“It’s just that, several months ago, at the picnic, you were covered in bruises, and you looked in a lot of pain. I wanted to talk to you, but you … you always seemed to disappear before I got the chance.”
“I’m fine.” Larissa was the first person to ask. Raven wasn’t used to it. The club asked, but more in passing. Also, she knew they wanted her to get her shit together to help with the workload.
“That’s good. I’m pleased you’re fine. If you ever need anything, or anyone to talk to, please, don’t hesitate to call me.” Larissa grabbed a piece of paper, scribbled on it, and held it out to Raven.
She wasn’t sure if she should take it or not.
Larissa was … better than her.
Raven didn’t deserve this kind of friendship.
You’re an ugly, disgusting monster.
A piece of shit.
You will only destroy her.
Stepping forward, she took the piece of paper and saw it was the woman’s phone number. She had a feeling Larissa would be more upset with her if she didn’t take it.
“Er, thanks,” Raven said. She doubted she would ever use it. There was no reason to tarnish Larissa.
“You’re welcome. You don’t need to thank me. I’m here if you need me.”
****
“Okay, did anyone get the sense that Raven was pretty much clawing at the walls to leave?” Harlow asked.
Ava sighed. “It’s me.”
“You don’t know that,” Abriana said.
“Please, ever since … the picnic, she has been avoiding me.” Ava sat down on the chair and pressed her face against her hands. “I don’t know … what should I do?”
“Do you want Raven to, you know, talk to you?” Abriana asked. “You two don’t exactly have the best history.”
“Yeah, I know, and I … you weren’t there,” Ava said. “You didn’t see what Creed did to her, and Raven kept on taking it. She wouldn’t let him stop it while his men beat her, and I think he wanted her to stop so he could start hurting me.” Tears filled Ava’s eyes as she remembered what happened.
Ever since the unjustified attack on her, she and Raven had been different. Their friendship was hard to put into any kind of category or label. Raven had hurt her, and deep down, Ava knew Raven had been following orders. She had thought that Ava was a traitor.
It still hurt to think about it.
When she was taken with Raven, and the beating happened, Ava knew she couldn’t be angry at Raven. The other woman had saved her life. Nearly died at the hands of that bastard and his men, and even when she was close to knocking on death’s door, she got right back up and told Creed they hit like a girl.
Smokey believed the nightmares Ava was having were about that day, when she, herself was attacked. They weren’t. They were about the day when she and Raven were taken. In her nightmares, it all started out the same and nothing changed. Only, Raven didn’t always get up, and Creed, he wasn’t hitting Raven with fists but stabbing her repeatedly with blades, and Raven kept on begging for more, taking it, just so Ava could live. In the dream, Ava couldn’t help. Her feet were glued to the floor.
She knew if she told Smokey about the dream, it would upset him, so she lied and always said she didn’t want to talk about it. She knew what he assumed.
All Ava wanted to do was try to mend this void between her and Raven. She wasn’t stupid. She knew Raven was avoiding her, giving her time to heal. Ava was healed. After what they went through together, all she wanted to do was make sure Raven was okay. It was why she’d asked for Abriana not to say anything. She knew Raven was going to be here today, helping with the invitations.
She figured if she had Umberto with her, Raven might not run off.
She’d been wrong.
Ava didn’t know how to get Raven to stop and talk to her.
****
Whoever was planning to take over was clever, and Carlos didn’t like that. He preferred to have people fuck up. If they didn’t mess up, they always had a chance of stabbing him in the back, and well, he couldn’t have that.
He liked his back. A lot.
Staring at the cameras for twenty-four hours straight was making his eyes hurt.
In the end, he had no choice but to get out of the house. After picking up his keys and jacket, he opened the front door and came face to face with Raven. She jerked back and nearly fell down the steps, but he captured her hand, stopping her.
“Wow, good reflexes,” Raven said.
“What are you doing here?”
“Invitation.” She held out a single card.
Carlos frowned. “What for?”
He tore into the envelope and saw Ugly Beast’s, Abriana’s, and Bella’s names. “A birthday party?”