Page 27 of Unbreakable Thread

“I love you,” I whisper.

Her lips crash onto mine as I walk us into the shower. It’s a good thing I said five minutes because I can have her scream my name again in three minutes.

Chapter 8

Max

After so many years, I can’t believe Drake is standing in my living room. When I was a kid, I used to fantasize about what it would be like to have my own place. What type of home I’d have. Would I have a family? Was I capable of loving someone? Would I find her? The girl I pinky promised to marry. When I’d wander the streets, I always looked for Drake until I finally stopped searching. I never imagined I’d see him again.

After so many foster siblings, he was the only one I ever truly called a brother. Even now, standing here as adults, he’s still my brother. Nothing about that has changed.

Drake is standing in front of me, just as badass as ever. Hands shoved into his denim jeans, a fitted t-shirt, and a black leather jacket. He always had a pack of cigarettes that he got from his older friends. I once asked if I could have a hit. He scolded me for it. Still gives that look to anyone who crosses his path—the kind that makes strangers step aside. Those who know him know it’s just his face. The face you have to have during hard times, or you’ll get walked all over.

“Damn, brother, this is a nice pad you got here.” He whistles, scrutinizing the place. “I’m proud of you, little bro.”

The thumping in my chest swells with pride. “Thank you, man. Make yourself at home. I’ll go get you a beer.”

Drake sits while I fetch a Corona from the fridge. Rainey saunters down the stairs, her footsteps making themselves known.

“Hi, Sunny.”

“Hey, you, I’m glad you made it,” she tells him.

Her cheeks are still freshly flushed, and her hair is damp when I walk in, and I know she’s timid, knowing that Drake knows what we were up to when he called. I hand him the beer and sit on the loveseat where Rainey is already sitting.

When we walked into the private rooms in the arena, I didn’t have much time to talk to Drake because everyone was in the room, ready to celebrate my victory. I didn’t want them all to eavesdrop on our conversations. We had a lot to talk about.

Carlos had planned for us all to meet at a restaurant or his place to party, but all I wanted to do was come home to my Sunshine. I told him we’d have to celebrate another time.

“Of course, now that I’ve found you two, you’ll never get rid of me.” The corners of his lips quirk into a light smile.

“Good. You’re stuck with us now, Drake,” Rainey exclaims. “The pizza should be here shortly. I also ordered us some wings.” She winks playfully at him.

“Did you get the habanero, Sunny?”

“You bet.”

Ahh, I’d forgotten he was always the one who loved spicy food.

We eat comfortably when the chicken arrives and watch fight replays. We haven’t spoken much about what we have been up to all these years. It hasn’t been the right time with everything going on.

“So, how many times have you two lost touch through the years?” Drake asks me, licking the bone clean.

Dabbing my face with a napkin, I say, “Seven years later, after seeing her at the high school, I ran into her in Tahoe. We spent the summer together.” I sigh and squeeze Rainey’s hand. “Then I had to leave her.”

“Why?” Drake cuts in.

“So many different reasons. One, I was jobless and homeless.”

Drake’s eyes soften.

“And second, she didn’t know who I was, like she didn’t remember the past. Her father didn’t make it easy. He threatened me for the second time. He didn’t want Rainey to know that she was adopted. Rowan was afraid she would remember me.”

Drake’s jaw tightened. “Threatened?” he seethes.

He’s still the same protective ass he was back then. I tell him everything that happened from start to finish with Rainey and me. I also tell him about Andrew, who’s been M.I.A. since Rowan has been hiding. From what I heard last, Daniel is searching for him again. Who knows what he did or whether he owes him more money?

“This is all fucked up. I can’t believe this happened to you both.” Drake takes another bite of his pizza, swallows, and then says, “Your adoptive parents are assholes. Sure, they kept you safe, but they went too far.”