Page 44 of Haven

She left in the middle of the night. There was a reason. I briefly remembered her on the phone, trying to be quiet so she wouldn’t wake me, but I didn’t process it. One day I would go to Briarwood and see her, but I didn’t exactly know her address and someone there was bound to recognize me.

SAWYER

I have a problem

ME

You ALWAYS have a problem. I’m about to meet West. What’s up?

SAWYER

Hell's Disciples. They know what we did, and they are pissed.

My dad had a lot of enemies, but the Disciples were Sawyer’s problem, not mine. Sawyer, Archer, and Hael were unofficial members of the Devils. They moved to Florida for college, so they were docked part timers until they could fully commit to the club. My dad would help them if needed, but he had enough on his plate dealing with the Predators and the Vipers. He didn’t need Sawyer and his buddies’ fuckery in his life. Those three could make a priest drink.

ME

I’ll stop by after I see West.

Thirty-Six

Rory

“My pretty princess, Aurora.” His hands felt like sandpaper on my skin. Why couldn’t I see his face?

His fingers trailed up my thigh, sending chills down my spine. His touch was just as venomous as Jude. “Stop.”

“No. Daddy said you get to be mine when we’re both older. You’re my pretty princess.” Bile threatened to drown me when his leery fingers lingered on my bare legs. “I’ll be your first, just like you’ll be mine. I can’t wait to have you.”

I gasped, jolting up in the bed as my phone went off. What the hell was that? It took me a moment to realize where I was until I saw red locs and naked skin. 3:30 a.m. The light blaring from my phone blinded me and as Cinder’s name flashed on the screen. Shit. I left without telling anyone where I was headed, where they could find me. The only thing on my mind had been escaping as I frantically sought a distraction, which ultimately led me to Hades. I still couldn't believe how I had allowed myself to break in front of her. Or that she hadn't pushed me away, instead holding me together in her arms.

I didn’t realize how much I needed her until last night when she held me. There was intimacy, but it wasn’t in the form of sex.

“Hello?” I whispered as I answered my phone, trying not to wake up the woman beside me.

“Rory, what the fuck are you doing in Devil territory?” she hissed. I forgot she had my fucking location. Guess she’s using that again.

“I’m with a…friend.”

Cinder wasn’t enthused. She never was. This was my life, and I dictated how I handled my fucking trauma. I thought I wanted sex, but Hades showed me I needed comfort and reassurance. I needed to cry. It was easy breaking in front of Hades because I knew she wouldn’t judge me. With the Vipers and my sister, I was put into this box where I had to be okay, so crying in front of them showed weakness. They already thought I was a child who couldn’t take care of herself; I didn’t need this to prove their point.

“Get the fuck out of Crestview before I break every rule and drag you out of there myself.” She was pissed. “Someone is trying to hurt you. I need you home, please.”

Please.

I heard actual fear in my sister’s voice. That was a first.

“I’m on my way home. I’ll be there soon.” It was better to go now than deal with an argument later, but I knew how she was feeling since they mirrored my own emotions. We were scared for two very different reasons, though.

I scribbled a note, even though I’d send her a text, but a cute ‘thank you’ would be nice to wake up to in the morning. Starting my day next to her for once would be a dream, but as this life had taught me early on, dreams were for sleeping not reality.

When I got back to the clubhouse, I saw Vesper in the kitchen cleaning shot glasses. I assumed she and some of the other Vipers took them or played a drinking game. They tried to keep their drinking to a minimum when I was around, but it didn’t bother me as bad as they assumed. I knew the Vipers and none of them were aggressive drunks. Besides, if any of them made me uncomfortable, Cinder would sober them up real quick or I could always go to my room and lock the door.

God was punishing me, because why did he make Vesper look this panty-melting? Her cargo pants were hung low on her hips, showing the defined V of her abs, her white crop top barely covering anything. I could see her rosy nipples through the light fabric. Would it be a bad idea to rip her shirt off and tease her breasts with my mouth? Fuck, I bet her moans sounded intoxicating.

“Mariposa, are you okay?”

Would no be the appropriate answer?