A knock sounded on the door, and she saw father and daughter looking at each other.
“I’ll go and get it,” Larissa said.
Raven looked toward Jonah. “You may be a priest, but you have heard the rumors. You know what I’m capable of. I have no right to sit in your home and eat your brisket. I will leave. Please give Larissa my apologies.”
“I don’t know what happened. I don’t know the full story. Raven, you’re hurting. That’s what I see. I see a woman in pain. A woman who needs someone to help them.”
“I don’t deserve it.”
Larissa came back to the kitchen. “Er, Smokey is here.”
Raven tensed.
“He’d like to talk to Raven,” Larissa said.
“Raven, would you like to talk to Smokey?” Jonah asked.
“No,” she said.
“Then wait right here.”
She looked up as Jonah left the table. Raven followed him but immediately stayed behind one of the cabinets as she caught sight of Smokey waiting in the main hall. Larissa had tried to stop her, but she’d wanted to see if she could even look at Smokey without feeling the usual hatred.
Anger rushed through her body, but also pain and humiliation. Carlos and Smokey had … lied to her. They’d used her for their own agenda.
What did you expect?
You’re worthless.
A piece of trash.
Not good for anything.
They all can see it now.
All of them.
Your baby is going to hate you, just like everyone else.
“Jonah, I need to speak with Raven,” Smokey said.
“I’m afraid tonight that is not going to happen.”
“Don’t do this, Jonah.”
“Smokey, I am not doing anything. I’m not meddling in club business. I have a young woman here tonight, and all I can see is that she is hurting. She needs a friend. That’s all I’m doing. When she’s ready, she will either call you or come back to the clubhouse, but I would appreciate it if you left.”
“Damn it, Raven!” Smokey yelled. “I need you to come and talk to me. We can settle this.”
Raven slowly slid down the cabinet, drawing her knees up toward her chest and wrapping her arms around herself. A part of her wanted to go to him. Convince herself that this was all a big misunderstanding. She didn’t move. She couldn’t.
What she heard and what Ava told her, it hurt so damn much.
Smokey hadn’t talked to her. He’d wanted her gone, and he’d used Carlos to make that happen. As for Carlos, the times they were together he’d never used a condom, and Raven had never asked him to. That was on her.
She had fucked up.
The sound of the front door closing had her jerking up to her feet, a little shocked that he’d gone.
Jonah appeared and crouched down, not reaching for her. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. You shouldn’t have sent him away.”
“You don’t want to talk to him yet, I get that.”
“I’m pregnant,” Raven said. “You don’t want me in your house.”
“Is the baby Smokey’s?” Jonah asked.
“What? Ew. Gross. No. Ew.” She was aware that some people had thought she had a crush on Smokey, but that was never true. She had loved Smokey as a friend and as a brother, but never a lover. Even the thought of that made her skin crawl.
“Sorry,” Jonah said. “I thought that might be one of the reasons why you don’t want to speak to him.”
“I don’t want to speak to him because…” She wasn’t going to discuss club business. She couldn’t. “It doesn’t matter.”
“I know there are things you can’t talk to me about, Raven. I get that. I do. I appreciate it. But you are going to need to talk to someone,” he said.
She hated the tears once again filling her eyes. Stupid hormones.
“I’m not … thank you.”
“I’ll still be here, when you’re ready to talk. Now, how about we go and enjoy some of that brisket.” Jonah held his hand out.
Raven stared at it, not exactly sure if she should take it or not, but then she decided she had very little choice.
She was in Jonah’s house. Under his roof. He must have rules, and she was going to abide by them.
****
“What can I do for you?” Harlow asked, staring at the Hell’s Bastards MC VP.
“How do you and Big Dick do it?”
“Do what?”
“Locate the shit you do?” Hunter asked, folding his arms across his chest.
“Impressed?”
“Just curious.”
She smiled and stuck the lollipop back into her mouth. It was a delicious citrus flavor. Lemon. One of her favorites. “I don’t know how Big Dick does it. As for me, I simply use the power of deduction.”
“You’ve noticed Raven.”
“It’s kind of hard not to,” she said. “Have you seen her? She’s a strong, beautiful, MC member. She’s kind of hard to miss.”
“You like her?”
“I think so.” Harlow stared at the man in front of her. Hunter was a bit of a mystery. He had been there when she got stabbed, and the memory of him being there lingered.