Rivals 🌈 ✔

30 - Exhausted

Again, Raine's eyes were stinging. He was a mess, and somehow he needed to get his act together before he would leave this room. Softly, he pressed his lips to Juice's; his breathing told him the man had fallen asleep. 

Raine swallowed. "It's insane how you can still make me feel the happiest man on Earth in all the shit we're in," he whispered. "And I don't know how our lives will change now they know the truth, but I'd love nothing more than becoming your husband."

It was a thought that crossed his mind a few times the past weeks. Especially when he decided to tell the club about Juice, he fantasized that they would support his decision to be with Juice, and in some future scenarios he had seen the aisle too, where he had put a ring on Juice's finger. 

He got up, covered Juice's body carefully with his duvet and looked once more at the bruised face of his lover. His stomach cramped up again, the guilt was still plaguing him. He blamed himself — it had been irresponsible to send Juice to Sasha. He should have known that Esai would make sure his niece was safe after their father went missing. Because of all the chaos he hadn't been able to think straight — and for that, Juice had paid a heavy price. 

It however did provide him some information — the Sons were dealing with a similar kind of situation. He picked up Juice's jeans from the foot end of his bed and reached into his pockets until he found his cellphones. The fanciest one belonged to Juice himself, the simpler version was meant for club business. Raine put the latter back, even though he knew there might be valuable information on it. He unlocked Juice's phone, feeling relieved when there was no password demanded, and left the room, locking the door intentionally to make sure nobody could go near his boyfriend. 

Okay —what now? 

More than anything he wanted to go to Sammy to make sure she was all right, but he knew he had to wade through a clubhouse full of people with questions first, and he had information to share. It was better to bite the bullet right away. 

A tense silence filled the room when Raine entered the clubhouse. He read disapproval in the eyes of his brothers — in all of them. Although nobody was moving, it felt like he was enclosed while they gave him no room to breathe. 

A shiver went down his spine. Was Juice really safe here? 

"I got a lead," he said, hoping it would improve their mood. 

He jolted when his president looked him square in the eye. There wasn't a glimpse of sympathy in his eyes. "As it seems, you have some explaining to do first."

Raine sighed. Should they really do this now? He was exhausted, he wanted to see Sammy, he wanted to find his father, he wanted Juice to be safe and to feel better...

"There isn't much to explain now, I guess. Juice and I fell in love and we first wanted to make sure it worked before we would tell our clubs. Ask Angel about it if you want — I told him about Juice when I was in Santo Padre and I told him my feelings for him are serious and that I planned to take it to the table once I was back. Sadly, it all took a different turn."

Marcus raised his eyebrows. "And you really thought we would approve of this relationship?"

"As far as I know, the club doesn't decide who we marry. Juice and I never talk about our clubs — we never have. Some of you neither share details with your spouse."

"But we don't sleep with our enemies," someone else objected. 

"We're not in a direct war. Yeah — things are tense and there is a lot of history between the two clubs, but right now we're facing the same problems. Like missing parents." He gave his president an intense look. "I understand there are sanctions, and I even get it when you kick me out. But can we please find my dad first? He is kidnapped, and my relationship with Juice has nothing to do with it. The longer we wait, the harder it is to find him."