Page 108 of Running Winter

"Rafe, Chase. I've deposited some money into both of your accounts. It's not for hookers or drugs; it's in the case of an emergency. Rafe, don't spend it on more tattoos. I want you to come back at Christmas looking like you do now."

"You didn’t have to." Mom gasped, and Dad smiled at Lucas thinly.

"Why not? It’s the least he can do."

Uncle Lucas glared at my father, and Aunt Alice sent Dad a death stare, which made him roll his eyes in defeat.

"Thanks, Lucas. You're a really good egg," Dad drawled, his voice dripping in sarcasm.

"You've got no idea, Lieutenant," Uncle Lucas retorted, turning his attention to Raven. "Your mother and I are away for the next two weeks."

"We are?" Aunt Alice asked quizzically, her eyes locking onto Lucas, who gave a small smile.

"We are."

"Where?"

"It's a surprise, baby." Lucas winked before draining his whiskey. "But Raven has an important job. The decisions of the business will lie with her for two weeks."

Pops choked on his food, and Nanna patted him on the back heartily before turning to Uncle Lucas.

"What?"

Aunt Alice stared at Lucas before glancing at Raven, who was the picture of calm.

"Yeah, what?" Aunt Alice demanded, dropping her napkin onto the table.

"There's not much. But if anything comes up, Raven has the final say." Uncle Lucas shrugged. "My men know what they are doing, but they are to run things past Raven in my absence."

Raven lifted her glass to her lips, and Leigh exhaled heavily, gazing at the ceiling.

"You'll be living in for the next two weeks, Leigh,” Uncle Lucas continued, waving his hand between Rafe and me. "Especially without Starsky and Hutch here."

I rolled my eyes as Pops stared at Uncle Lucas, clearing his throat. "I'm here if you need anything, baby girl. Anytime."

Raven nodded at Pops before dabbing at her mouth with a napkin.

"Thank you. But I won't need anyone. You'll see."

I was glad I was flying to Cali in a matter of hours because this was a shit show I wanted to sit out.

Raven controlling the underground was not something I wanted to observe.

She was intelligent enough, but she seemed to attract danger.

Nanna said she reminded her of Aunt Alice, whereas Dad said any child from Lucas and Alice was likened to the Devil himself.

Charming.

It still baffled me how my dad ran Winterburg above ground, whereas Uncle Lucas controlled it from underground.

It explained why they didn't get along much.

I caught Raven looking at Leigh again, but this time Leigh wasn't paying attention. Instead, he looked concerned, and if I wasn't mistaken, he seemed to have paled slightly.

At the end of the dinner, we all parted ways, and the goodbyes were emotional.

Rayna gripped my hand tightly as we rode back with my parents to my house.

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