Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 154037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 770(@200wpm)___ 616(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 770(@200wpm)___ 616(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
Worry instantly gripped him, especially when he saw the same damned thing ripped through Raven’s expression.
She bit down on her bottom lip.
Reservations and fear spiked through the air.
Otto grunted, “Answer it.”
With a trembling hand, Raven reached over him and grabbed it, and she pushed back to sitting, her voice quiet when she muttered Haddie’s name.
Haddie started rambling, obviously crying, her words just loud enough for Otto to be able to make out since Raven had the phone pressed to her ear. “He just dumped me. On the freaking street. He’s such a jerk, Raven.”
Otto’s baby sister gasped and choked, while a vat of rage plunged into his stomach. It took everything he had not to rip the phone out of Raven’s hold.
“Where are you?” she whispered as those eyes came up to meet with his.
Guilt and dread roiled in them.
There was a break, then Haddie mumbled the crossroads.
What the fuck? She was halfway across town from where she was supposed to be. Near Iron Owls’ club.
Agitation barreled through his senses.
“I’ll be there in a minute to get you,” Raven said.
“I’m so sorry. I’m really sorry,” Haddie rambled.
“It’s okay,” Raven promised. “I’ll be right there.”
The line went dead, and Raven slowly let the phone drop to her lap.
Otto eased up to sitting, careful since he felt like he might split apart. “The fuck was that?”
Raven gulped, and she looked away like she was trying to hide whatever secret she was supposed to keep.
“Raven…please. This is my sister we’re talking about.”
She looked back at him, that guilt in full force. “I don’t want to betray her confidence.”
His eyes squeezed closed for a beat, then he was urging, “Is Haddie in trouble? If she is, I need to know.”
A single tear slipped down her cheek, and warily, she nodded. “She’s been seeing Gideon.”
Horror belted through him.
Alarm and a hatred so fierce that he couldn’t contain it.
He flew out of the bed and started for the door. “Don’t worry about pickin’ her up. That’s on me.”
The words were coated in disgust.
“Otto, please, don’t…” Raven scrambled off the bed behind him.
He whipped the door open, then he came to a crashing halt when he slammed into a body on the other side.
River.
Fuck.
With his hand trembling like a bitch, he reached behind and closed Raven’s door.
Darkness reigned in the narrow hall, though he could make out the speculation and something that looked too close to animosity glow in River’s dark eyes.
“What the fuck is goin’ on?” his best friend growled.
A landslide of shame slammed into Otto, and his throat constricted so tight he could hardly speak. “I heard Raven having a nightmare.”
What bullshit.
She hadn’t had one in two weeks.
Not since he’d been going to her.
Not since he’d been holding her.
River took a step toward him. He might have tried to keep it in check, but Otto could feel the combativeness roll through his body as he backed Otto up to the wall. “You sure that’s all it was?”
An accusation lined the words.
“River…” Otto didn’t even know what to say, but River had plenty to fill the tension that curdled the air.
“You think I haven’t noticed the way you’ve been lookin’ at her? You think I don’t know you’ve been slinking into her room night after night?”
Otto’s head shook. “No, man. Would never fuckin’ cross you like that.”
River came closer, getting right up in Otto’s face. “She’s innocent, man. Want to keep her that way. Outside of this life.”
“You know I’d never touch her like that. She’s a sister to me, and that’s all she’s ever going to be. That’s it. Swear it. Swear it on our friendship. On our brotherhood. You never have to worry about me goin’ against that.”
Otto wanted to vomit saying the words.
The lies he had to force between clenched teeth.
But he had to cling to those lies. Believe them. Take them on for himself.
Because he couldn’t…he couldn’t stoop to being so vile.
Raven deserved so much more than he could ever offer. More than he could ever give. He wanted the world for her, not the Hell their crew had made their home.
A bit of the suspicion drained from River’s expression, and he stepped back and gave Otto a tight nod. “I know it, man. I just…she’s grown now, and I don’t fuckin’ know how to handle that. How to keep protecting her from the evil in this world. Can’t fuckin’ handle the thought of someone doing her wrong. Not again. She’s too good. She’s far too good.”
Otto reached out and squeezed his shoulder. “Know it. We can’t stand aside and watch it happen. Not to either of our sisters.” Otto hesitated then leaned in and murmured around the rage that was still seething inside him. “Which is why I’m gonna need your help.”
“You’re all sure you want to get involved in this?” Disquiet whirred through Otto’s senses as he peered out into the night where he and his crew lurked in the darkness of the alley, waiting on the right moment to strike.