Page 87 of Ravage
The Guild membership is sitting around a hundred and fifty since its rebirth two years ago. Two years since Jack came to me and the others and asked for help taking down his mentor, who had been using gifted people to spread his influence and power. He was a mini version of GE all on his own, and once Jackson learned what he was doing, we were forced to kill him.
It left us with hundreds of gifted people and the Tower to look after, and so we repurposed it into what it was originally promised to be, using the resources left behind.
After we escaped the island, I always planned on finding a way to fight back. It’s our responsibility as ones who have survived them to do so. It took more convincing of the others, but after we found out Dane was being hunted and that they’d never stop coming for us, it left us with no choice anyway. They’ll never let us, or any other gifted person, live unless they are under their control.
We’ve been able to stay off their radar by running the business side as a temp agency and keeping the use of gifts hidden during the jobs, but there’s always the risk that something will slip.
A few members wave or smile at me, to which I offer polite nods in return. I catch Cassandra breaking off mid-conversation once she spots me and then hurrying my way.
I pick up my pace.
The elevator door opens, and I jab my finger for the Loft. She’s running now with her hand up, like she thinks I’ll actually stop the elevator for her even after I’ve repeatedly told her that I’m not interested.
My hand presses against the cold steel of the elevator, and I use my metal manipulation gift to shut the doors faster than normal. I keep them shut even after she tries ringing the elevator again, and then exhale when I’m finally lifted away from that floor.
I’m more irritable today than usual.
No, that’s not entirely accurate. I’ve been in a bad mood since Raegan suddenly appeared in our city out of the blue.
That was no coincidence either. I’d bet my Aston Martin on it that Jackson finally found and led her here. And then gave her a reason to stick around.
My hand rubs subconsciously across the front of my jacket over the inner pocket where I keep the picture of her hidden. I showed the others her birth certificate, but this? I’ve kept it to myself and on my person almost every day since I found it on the island.
The lights in the library flicker in warning that it’s time to pack up and return to our rooms. The sound of books slamming shut, wooden chairs moving, and chatter among the students who’d been studying in here peaks as they start to leave.
I wait patiently in an aisle of dusty old books no one has bothered to look at or read in years. The room goes dark within minutes, and then the hazy glow of the automatic lights embedded on the ends of the aisles adds an eerie light and darker shadows.
There’s a light giggle that I instantly recognize and confirms my suspicions.
Raegan, Kellan, and Dane were whispering with one another over something. Since Raegan is the smallest and quietest of the three, she would be the most likely one they’d choose to do whatever task or prank they’d thought up.
I should be annoyed with them for risking themselves like this. For risking her, most of all.
But my heart is racing in anticipation of catching her like this. It’s become a sort of game between the two of us. I give her rules and boundaries to follow. She pushes them. I get her alone to scold her.
I try to tell myself it’s silly and I should stop this. But every time I confront her, it feels like I’m getting that much closer to something that I want. Something I need. I need to feel that way again. To keep going with this game to see where it leads. Because maybe at the end, I’ll find myself and what I feel like I’ve been searching for.
I listen carefully to Raegan’s movements, following a few aisles behind so she doesn’t notice me, and wait until she arrives at her destination.
Adult movies.
There are only so many books and movies that GE has approved for us to watch and stock on the island. But there are also some that the staff have brought in with them to share, just for them.
Movies aren’t my thing. I prefer to get lost in a book that teaches me things. Business things. Learning about numbers, strategy, people…that’s all information I plan to use one day.
It doesn’t mean I won’t watch some scenes here or there, though, when the movie is on in the room.
I step up behind her. I’m not trying to be overly quiet now so I don’t startle her, but she’s so engrossed in her search that she doesn’t notice me anyway.
I clear my throat.
Raegan jumps and spins around, crashing back into the shelves hard enough that a few loose movies tumble and crash to the floor. She opens her mouth, and I quickly slap my hand across it.
Her blue eyes widen in surprise. I wait a little bit longer and then drop my hand.
“Aiden,” she murmurs breathlessly, and the sound of my name on her lips goes straight to my dick.
I know the way she feels about me. And the way I feel about her.
