Page 47 of Ravage
“She’s not one of us anymore,” he snaps out automatically.
I don’t react immediately to his temper. I get that years going by doesn’t change that he lost his sister to someone he trusted.
But I can look at this more objectively. I liked Vera. She was fun sometimes and I had no problem looking out for her when I could out of respect for Dane. But she and I had never been close. Not like she had been with her actual brother. And Raegan.
Hearing about her death hurt, but more because of the impact it had on my closest friend. And that it was Raegan who admitted to doing it.
I’ve had a lot of years to think about her and what she said. I wasted the first few in a haze of alcohol and self-destruction; her words that she was with GE and killed Vera running on an endless loop. And then, one day, I started to wonder if there was more to it.
I can’t believe that all our time together was fake. Either GE had something to do with what happened and why she said that, or else she is with them like she says and she wound up falling for us as much as we fell for her. Tonight proved that she’s the same girl as the one on the island. That was real.
Even if she is with the bad guys, I’ll win her over.
I dig into my early morning breakfast and then point my butter knife at Dane. “You threaten her like that again, and I’ll stab you with this knife.”
His chair screeches against the hardwood floors as he jumps up. His hands are already fisted and glowing with his gift. “Let’s go, then. I haven’t been sitting here every day for years twiddling my thumbs. You know what I’m capable of.”
Aiden sighs and sets his mug and phone down on the table but doesn’t bother interrupting.
I smirk at Dane and shove another forkful of toast into my mouth before responding. “And you know what I’m capable of. You really think you can take me on when I’m being serious?”
Jack pockets his paper creatures and hops down from the railing, then slips inside and sits on the table. Not between us, though. No, more like he wanted a closer seat to the fight that might break out.
There’s a moment of silence, but I can feel the brewing violence like electricity in the air.
Dane rushes me while I’m still seated, but I catch his fist before it can strike me. I squeeze it and bare my teeth at him. “You’ll have to do better than that.”
He smirks, and something wraps from his wrist to mine. I drop his hand and pull away, but whatever he’s attached doesn’t loosen. He grabs my hand back and mutes my gift. What should be warm and steady in my gut is now quiet and glaringly void. I hate the feeling, but I’ve felt it before and have learned how to move past it. I have to remind myself that it’s temporary.
I yank my hand back, pulling him to me, and then slam my other fist into his stomach. He grunts and folds forward. My elbow drops into his back, and we both fall to the ground. I flip him over and pin him down with my other arm at his throat, growling in his face.
“That was a cute trick, but now you need to learn how to use it. Until then. Don’t. Touch. Raegan.”
“Since when do you care?” he spits at me as he struggles to find an opening to get out from under me.
There isn’t one.
His fists pummel into my sides, but I’m built of solid muscle, even without my gift being able to come into play.
“Since I saw who she really was tonight. The same girl we knew on the island.”
“And that girl killed one of us. Who’s to say she isn’t here to finish the rest of us off? To lure you back so she can kill you too? I won’t lose another one of us!” He continues to fight against me, and I press down more until he’s forced to grab at my arm instead. The bracelet around my wrist—that looks like a slimmer and less clunky version of handcuffs—drops to the ground. “We never meant anything to her. She’ll never care about you. Your protection is wasted.”
His words echo the doubt that has taken me hostage since she returned, and it sinks like a boulder in my gut. I stand. He coughs and rubs at his neck as he sits up.
“That’s my business. Not yours.”
“Is it also your business as to why there is a gaping hole in your pants?” Aiden finally intervenes.
Oops, forgot about that.
“Sure is,” I drawl.
Jackson cackles and picks up a piece of French toast to take a bite. No syrup, no silverware. Just eats it like an animal. “I’m sure our little Raegan had something to do with that. Couldn’t get your clothes off fast enough or trying to maim your dick?”
Fuck, do I wish it were the first one.
“None of your damn business. Are we done here? We can consider that piss-poor attempt at a fight as me spanking Dane for leaving, yeah?”
