Page 24 of Fractured

Raven: Will you kill him if I do?

Ravenmaster: Depends.

Raven: On?

Ravenmaster: How honest you want to be with me.

Always a game. I’ve been playing it my whole life, but after being with Jasper who was overly honest, this is throwing me. Jasper knocked me off my axis. I hit the button to lock my screen and peer out the window. We’ve almost arrived at the corporate headquarters. I would have had to stop texting soon anyway.

I hide the watch in my purse, and just as I pick up my phone to put away as well, it chirps. Of course it would. Ravenmaster is probably watching me through the camera.

Ravenmaster: Actually, I’m just trying to get you to be honest with yourself. It will make things simpler later on.

It’s hard to resist the urge to mock his text, but the more I think about it, the more certain I am that he really is watching me.

Raven: Are you planning on asking a question anytime soon?

Okay. So holding my attitude in is a work in progress. Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Ravenmaster: Who do you want to keep safe from me killing? And don’t be a smartass. We both know I’m talking about sexually.

I think about my answer for a moment and find myself hating him. I don’t let anyone in, and yet he’s able to prove just how much he really does know me without ever spending time together in person. He’s right. I don’t want to be honest about this. But I really need to. Another thing he’s right about.

Raven: I reserve the right to change my answer, but no killing Vander or Jasper.

Ravenmaster: Is that it?

Raven: Well, there’s you, but I thought that was a given.

Ravenmaster: You trying to deflect by flirting with me? Or is this one of your attempts to find out who I am?

Ravenmaster: What about your dinner plans in a few days?

His messages come in back to back. Shit. I didn’t think about Cole with his panty-soaking accent. My mind only went to who I just fucked and of course Vander since he basically had a role in fucking me too. Not to mention he’s sitting in front of me.

Raven: And Cole.

Ravenmaster: That it? You don’t want to add Mr. Disappointment?

As if he summoned the man by word alone, I get a text from said Mr. Disappointment. I don’t have any existing messages from the contact, but it’s clear who it is once I read it.

Mr. Disappointment: Hey, wifey. I look forward to seeing you. I’ve missed you since you left my apartment. I thought I’d hear from you by now, but couldn’t hold back from messaging any longer. We are on our way to Halston HQ now. Not too much longer until you’re in my arms again.

Grayson. And he’s even more clingy than I ever realized.

Ravenmaster: Yuck. I should change his name to stage five clinger.

Raven: Says the man stalking me.

Ravenmaster: That’s different. You actually get turned on by my stalking. And I’m good in bed.

Raven: Would you actually let me add him to the list? You already said if he touches me again, he’s dead.

Ravenmaster: Just testing you, Raven. And I can’t say you passed. I don’t like him. So he stays on the hit list.

Raven: So that means you like Vander, Jasper, and Cole?

Ravenmaster: Back to my question. Are you going to tell Jasper about me? Don’t forget he needs to know about Cole too.

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