Page 79 of No Fear
Remy was… defending her? Rachel wiped at her face again. She couldn’t quite keep up as the two men yelled at each other, fists clenched, blood on both their shirts already from the earlier fight. The two of them, chin to chin, felt like a powder keg about to explode.
“Yeah, she came to you, didn’t she?” Lincoln snarled, “She knew she was in trouble and she came to you to protect her. She’s playing you, Remington.”
“No. No.” She shook her head. “It’s not like that.”
“It’s always like that.”
“Damn it, Lincoln. Stop.” Remy looked like he wanted to pull his own hair out, “Stop.”
“Why? Because you don’t want to hear the truth? You’d rather live in your fantasy world where she actually cares about you? Where you’re not a pawn she’s using just to protect…”
That was as far as Lincoln got. Before he could finish his sentence, Remy exploded. Rachel screamed as she saw it happen but she couldn’t do anything to stop it. Remy’s fist connected with Lincoln’s jaw and the sound was like a bullet going off. Lincoln made a noise, a half-surprised half-outraged growl that was muffled when his head snapped back.
He came back upright quickly, fists clenched and Rachel moved before she could convince herself it was a bad idea. She took five quick steps across the living room and squeezed herself between the two big men. She put her hands up to warn Lincoln back but Remy gave a growl and grabbed her instantly.
“Rachel, no!” He jerked her aside, putting her behind him without even looking at her. “Don’t touch her Lincoln!”
“I wasn’t going to.” Lincoln held his hands up and took a step back. “Jesus, Remy, I know I ain’t the nicest of us but I’m not gonna hit a girl.” He sniffed when Remy didn’t budge, “I wasn’t even gonna hityou,asshole.”
Rachel and Remy both looked skeptical.
“I’m gonna give you that one because I fucked up with you ten years ago. I should’ve told you to stay. I should’ve figured out a better way to help you than sending you away. I figure you deserve at least one.” Lincoln scratched his jaw and then worked it back and forth as if it were already sore, “You’re lucky you did that here though, where I won’t have to even the score, but that’s all you get. One. Try it again and I’ll lay you out Remington.”
“You won’t ever get that chance.” Remy growled. “You come at me, or her, and I’ll put you in the ground.”
“Uh huh…well, at least we answered one question.” Lincoln leaned around Remy far enough to look at her, “She cares about you enough to do something stupid like throw herself in front of me to protect you. Which was very, very stupid, sweetheart.”
All of her earlier fear had vanished at the thought of Remy being hurt. She’d had to stop it. Had to get between him and the threat. That was why her voice didn’t stutter and she tried to get around Remy to put herself between them again.
“I love him. I love him and you’re not going to hurt him for something I did.”
Lincoln sighed, “I’m not gonna hurt him at all. He’s family. I protect my family. Try to keep up.”
“Don’t talk to her like that.” Remy growled, keeping one firm hand on her, “Don’t talk to her at all.”
“Jesus, you boys… I’ve heard love is blind but I didn’t realize it was stupid too.” Lincoln groaned and moved away from them, “She lied to you, Remington. For weeks. She put all of us at risk. Those brothers you swore to protect? Colt was attacked and left for dead byherbrother and his new best friends.”
“Yeah.” Remy nodded seriously, “By Craig and his friends. Not by her.” He held up a hand when Lincoln opened his mouth again, “If she’s scared of them, don’t you think it’s logical that she’s scared of you too? She came to me for protection, sure. Fine. But it’s way past that now. She’s mine so stop threatening her.”
“I’m not threatening her. I’m just saying I don’t trust her.”
“You don’t have to. She’s not part of your crew. She’s not yours. She’s mine.”
“Yeah and if she’s yours, she’s family but…”
“Exactly.” Remy snapped and Lincoln winced as if he’d just walked into a corner he hadn’t seen coming. “She’s with me and that makes her family. We protect family still, right? That’s what you’re always blowing hot air about. Colt’s family and I wasn’t here to protect him from you. She’s my family now and I won’t make the same mistake again. I’m going to keep protecting her and since we’re family, that means you protect her too now.”
Fresh tears burned her eyes as she realized what it was she’d been missing. She was so deep in her fear, so swallowed up in it, that she hadn’t noticed that Remy wasn’t reacting like she’d thought he would. Sure, he’d moved away from her at first but he’d defended her time and again when Lincoln went on the attack.
He’d said he believed her. He’d pulled her away from his cousin to protect her. Was it possible? Did he really not hate her? Was he really not going to throw her out and forget all about her?
“You want to keep her, that’s on you.” Lincoln shook his head, “I’m not keeping this shit from the rest of the boys though. They deserve to know you’re choosing a liar, the sister of a traitor, to shack up with.”
Remy took a dangerous step forward and she grabbed his arm before he could swing it again, “Remy, no!”
“He’s not going to talk about you like that in our home.” Remy snarled.
“Stop. Both of you, stop!” She begged as tears worked their way forward again.
