Rule: The Finale (Black Hearts Still Beat Book 3)
Also by L. A. Cotton
Black Hearts Still Beat
Rush: The Beginning
Rise: The Interlude
Rule: The Finale
Ruin: The Reprise
Chastity Falls
Loyalty and Lies
Salvation and Secrets
Tribulation and Truths
Affliction
Redemption and Regrets
Penance and Promises
Absolution
Fate's Love
Fate's Love
Love's Spark
Love Collides
Liar Liar
Liar Liar
Truth or Dare
Rixon Raiders
The Trouble With You
The Game You Play
The Harder You Fall
The Endgame Is You
The Maverick Defense Series
Deliverance
Verona Legacy
Prince of Hearts: Nicco & Ari Duet #1
Wicked Bay
Wicked Beginnings
Wicked Rules
Wicked Lies
Wicked Games
Wicked Needs
Wicked Surprise
Wicked Hearts
Wicked Promises
Wicked Truths
Wicked Forever
Standalone
Lucky Penny
Chastity Falls: Box Set
Rixon Raiders (The Collection)
Watch for more at L. A. Cotton’s site.
RULE
BLACK HEARTS STILL BEAT
LA Cotton
Contents
Foreword
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Epilogue
Thank you for reading
Playlist
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Published by Delesty Books
* * *
RULE
* * *
eBook Edition
Copyright © L A Cotton 2020
All rights reserved.
* * *
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and events are the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons or events is purely coincidental.
* * *
No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without the written permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes only.
* * *
Edited by Andie M Long Editing Services
Cover by Lianne Cotton
Images licenses from Adobe Stock and Shutterstock
“I don’t believe in magic”, said the young boy.
The old man smiled. “You will when you see her.”
~ Atticus
Eva
* * *
“Does it hurt?” I ran my thumb over the tender skin along Rafe’s cheekbone.
He covered my hand with his. “You should see the other guy.” The smile fell from his lips, guilt flashing in his eyes. “Crap, Eva, I didn’t...”
“Ssh.” Leaning in, I touched my head to his. “I still can’t believe you’re here.” I had questions, so many questions, but they could wait. Because this beautiful broken boy, the boy who had stolen my heart, was here.
He’d come... for me.
It was a lot to wrap my mind around.
“I’m done putting everyone else first.” The words were a rough, pained whisper. “I want you, Evangeline Star Walker, more than I have ever wanted anything else. I can’t do this without you.” His other hand came around my waist, drawing me closer.
“Rafe, I—”
Someone cleared their throat behind me, and I jerked away. “Hey, Mom,” I said, turning to her.
Her brow rose as she glanced from me to Rafe and back again. “I know you’re eighteen now, sweetheart. But you’re still my little girl.” She glared at Rafe. “Please respect my boundaries.”
“Mom,” I hissed, embarrassment staining my cheeks.
“It’s okay, Eva.” Rafe’s hand slipped to the small of my back, nudging me forward. “Your mom is right. I meant no disrespect, Mrs. Walker.”
Her expression softened and she blew out a frustrated breath. “You may call me Jesse, Rafe. But you’ll have to excuse my protectiveness. Eva is—”
“Mom,” I groaned.
“She’s important to you,” he finished, standing up. I expected him to move away, but Rafe surprised me by taking my hand. “I get it, Mrs. Walker, I do. But you should know, she’s important to me too.”
“Yes, well,” Mom pressed her lips together, “that doesn’t excuse the fact my daughter fled the tour because of you and your brother.” She gave him her best mom-stare.
Rafe's posture stiffened. I peeked up at him, smiling weakly. “I regret a lot of what happened,” he said quietly.
“I’m pleased to hear it. How is your brother? The press has been quite brutal.”
“Levi is... he’ll be okay.”
Something in Rafe’s tone made my stomach knot. Levi wasn’t okay. We both knew that. And given the mess of Rafe’s face, I knew the Hunter brothers had come to blows.
Over me.
“So you did what exactly? Came here to beg Eva to return to the tour?”
“Actually, I didn’t,” he said with complete conviction. “I came because I love your daughter, Mrs. Walker. I love her so much, I couldn’t leave things the way they ended. But if Eva decides not to re-join the tour, I won’t try to persuade her otherwise.”
“I see.”
My eyes narrowed at my mom. Her coolness toward Rafe was justified, but it didn’t make it any easier to watch it unfold.
“How long are you in town for?”
I felt his eyes burning into the top of my head. Slowly, I lifted my gaze to his. “That all depends on Eva,” he said.
“We have a guest room. You can stay the night, but I expect my husband will want a word or two with you when he gets home.”
Rafe didn’t take his eyes off me. I saw every emotion right there in flecks of silver and gray. Love. Possessiveness. Anger. Pain. Regret. There was a storm raging inside him, and I was right at the center of it.
“Eva?”
I forced myself to look at Mom. She gave me a sad smile. “I’ll give the two of you some space, but please respect—”
“Your boundaries. Got it, Mom.”
She left and some of the tension dissipated. Rafe sank onto the stool and let out a low groan. That was when I noticed him holding his ribs. I reached for his t-shirt, pushing his hand away. Gently inching the material up, I gasped when I saw the ugly purple bruise marring his ribs.
“Rafe...” I cried.
I hated this.
Hated knowing that he and his brother had fought, all because of me.
“I’m so sorry,” I said, unable to meet his heavy stare.
“Eva, look at me,” he whispered. But
I couldn’t do it, the burden of the mess I’d created weighing too heavily on my shoulders.
“This isn’t your fault.” His hand slid against my cheek, tilting my face. I screwed my eyes closed, blinking away the tears building. “Starshine, look at me...”
I couldn’t deny him. His voice called to me and I gravitated. Our eyes collided; Rafe’s love wrapping around me like a warm blanket. “There she is.” He smiled.
“What a mess,” I sighed. “How are we supposed to fix this?”
“Ssh, come here.” Rafe’s hand curved around my neck as he leaned down and brushed his lips over mine. Once. Twice. And not nearly enough. My fingers twisted into his t-shirt pulling him closer. “We shouldn’t,” I breathed.
My mom would be lurking close by. I knew, and yet, I couldn’t tear myself away. Because when I’d left Vegas, I hadn’t known when—or if—I would see Rafe again. Sure, part of me hoped I would. But I left knowing I could never compete with Levi. With the bond the two of them shared.
But Rafe was here.
“Just give me this, please?” He kissed me again, harder. Deeper. Our tongues tangled together in soft, lazy licks and he cradled my face in his hands. “I love you,” he murmured against my mouth, pushing me against the counter. “I love you, Eva.”
The desperation in his voice shook me to my core, but I didn’t break the kiss. I didn’t ask him any of the questions running through my mind. I let him have this moment.
I let myself have this moment.
Because I wasn’t the same naïve girl who had met Rafe at the Talent Showdown.
I had my eyes wide open now. I knew that even though Rafe was here, it didn’t mean everything was fixed. We’d made a mess. We’d hurt Levi in a way I wasn’t sure we could ever come back from.
And it was something we had to face up to.
“Fuck, Ali, I said I got it.” Rafe paced back and forth in my parents' kitchen. “Yeah, yeah, Eva is,” he glanced over at me. “She’s okay. No, I don’t know yet. We haven’t... yeah, okay.” He dragged a hand down his face, his expression weary. “How is he?”
I bristled at the mention of Levi. We still hadn’t talked much about the events that led to Rafe being on my doorstep. But I knew we couldn’t avoid it forever.
Dropping my gaze, I wrung my hands in my lap, trying to give Rafe some privacy. But then he was there, his hand curving around my neck, drawing me close as he said goodbye to Alistair.
“How bad is it?” I whispered.
“It isn’t good.” Rafe sighed, pressing a kiss to my hair. “But we’ll figure it out.”
“Ali asked about me?”
“They need an answer.”
“I thought I knew what I was going to say... but now I’m not sure.”
“Because of me?”
“Yes... no. I don’t know. I thought walking away was the right thing to do. I never wanted to come between you and Levi.” My lips curved into a sad smile. “He needs you.”
“And I need you. I know I didn’t handle any of this the right way. I thought I couldn’t have you and keep Levi on the straight and narrow, but I realized something when you left.”
“What?”
“I can’t fix him, Eva. Not if he doesn’t want to fix himself.” He dropped his head to my shoulder and I looped my arms around his back.
“We’ll figure it out.”
“Yeah?” he mumbled. “Does that mean you’re going to tell Alistair and the label you’ll finish the tour?”
Did it?
I’d been almost certain leaving was the right thing to do. I had loved performing, loved the adrenaline pulsing through my veins night after night. But it had been more than that. I’d loved how accepted I felt with the band—like I’d found my place among a bunch of black hearted rock stars. Then there was Letty. She’d become a true friend; someone I knew I could count on no matter what.
But there was also the darker side of fame. The less than friendly fangirls. The constant press reports and rumors. The non-stop pace and pressure. It was a lot to handle, but part of me had thrived on it.
The reality was, being on tour with Black Hearts Still Beat had given me purpose again. And somewhere along the line, I’d come to care about Levi, there was no denying that. But I didn’t care about him the same way as I cared about Rafe. Levi was a star. He walked out onto the stage and you couldn’t help but be entranced. But Rafe... Rafe was the sun. I gravitated to his orbit, all too willing to burn if it meant I could get closer.
“What's going on in that head of yours?” He was staring at me and I hadn’t even realized.
“If I come back, I need to know what happened between the two of you when I left.” My finger ghosted over the bruise on his face. “No more secrets.”
The sound of the front door slamming made me jerk away.
“Honey, I’m home,” Dad’s cheerful lilt drifted into the kitchen. “How was your day sweet—”
“Hey, Dad,” I said, stepping far enough away from Rafe that it looked innocent, but staying close enough to feel him at my side. “This is—”
“I know who he is, Eva. What I don’t understand is what he’s doin’ in my kitchen.”
“Mr. Walker, I’m—”
“Save it. You broke my daughter’s heart, rock star. That is not okay with me.”
“Dad...”
“It’s okay, Eva.” Rafe touched my arm. “Your father is right.”
“Darn right I am. So now would be a good time to tell me why the hell you’re here.” His eyes narrowed.
“I came for Eva.” Rafe cleared his throat and my eyes flickered to him. He smiled weakly but his gaze was full of emotion. “I made a mistake, sir. I love your daughter. I love her more than anything, and I came to ask her... beg her, for another chance.”
Heat flooded me, my cheeks burning as the two men who meant the most to me in the world, faced off against each other. Rafe rose from the stool, stepping forward. “I’ll never forgive myself for hurting Eva, and I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness, Mr. Walker, but I risked everything coming here. Because she’s worth it. Eva is worth every damn thing. I love your daughter, sir, and I’ll do whatever it takes to prove myself to you, if you’ll just give me another chance.”
The silence was deafening. My dad didn’t blink, he didn’t move. He just stared at Rafe as if he was trying to solve a puzzle.
“One chance,” he said after what felt like an hour. “You get one more chance. I know my daughter, son, and she wouldn’t just willingly hand her heart over to anyone. So I’m going to trust that you’re a good man.”
“Thank you, sir. You won’t regret it, I promise.”
“Yeah, well, you’d better hear me when I say if you hurt her again, I will hunt you down and—”
“Okay, Dad.” I jumped between them, glaring at him. “I think Rafe gets it.”
“He needs to know that you’re my—”
“Dad,” I snapped. “Trust me, he gets it. Now why don’t you go find Mom. Or better yet, I’ll give Rafe the tour, and we’ll join you for dinner later.” I grabbed Rafe’s hand and pulled him toward the door.
“Hang on a minute, Eva,” Dad protested. “I think we need to sit down and talk about this.”
“And we will, later, over dinner.” It would be less tense, less mortifying.
I hoped.
We slipped out of the kitchen and into the yard. It was drastic, escaping out of the back door, but I needed space. Between Mom’s reaction and the look of complete horror in Dad’s eyes when he spotted Rafe sitting there, I needed to regroup.
“So that was my dad,” I said, finally releasing Rafe’s hand and moving away. “I’m sorry he was—”
“Eva.” Rafe stepped forward, rubbing his hands up my arms. “Don’t do that. Don’t apologize for his behavior. I deserve worse.”
“I just... I want them to like you. You’re not a bad guy, Rafe.”
“No, but I made some shitty decisions.”
“You’re her
e now though.”
“I am.”
We moved closer, like magnets aligning. I craned my neck to look at him, letting my eyes absorb every detail of his face. Stormy gray eyes that looked right into my soul. A slightly crooked nose and perfectly chiseled jaw. The small ball of steel nestled perfectly against the pillow of his bottom lip.
“What happens now?” The words formed on my lips.
He leaned down, brushing his nose over mine, his fingers buried deep in my hair, and whispered, “Only you can decide, Eva.”
Rafe
* * *
Mrs. Walker cooked a mean pot roast. I hadn’t had a proper home cooked meal in forever. It was so fucking good I never wanted it to end. Even with Mr. Walker’s heavy stare burning into me, I shoveled mouthful after mouthful in, savoring the rich flavor.
“That was really good, Mrs. Walker.” As I rubbed my stomach, I could see Eva's mom knew my comment was genuine and not some lame attempt to win her over.
“Oh please, Rafe, call me Jesse.” Eva’s mom had warmed to me somewhat over dinner, but her husband was still looking at me like I was the devil incarnate.
Eva squeezed my hand under the table, coaxing my eyes to hers. She smiled and fuck, if it didn’t do something to me.
Something primal.
When I’d realized Eva had left Vegas, it was like my world went dark. She was the light. My Starshine. She made the good days great, and the not so good days that much more bearable.