Rafe made her heart beat double every time Liz touched him. He was hypnotic. If she had spent the morning in his hotel room that night rather than creep out before dawn, there would have been no way she'd have ever left him. Right now his presence was the only thing keeping her together, from not grabbing Brandon in her arms and squeezing her baby tight.
Her son slept peacefully and she'd not wake him.
Elizabeth shouldn't think about Rafe as a man who she'd like to take up against the wall. In the hotel room, she had been the one to rip the buttons of his shirt off. He was coming to stay with her to protect Brandon. Her son mattered far more than her libido. She squared her shoulders as she opened the door.
The sun shone bright in her eyes. For a moment the people appeared in shadow and her mind flashed that they were there to take her boy. Her lips quivered and then she blinked. She stepped aside and let her family in. "Peter. Mom. Hi."
"What's going on?" Peter patted her arm as they crossed into the threshold. "Rafe said someone threatened you. And Brandon."
"Yes." She closed and locked the door, her gaze never far from the video monitor. Standing next to Rafe, she said, "Someone left a message that if I don't pay a ransom then they will kill Brandon—the next time, which means that even though we haven’t publically announced the baby’s return, somebody knows."
Rafe addressed Peter as he said, “I’d like a list of everyone who was at your house that night. I know it was a lot for you, so I’ll talk to security.”
Rafe's hand went to the small of her back and she lowered her arms to her sides and walked with them into the living area that overlooked the bay. "I can't take any chances. Rafe is going to move in and protect us."
Her mother's eyes widened. "He is?"
Rafe bowed slightly. "I promised Liz that no one will get to Brandon on my watch."
Peter then said, "You call my sister Liz?"
Rafe's face turned red. "Mr..." He coughed then continued, "If you don't want me too..."
"No, please." Peter interjected fast. "You've not called me by my name since high school and even that was only when I spoke to you."
"I went to school with you because your father didn't want my mother distracted from her job. I knew my place and it wasn't in your world."
Place, in the way he meant, was the stupidest word she ever heard. His “place” was with her.
Rafe and Peter then took a few steps back to have a private conversation. Liz curled her hands around her own waist. "Why is everyone making this a big deal, Mom? I need to sleep at night and Rafe's the one who found Brandon. I trust him and want him here with me."
"I agree, sweetheart, it's wonderful." Isabelle Morgan fixed Liz's hair behind her ears as she patted her hand. "This way I can stay next door at Peter's since he just lost Belle, and you're protected. If you need me to babysit or anything, just come and get me.” She lowered her voice. “Remember what I said about picking a man who might love his family."
Her eyes widened. Without her mother in the house, she had no buffer to avoid Rafe. On the other hand, her body ached for him so no interference might be great. She swallowed. "This is a lot to take in."
Her mother whispered, "Rafe's a good man. His mother, Pilar, and I just had tea together. I owe that woman so much than I can never repay." She stepped back.
This was about Brandon, not about her lack of a love life. "Mom..."
Her mother’s darker hair made her seem so much more dramatic and wonderful than she could ever be. “You can date whoever you want, but a man like Rafe will cherish you."
Her face heated in what she hoped wasn’t an obvious blush. "Mom. We're not dating. He's here to solve a case. Don't get your hopes up."
Isabelle shook her head as she straightened her blouse while looking in a mirror. "Whatever you say, darling. Can you have Ashley pack a bag for me and send it over?"
The maid was around somewhere. Liz closed her eyes and hoped hired help was enough to scare away anyone who might go near Brandon. She refused to look at Rafe, except his muscled shoulders were reflected in the mirror. "Mom, you leaving here won't change what happens between me and Rafe. I trust him to protect Brandon."
"And I trust that my daughter has good taste when it comes to men like that one. I wish someone like Rafe had crossed my path all those years ago."
Isabelle turned Liz around so they could watch the men in some heated conversation. Liz brushed her mother’s hand off, but her heart skipped as she stared at Rafe. "Mom."
"Shh, they’re coming back." Her mother took her hand and squeezed it. As Peter and Rafe returned to their sides, Rafe silently loomed beside her. Her mother turned toward her brother. "Peter, I told Liz that I'll be moving in with you today."
"That's fine." Peter stared at her and Liz wondered what Rafe had said. Had he told him about Vegas? He shouldn't have; she’d asked for time. She swallowed as Peter continued, "I told Rafe moving in here makes it official. He'll be in charge of Morgan Security from now on and taking a leave of absence that might be permanent from Miami PD. I need him to find Belle and keep you safe."
Rafe nodded. "It's temporary."
Peter shrugged like he didn't take temporary seriously. "Rafe, I expect you to solve who is behind the threat and ensure no one hurts my sister or my nephew."
Rafe squared his shoulders. "You have my word. I will also stay on top of the search for Belle."
Neither one of them answered to anyone. None of this made sense. Her heart constricted as Peter then walked toward the door with their mother. "Thanks. If you need us Liz, we're next door. I want to get Mom settled into her room."
Having her own mother now was good for her, but Peter would need the one-on-one time too. Unlike her, Peter remembered their mother and needed to mend the past.
Rafe walked with her to the door and waved as the two left. The bright sun in her eyes made her step back into the shade of her home, but the outline of her mother and brother as he offered her his arm struck her as more real than most of her life. "See you both soon."
This was exactly how she once dreamt of a family. The illusion hit her strong. Luke, Matthew and she’d spent their childhoods isolated in school with only teachers as babysitters. Brandon would not ever get that treatment, not if she had any say. She waited as Rafe closed the door and then swayed on her feet. "That was a lot of visitors. I am not used to being around people, family, and never ending drama.”
Rafe helped her to the living room and they both checked the monitor. Brandon was stretching but not quite awake yet. In ten minutes, he'd be ready. Rafe placed his hand on his knee as he sat. "When Brandon wakes up, perhaps you should stay with Peter and your mom for an hour while I go home and pack a bag."
No. Next door with his own mother, Pilar, they'd be planning a funeral and her own nerves would focus on the threat, the entire time. She didn’t want to stay here by herself either. She swallowed, sat beside him and stared at his profile. "Can we go with you?"
His eyebrow quirked. "Why?"
Her lips tingled as she imagined a kiss. Her mother's voice in her head telling her to date Rafe echoed the wishes in her own heart, but that made no sense. She ignored the warm sensation that built in her body and blinked. "I'm curious where you live. I feel safest beside you."
“Liz.” His voice was deep and intoxicating. "We have to keep our relationship professional."
Professional as in she needed to remember what happened to her son and not let her crazy attraction get in the way. "We are. You're protecting Brandon the best when we’re all together."
His intense stare made her think that he didn't believe her. "Fine. You can come; it won't take long."
She pressed her lips together and sensed that he was pulling away. "Don't worry. I am not the kind to overstay my welcome."
His hand brushed against her arm. "I remember how you left the hotel room without leaving me your name or number."
With an intake of her breath, she ignored the heat that raced up her spine. "I didn't just leave. You were sleeping and I didn’t want to wake you up."
His eyes narrowed. "And you left without saying good-bye."
She’d done so many things wrong. Her eyes misted as she hugged her waist. "I didn't know what to say. In the morning light, I was embarrassed."
The night was burned into her memory as the most passion she had ever felt.
"I embarrassed you?"
His voice was like cold, hard steel. He'd not forgive her if she apologized. She was sure of it. Her spine stiffened. "No. I embarrassed myself. I told you. I had never engaged in a one night stand and I just thought it best if I disappeared."
"I wanted your number."
That tiny crack in his hardness hit her like a train that sped fast on its tracks. Her lips parted. "At that point we didn't know anything about each other."
He stood and rubbed his palms on the thighs of his black pants. "We don't have to argue about this. Sounds like Brandon is up. Let's get him so we can go to my place."
If she left this as it was, then she'd hate herself. He had to know she had never felt that amazing in her life. She stood and took his muscular arm in both of her hands. There was no other choice. "Rafe..."
He stared down into her eyes. "Yeah?"
It was time to tell the truth. She squeezed his arm a little as she gazed into his big brown hues. "I am sorry. I shouldn't have left that morning. I wish I could go back in time and tell myself to stick around long enough to get your phone number. I would have called you the day I found out I was pregnant, if I’d known who you were."
His throat made a noise that only a man could make, an “okay” without the word. Then he reached out and placed his free hand on hers. "I wish you hadn't said that."
"Said what?" She felt his muscles flex. If her apology meant nothing to him, then she'd have to live with that. She let his arm go.
Once again every cell in her body ignited demanding to touch him since she was so close. His shoulders slumped as he held her hand. "That you're sorry. Now I have to forgive you. I was holding that as a reason to prove to myself you belong to the House of Morgan, so I'd never touch you again.”
He released her hand, but the words enveloped her. Did he want her too? It was probably a horrible idea. They had a family to figure out, but her heart pounded in her chest. Near Rafe, she felt better. She couldn't just let him walk away. They had too much potential.