Page 19 of Shiny Things

We’d been conditioned our whole lives to think differently of each other. It was ingrained in us practically from birth. But I was going to change that.

Sure, my mother would complain at first, but if there was one thing I learned when Gia took David as her mate it was that my mother, Helena Dean Davenport, could get over a hell of a lot when it came to the happiness of her children. And Kim was the one person in this world that truly made me happy.

I gave her one last peck.

“I need to check in on David. I’ll be back to take you home in a bit.”

Before she could protest, I left the room.

It wasn’t hard to find my family. I could hear my mother’s screeching from down the hall.

Anger filled me when I walked into the room. It was bigger and almost luxurious compared to the back exam room Kim had been given. Yet she was the one that had required the ambulance. It was ridiculous.

There were so many things that needed to be fixed within the Raven hierarchy. Just maybe my father’s insistence that I work with the Congress wasn’t a bad thing. There was a glimpse of hope that I could make some changes around here for the better.

“How is he?” I asked my brother Ryan when I walked into the room.

“Oh, he’s fine. Mom’s still going to fuss over him anyway. She’s insisting the doctor runs all sorts of unnecessary tests.”

“Have you guys seen the place yet? How bad is it?” Dean asked.

“The diner is fine. Just needs a bit of repair in the kitchen. They’ll have it back up soon. Kim really saved the day,” I said proudly.

Ryan frowned. He didn’t approve. But Dean grinned and gave me a thumbs up.

At least I had one of my siblings on my side.

I honestly expected Gia to be happy for us, but I also knew she was worried for Kim’s sake. Our mother could be a force to be reckoned with, but I had to believe she’d come around.

“Well, David, you’re fine, right?”

“Yes. But can you do us a favor and make sure Kim gets home okay? She refused to let us call her family,” he said.

Mom huffed. “It’s not like her Flock doesn’t already know.”

“I’ll handle it,” I said and left the room.

I was in no shape to handle her sarcastic bullshit right now.

Back down the hall, I caught Kim trying to sneak out of the clinic without me.

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?”

Kim

Chapter 7

I froze at the sound of his voice and slowly turned.

Dammit.I thought for sure I could sneak out while he was distracted.

“Come on,” he insisted.

Before I knew it, I was donning a helmet and riding on the back of Elias Davenport’s motorcycle, holding on for dear life—or maybe just because I could.

It felt so right with my arms around him, and my body pressed to his in such an intimate way.

Today had been rough. I was temporarily out of a job, and I had no idea what I was going to do now or even how I’d make rent. Okay, things weren’t that bad. I was good at saving up money and could ride out this storm, but it was really going to tank my savings.

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