Page 11 of Raze

“Dunno, ain’t never had one stay here before.” My answer must take her by surprise because it wipes the clever smirk right off her face.

“So, ya gonna tell me what all that screamin’ in ya sleep was about last night.” I wait until she’s finished up her eggs before I ask her. Realizing that I just sat and watched her eat every single mouthful.

“No.” She looks me straight in the eye defiantly.

“That’s a shame, I was considering letting you stay here a little longer.” I shrug taking her plate from under her so I can dump it in the sink.

“Really?” She suddenly drops her act.

“If you tell me what you're runnin’ from.” I turn back round to face her, waiting for her to make a decision.

“I can’t. I–”

“You were scared last night and I’m guessin’ whatever landed you up here is still out there. Now, I’m not promisin’ I can help you, but I can give you a place to lay low for a while. If I’m gonna do that, I’m gonna need some honesty.” I lay it out for her and when she closes her eyes and takes a breath I take the seat opposite her again and prepare to listen.

“There was a guy who was in a relationship with my mom before she died,” she starts, and I can already tell from the look on her face that I ain’t gonna like where this is goin’.

“He…” She shifts in her seat. “He promised he’d take care of us after she was gone, and we believed him. We put all our trust into him and…” She pauses as if she’s not brave enough to get through the rest of her story.

“He’d come into my room some nights wearing a mask over his face. He’d have Mom’s scarfs in his hands, the pretty ones she wore for special occasions, and he’d use them to tie me down. The first time he did it I thought it was some kinda home invasion or a bad dream, but…” She shakes her head sadly.

“He hurt you?” I check, trying to stay calm and fighting the urge to get off my ass, find this fucker and slit his fuckin’ throat.

“Me, and my brother too. It took Kane a while to admit it, but Billy would visit both of us.” She turns her head away from me and I quickly grab her chin and force her to look back.

“And this Billy guy, where is he now?” If she knows his location I can make her problem disappear and take pleasure in it.

“He was in jail, but I got a letter a few days ago to say he’d been released.”

“And that's who you're runnin’ from?” I check, getting the impression that there’s still something missing from her story.

“Yeah.” Her eyes fall off mine again like she’s ashamed.

“And Billy’s second name?” I need more information.

“Skillet.” She closes her eyes and I drop my hand from her face.

“You can stay here for now. But the same rules apply as before. I got a lotta shit to be dealin’ with and I can’t be worrying about you gettin’ into trouble.”

“You keep saying that, what makes you think I’d be trouble?” She smiles, and after seeing her look so sad I can’t help appreciating how pretty it looks.

“Darlin’ trust me when I say that around here trouble finds you.” I stand back up and lift my cut from the hook by the door.

“Hey, Raze,” she calls after me, and when I turn around she’s lookin’ a lot like she belongs in my space.

“Thanks.” She smiles for me again and I get myself gone before I come up with any other stupid ideas.

Itake a long walk along the beach once Raze has left, letting the sea soak my feet and drag my footprints back into the ocean. Here in the safety of this compound with the man who held me in my sleep last night, it would be so easy to forget what I left behind. Easy to let myself believe that Billy is the only thing I’m running from, but reality follows me like a black cloud ready to pour open. I make my way back toward Raze’s beach hut, unable to stop myself from thinking about Kane and the mess I’ve left him in. I know he would have had to do some bad things in order to get himself in favor with the club, but I can’t imagine the big brother I grew up with getting rid of a body. My stomach rolls when I think about all the blood that was leaking from that Reaper bastard’s body and how Kane would have had to clean the back of the van. I don’t even know if my brother’s dead or alive because I can’t call him. For all I know the club could have found out and he could be paying the price for the deed I did.

“You're looking a little lost.” A scratchy voice comes from behind me as I step up onto the porch and when I turn around and see the tall, dark-haired guy standing behind me I freeze. His skin is pale, his eyes look as if the devil himself put the black in them, and he’s so wickedly handsome that he actually takes my breath away.

“I’m not lost,” I assure him, feeling a little intimidated as he steps closer. His eyes rolling over me as if he’s turning my body inside out and searching my soul.

“You’re a member of the club.” I glance down at the cut he’s wearing.

“They call me Sinner.” He slides the smoke he has balanced behind his ear into his mouth and sparks it up. I recognize the smell of weed straight away. Kane never smokes it around me, but his clothes always reek of it.

“Sinner.” I test his name out on my lips as I watch him toke back.

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