Page 137 of Raven

“It’s all right, baby,” I murmur.

A loud racket and shouts come from the hall. Running footsteps follow, and the door swings open.

I don’t look. I know it’s him.

I keep murmuring to Little, “It’s all right, baby, you’ll be fine.”

“What happened?” Raven’s voice is right next to me. I feel his body crowding me.

“Sir, you need to leave!” one of the nurses demands.

“It’s all right,” Dr. Hodges says, dismissing her.

“What happened?” Raven demands.

“Please, move away,” I ask, not giving him a single look.

“What is this?”

“Rave, step back just a little so they can do their job,” I say calmly, though my heart beats like a war drum.

He moves. I don’t look back, though I feel him. He’s only a foot away.

He smells like smoke and whiskey, its smell stronger than ever before.

Little jerks at the sight of him, right away winces at the pinch of the IV needle in his hand, and yelps in pain.

Dr. Hodges holds his arm down and, in a low, soothing voice, tells him to relax.

“It’s all right, Little, it’s okay, baby, it’s okay,” I keep murmuring, stepping closer, almost hovering over the doctor as Raven does the same.

Little’s sad eyes dart between us.

“You two.” Dr. Hodges looks up over his shoulder. “Move away. Go stand over there. You are making things worse.”

I step away to the back of the room. Raven’s sharp gaze on me is almost murderous when he follows. “Can you explain?” he says gruffly.

“He took sleeping pills.”

“Why?”

“He will be all right. There weren’t that many, and thank god he didn’t have an allergic reaction. He came to the pool right after he took them, so we caught it very early.”

“Why?” Raven steps closer, towering over me. “Who gave him those?”

I don’t answer.

“Who?”

I don’t look at him.

He steps into me. I lift my eyes to meet his and see that same anger I saw the day we broke off the deal.

“Who?” he mouths, his gaze vicious.

“You don’t get to look for someone to accuse,” I say, hugging my middle and trying to stop my body from shaking. “You know why?”

He is so close, so very close, for the first time in weeks. And in this moment of Little’s rebellion, I wish we didn’t have to sort out our differences.

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