“Fuck, baby.” I buried my face in her shoulder, overcome with…just fucking overcome. “I don’t want you to hate me.”

“Impossible,” she whispered. “I have no choice but to love you.”

21. Ode To 1:11 - Rafe

21. ODE TO 1:11 - RAFE

We fucked before she fell asleep in my arms. Though fucked might be the wrong word. More like falling into each other, body and fucking soul. She had a piece of me I’d never get back, and I figured the same was true for her too.

I carefully removed my arms from her body and rolled onto my back. Maybe I should have pushed her sooner about the dreams, but I knew firsthand how dredging up nightmares could sear straight through someone.

Mine, thank fuck, had taken a vacation.

My cell vibrated on the nightstand next to the clock glowing a neon green 1:11 a.m. Not many people called me, and only one would at this hour. I grabbed my phone, eased from the bed, and crept through the door before answering.

“What’s up?”

“You awake?”

“I am now.”

“Sorry,” Jax said, cursing under his breath. “I know you have the fight tomorrow to worry about. I just…”

Something about his tone put me on alert. “What’s wrong?”

“I got a lead on Tawny. Gotta go back to Mexico.”

“Don’t even think about picking up an extra passenger this time.” Though he’d have difficulty getting to Zach with Shelton hiding him somewhere.

“I ain’t touching him, okay? I’m just saying…goodbye, I guess.”

“Wait. You’re leaving now?”

“She’s my sister. I’ve gotta find her.”

“I know that, Jax. I just didn’t realize you were taking off in the middle of the fucking night.”

A long pause blared between us. “You should do the same. Take Alex and just go. I don’t have a good feeling about this, man. Shelton’s a sketchy dude.” He’d been saying that from day one. Jax had never liked the guy.

“You’re sketchy,” I pointed out.

“No denying that.”

He agreed with me too easily. And maybe it was true. Jax was a sketchy bastard, but I saw myself in him. He wrestled with demons, same as me. We were kindred spirits.

“Don’t lose my number,” I said. “Let me know if you find her. I’ll be heading out of here right after the fight.”

“I’ll call you when I know something.” Another beat passed. “Be careful tomorrow night.”

The call went dead, and I stared at the phone for a few seconds, astonished he’d hung up on me. Obviously, he had other things on his mind, but I guessed it was more than his sister. Like Alex, he didn’t want to see me participate in this fight.

I tiptoed back to the bedroom and checked on her, relieved to find that she hadn’t stirred.