Page 45 of Butch

“That’s why you guys were in the corner to begin with,” Reaper muttered.

“Stop!” Rae screamed. “Just stop. I can’t do this.”

Daddy cupped her face. “We are going to stop talking about this. Now, can you tell me who knew about liking this play set?”

Raelynn’s face was beet red as she kept her focus on Daddy. She knew when Echo and she were alone, she was going to ask about taking it a step forward in their relationship, and she wasn’t ready.

“Focus on me,” Daddy commanded. “Who else knows about you liking them?”

Raelynn tried to think back. “I don’t know. I tried to keep it a secret. You didn’t even know about it. Well, they actually came out the year you left, and I got one then. It’s just a wooden thing that burns and turns into a different creation.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t buy you some, but now Daddy knows,” he gently said.

“I didn’t get any while I was with him cause it was fire, and I didn’t know what he would do. They aren’t lit for long. Once it changes to the different scenery, the fire goes out,” Raelynn explained. “I got two in my senior year, but then I moved in with him, and I didn’t have any money to buy any more. I didn’t dare tell him, either. Didn’t need him getting any ideas.”

She shuddered at the thought. The first time she’d told Edmund that she liked something, he had twisted it and made sure she didn’t like it any longer. After that, she didn’t tell him a single thing for fear that he would ruin everything in her life.

“But could he have found out?” Daddy asked. “What happened to your stuff when you moved in with him?”

“He locked it up in a room in his house, and that was it. Sometimes, he would bring things out of the room, but most of the time, I didn’t get to see it,” Raelynn said. “Everything that I had from you is in that room, I think. He got rid of a lot of things when he realized they were gifts from you. Didn’t like that I was still in love with you. He wanted me for himself.”

Daddy wrapped his arms around her, and she snuggled into his chest.

“You’re not his. You’re mine. I’m not going to allow him to do anything to you,” Daddy said.

“So, it’s a possibility that he knew about these,” Reaper pointed out.

Raelynn pulled away from Daddy, her eyes wide as she looked at him, fearful. “He knows where I am.”

Everything sounded like she was underwater, muffled and so far away as people started to talk to her. Edmund knew where she was. He was coming for her. He was going to hurt the people who she had become friends with.

“I need to leave,” she said, trying to get off Daddy’s lap. “I need to leave Springfield and go somewhere else, away from you guys. He’s going to hurt you.”

Daddy was talking, but she couldn’t understand a word he was saying. This was the end. She knew it was going to catch up to her at some point, and today was the day.

“I didn’t get a long time with you,” she whispered. “I’m sorry.”

His lips continued to move, but she couldn’t hear a word. Everything around her slowly started to get darker, and before she knew it, everything went black.

CHAPTER 20

BUTCH

“Raelynn,” Butch cried as he held her, limp, in his arms. “Come on, Little Fairy. Daddy needs you to wake up.”

But she lay still across his body.

“Get the doc!” Butch yelled at Reaper. “Secure this whole damn building. No one enters this room. I want to know who delivered the package and where the fuck Levi is.”

He knew he wasn’t the president of the MC and couldn’t demand these things, but his woman had just passed out in his arms.

“Do as he says!” Deccan yelled. “I don’t want anyone leaving without informing me. Brick, go find Levi. If he’s with Flemming, you bring both of them here. I don’t care if she’s working. Rainey will just have to understand.”

Butch looked over his shoulder to see the door wide open and his brothers in the hallway, waiting for orders.

“I’m going to my room,” Butch announced. “I don’t need Raelynn waking up to find everyone looking at her or for loud noises and startling her.”

He carefully stood up, holding Rae close to his body, shielding her away from everything in this world as he made his way toward the bedroom.