Page 39 of Raven

Good thing he didn’t ask about the missing phalanges on my left pinkie and ring fingers, because I can’t exactly tell him a story of being “punished” by the street dealers for making a deal with competitors.

The ring was a present from Emily, just several wires twisted together. That was the only thing I owned when I got out of juvie. After I found out what happened to Emily, I had the wires melted together into a ring.

“A souvenir,” I say.

He doesn’t ask about my fingers though it’s impossible not to notice them.

The door of the medical center in the distance slams, and the kid turns his head, then starts frantically waving his arms above his head, drawing someone’s attention.

I see a familiar silhouette that makes my body instantly tense.

It’s Maddy.

I’m pretty sure that no Carnage fight, arms deals, or a meeting with the Secretary of Defense two years ago made me as alert and aware of myself as the girl dressed in medical scrubs, disguising her body that was so openly on display for me the other night.

I’ve made some great deals in my life.

But the sweetest one is walking up to me right now.

16

RAVEN

Maddy approaches slowly, her hands in her scrubs. She gives me a quick up and down and then focuses on the kid. She stops in front of him and ruffles his hair. “Hey, Little, everything okay?”

Right away, his face splits into a grin. “Yeah, talking to Raven.” He leans into her and looks between us.

I lock eyes with her. I know she wants to have the upper hand of how much I nudge myself into her daily life. At least with the kid. To be fair, he is the one who seems to stalk me. I should be thanking him. He seems to be in love with Maddy who now has to talk to me because of him.

Yesterday, after I turned on her porch camera, I couldn’t help myself—as I sat on the balcony of my bungalow late at night, I opened the app and rewound the previous footage. Two hours before that, Maddy appeared on the porch. My breath stilled at the sight. Next to her was the little dude. They disappeared into her bungalow. An hour later, Kai and Callie stopped by and left with him shortly after.

If there’s anything I learned about Maddy, it’s that she is the closest with Guff, Bo, and Ty. I am still trying to figure out if she had anything intimate to do with them. Next in line are Kai and Callie, and lately, Katura. Maddy prefers to be around men. That’s fine as long as they keep their hands to themselves. Sonny “Little” hangs around her more than anyone else. Kai and Callie might have rescued him from Port Mrei, but he is like a puppy who runs from one person to another looking for the best owner.

Maddy seems to be the kid’s favorite. I don’t blame him. That sweet girl is quickly becoming my favorite thing at Ayana, too.

She is still gazing at me when she says, “You want to come with me?” then turns her eyes to Sonny, because that’s who she is talking to.

“Nah,” he says.

“Sure?”

It’s as if she is afraid that I will use him to blackmail her, too.

He nods importantly. “We got things to do.”

Her brows lift in surprise. “You do?” She crosses her arms at her chest and offers me a daring stare.

A bit defensive, beautiful girl?

“Where?” she asks.

“Out and about,” I say, staring her down. “Would you like to join us?”

Of course, she will decline, but I’m curious to see her reaction.

Her gaze brings all my senses to high alert. When she looks at me like that, I wonder if she has flashbacks of our little interaction in the patient room the other night. I certainly do.

“Wanna have breakfast with us, Maddy?” the kid offers, grinning like a Cheshire Cat. “Bu’gers?”

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