoke to her that first day after Rain came back.

I could tell the truth. God knows Kode deserves Rain's hatred, but Rain has already forgiven me for the letter she thinks I ignored. She might not ever forgive Kode, and he's been her best friend for the past six years—even though it was only because he pushed me out of her life. Giving her a reason to hate Kode would hurt Rain, and I can't do that to her.

"I know. I fucked up then. I was a stupid kid, and I should have gone after her."

Kode stares at me, dumbfounded, but then he nods in appreciation for the lie I just told. The other guys exchange a knowing look, understanding why I just covered up his betrayal, and they play along instead of voicing the truth.

Tria blows out a breath while running a hand through her hair, and she finally unlocks the door, allowing us to come in.

We all shuffle through, but I'm almost invading her personal space as I wait expectantly.

"What the hell happened in here?" Kode asks, distracting me.

It's then I look around to see her house destroyed. Glass is shattered all around, her walls are cracked, and she's wearing a pair of boxer shorts, a tank top, and... boots?

"I had... well, you're not the only one with problems," she says with a shrug.

I start to ask her what happened, but Rain is taking precedent right now.

"Who did this?" Kode asks before I can press for more information.

"I did it. That's everything my father bought me. Long story. If you want to find Rain, they're filming in Florida. That's where she set the book. She's in Panama City. They're staying in several condos down there, but they film almost all day. You can't get on the set without fifty pounds of credentials, so it'd be best to wait until nightfall when she returns to her place. I'll give you the address, but I'll never speak to you again if you make her mad at me." She turns her back before adding in a mutter, "Not that anyone from this group cares if I ever speak again or not."

I wish I had time to argue, but right now I can only think about Rain.

"I'll call my pilot," Kode says while turning his back and pulling out his phone.

Tria turns around with a piece of paper in her hand, and I take it before giving her a hug and surprising her.

"Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me."

I'm out the door before anyone else, but everyone is on my heels, following me at my brisk pace. Then I run. The quicker we get there, the better.

RAIN

"I'm beyond exhausted," I groan into the phone while dropping to the sofa with two pieces of pizza that I'm too lazy to heat up. "I'll call you tomorrow, Viv."

"Fine. But you'd better get used to the producer being in charge. Stop making so many waves or no one will ever want to work with you again."

I hang up on that. She's been on my ass since James Holbrook went in search of his inner Dean. Dumbass. Where do they find these guys?

My twentieth floor condo is nice, but I miss Sterling Shore.

At least it's not the summer. It doesn't get too cold here, and I've heard the summers are brutal, even worse than back home. If
Dean Easton
doesn't get any better than he is now, they may have to film in the summer though.

A knock at the door disrupts my short evening. My cold pizza will just have to wait a few more minutes.

Sluggishly, I make my way to the door, ready to curse whoever it is, but when I swing the door open without checking the window, I'm filled with regret. Five Sterlings are staring at me, all of them looking a little pissed. But the one I can't look away from is the one standing in front of them all.

"W-what are you doing here?" I stammer, too shocked to really react any other way.

"I'm here because you owe me an explanation. Why these assholes followed me, I don't know," Dane says, forcing a smile as he pushes through the door, his hands going to my waist and guiding me backwards.

The simple touch of his hands on me is enough to pump the blood through my veins too fast. I almost get dizzy as I step backwards, letting him work me through the small kitchen and into the living room.

"We're here because we deserve an explanation, too," Maverick says, his pout evident in his tone.

"Sorry. I've been busy," I murmur absently, too lost in Dane's green eyes to concentrate on anything else.

I thought I'd be okay after a month, but I'm just as in love with him today as I was the day I left. It also still hurts to know that I can't be with him.

"You're an idiot," Dale scolds, shocking me.

"And you're selfish," Maverick adds, prompting me to turn my head toward him as he crosses his arms over his chest.

"If you had balls, I'd punch you in them," Corbin adds, his jaw clenching as he finishes his odd threat.

What the hell?

"You really deserve to have your ass kicked. You'd better be glad we don't hit girls the way we hit each other," Kode snarls.

Speaking of hitting each other... Did he get into a fight? His eye is swollen, his lip is busted, and his cheek has a bruise. I look back to Dane who has the slightest tear on his lip, and I almost want to kiss it to make it better. He should really put some distance between us before I do something as stupid as that.

"What happened?" I ask, involuntarily reaching up to touch the spot on Dane's lip.

He leans his face into my hand, and he kisses the tip of my finger as he closes his eyes. It feels like he's missed me as much as I've missed him, and that hurts more than he knows.

"What happened to both of you?" I ask, looking toward Kode when Dane doesn't answer, but I don't remove my hand from Dane's face.

"Long story," Corbin interjects. "What we want to know is why you didn't fucking tell us you had cancer? Do you still have it? Britt says she doesn't think you do, but we want to know for sure. You'd better not lie to us, either. I'm already close to throwing your ass in the ocean as it is."

My heartbeat stills, and Dane leans over, pressing a kiss to my neck as his fingers go into my hair. No. They can't possibly know about this. I only told...

"Tria," I growl.

I can't believe I trusted her to—

"Tria didn't tell us shit," Kode fumes. "She fucking should have, considering we're closer to you than she's ever been. But
you
should have told us, Rain. What the hell were you thinking to deal with that alone? You know we're here for you. Is it gone?"

"It's gone," I sigh, watching them all visibly relax. "I didn't want you guys to worry. You would have thought it was worse than it was," I murmur softly, looking down.

"That morning after you bailed us out... you found out then, didn't you?" Maverick asks.

"That's why you wouldn't hardly eat anything. And that's why you lost it on Fiona like that," Corbin adds, sounding just as angry.

I just nod, refusing to meet their glowers.

"It was stupid, Rain," Dale chides. "You would have kicked my ass if I had something like that going on and I didn't tell you."

They've never talked to me like this. I've always put them in their places, but they've never done it to me. I don't like it. Not one bit. Because they're right. They deserved to know because they're my family, but it was my problem to deal with, dammit.

"You shouldn't have left me, Rain. I love you too much to lose you over something like this," Dane adds, his deep voice a velvety whisper in my ear.

I shiver against the touch I've missed, but I use all my strength to push him back.

"No. I won't be Eleanor," I shakily say once I've put some space between us.

His eyes glaze over with more hurt than I've ever seen, and I instantly feel like a piece of shit.

"You think I'd treat you like Edward treated her?" Dane asks, anger flaring in his eyes.

My other boys all get a little pissed, too, so I'm left with no option but to explain.

"There was a time when Edward thought Eleanor was everything he'd ever need. He knew she couldn't have children, and even though he wanted them, he gave up that hope just to marry her. But shit changes, Dane. People change. Resentment festers and ruins a relationship. I never want you to resent me, and one day you would. This is better. It hurts right now, but it won't destroy us the way—"

"Rain, you've lost your fucking mind. I'm not... I'd never be Edward, and I'll throw you over my shoulder and kidnap you if that's what it takes to prove it."

"We're all kidnapping her. She's coming home," Maverick interjects, now sounding bored.

"I'm good with a felony," Corbin says mildly, picking up a slice of my cold pizza. He takes a bite and quickly spits it back out. "Gross."

I can't smile because I'm too busy avoiding Dane's scowl.

"Dane, don't. Please. I won't always be enough. I want to leave knowing there was that small piece of time where I finally got to have you. Don't ruin it for me."

His eyes soften as he comes closer, and before I can react, he has me backed against the wall and caged in, his mouth on mine as he pours forth a month's worth of pent-up passion. It feels more like a lifetime's worth when his tongue slips in, and I have to grip onto his shoulders to keep from melting to the ground.

I try to break the kiss, but I moan into his mouth instead and pull him closer.

"And you thought the cold pizza was gross," Maverick grumbles.

Dane and I can't help but laugh, and that gives me the chance I need to move away from the kiss, even though Dane has no intentions of letting me out of his grasp.

"I can't, Dane."

"Because you can't have kids?" he asks, his lips tense.

"Yeah. You want a family that I can't give you."

Why does he insist on making me lay it all out there? I'm already aching all over. I'm not selfish, as they said earlier; I'm selfless. I'm giving up the only person I've ever been in love with because I can't bear to see him lose the future he deserves.

"Rain, I was adopted. What makes you think I don't want to give children the same chance I was given? I would have died if Mom hadn't fought for me, or I would have ended up on a path just as rough as my birthparents. Do you have any idea how much I want to be that savior for another child? That's the houseful of children I want. Kids that need a home. They don't have to be my blood, Rain.

"I want to find kids like Britt who are on the streets because people who shouldn't have kids have them everyday. Maybe this is fate, because I never intended on having my own child. If you had fucking talked to me instead of running away, you would have known that. I love you, so quit fighting me."

I don't know what dam breaks, but the tears gush out like I didn't know they could. I hiccup out a sob as Dane pulls me to him, and I dissolve in his embrace as I hug him too tight, clinging to him like he holds my next breath of air. I think he actually does hold it.

"You're serious?" I whisper—the only volume I can manage. I'm praying he's not just telling me what I want to hear.

"Baby, I swear I'm serious. I didn't mention it in the interview because my lawyer advises against that sort of thing. With my kind of money, he's afraid of what lunatics would call and beg me to take their children for a price, not to mention the threats that could ensue. It's just wiser to keep things vague during interviews. Something you probably know more about than I do," he says against my forehead.

I sob harder while wrapping my arms around his neck, and he kisses my forehead as his hold on me tightens.

"I love you," I murmur against his chest.

"Your punishment can wait until we get back home," Maverick says from behind Dane, interrupting our moment.

"Punishment?" I ask, peeking out from beside Dane's arm.

"Tickle torture," Corbin says with a shrug.

My eyes grow wide as I squirm. It may sound immature, but damn, it's terrible.

"I said I'm sorry," I whimper.

I hate it when they hold me down and tickle me. I laugh until I cry, and I'm sore for days. Last time I almost pissed myself. This time Dane will help them, and I may actually piss myself. I'd die of embarrassment.

"Too late," Kode chirps, moving beside Maverick who's grinning mischievously.

"What if I baked you a cake?" I ask hopefully.

"Can't bribe us," Dale says with a dismissive wave. "Get packed. We're taking you home tomorrow. We've got a room here for tonight."

"Wait. I have to stay for the production," I object, hoping to delay the
punishment.

Filming could take at least a year if—

"Nope. Producer was fucking ecstatic when we talked to him about taking you home. Ran into him when we were heading up. Nice guy. Maverick recognized him from the internet. We've been stalking your book/movie deal. You'll also be punished for not telling us about that. Prepare to be tossed into Mom's pool," Kode says mildly, the same dark humor glinting in his eyes.

“I can’t swim,” I quickly remind him, knowing he wouldn’t do anything to—

“Shallow end,” he adds, killing my hope. “And I think you’re old enough to learn to swim.”

Ah hell. Elizabeth keeps her pool too cold. I'm not even sure how she manages to do it, but I hate that damn pool. I’ve only ever put my toes in it, and even that was terrible. I’m sure as hell not learning to swim in there. I’m already terrified of the water. Frigid water is a double threat.

"And you're really going to be punished if we find out you didn't make us look like total studs in your books," Corbin adds, a taunting smile on his face.

Crap. The books.

"I... uh—"

"Get some rest," Dale says with his uncharacteristically wicked grin. "You'll need it."

One by one, they all hug me, whispering their threats of tickle torture and cold-as-ice water dunking as they press a kiss to my cheek. Everyone chuckles as they filter out, and Dane's arms come back around me just as the door shuts behind them.

"You can't keep hiding stuff from me. Promise me you'll never do it again. Secrets only tear people apart," he says before brushing his lips against mine.

"I promise," I whisper, entranced by his simple, soft touch. "Promise you won't help them punish me?"

I peek up, giving him my most innocent expression, and he chuckles. "I won't be helping them punish you. I have my own punishment in mind."

Really wish that didn't sound so dirty. I've read too many books.

"Oh?" I ask, running my finger down his chest and enjoying the way his breath hitches.

He catches my hand, and kisses it, then he takes my left hand in his to pull it up to his lips, repeating the kiss on it. His lips then find mine, and I melt against him as he plays with my hand. It takes me a second to realize that he just put something on my finger. I pull back from the kiss to investigate when the foreign feeling finally registers.

When a raindrop diamond stares at me, I'm pretty sure my heart gives up trying to find an actual rhythm and just beats whenever it thinks about it. It's the most perfect ring I've ever seen. It's like someone designed this ring just for me, and Dane found it.

"I plan to punish you by making you spend the rest of your life with me. Your vows will promise that you won't ever run away from me again. You'll promise to let me make you happy in ways only I can. Everyday you'll have to let me touch you, hold you, and love you while I remind you how fucking much you mean to me. And you'll listen, believe it, and trust me.

"You won't ever face anything alone, because I'll always be there. You'll be forced to smile daily while I make you scream my name, and you'll enjoy every second of being in my arms. We'll always promise to make time for each other no matter how busy we are, and you'll have to do things like take long baths with me, come on a few business trips so that I don't have to miss you, and you'll have to do terrible things like sleep in my arms all night. It'll be brutal."