Page 153 of Raven

“What is it?”

I am not a big fan of Skiba, but he is in Rave’s crew. Except he never just comes in to talk to me, unless it’s for injuries. Our interactions are never long and, if I’m honest, awkward.

But something is not right. Skiba’s expression is worrisome. “There’s a problem.”

“What problem?”

“Raven asked me to bring you to him.”

I look around the hall for Nilanski to come back.

“Nilanski can stay here for Sonny. Ali has his day off. That’s why Raven asked me to get you.”

“I need to call him.”

“Fuck… It’ll be too late.” He looks at his phone with slight panic on his face. “He’ll be in trouble.”

My heart skips a beat. “Trouble?”

“We won’t be in time.”

“In time for what?” I almost shout.

“We have to go.” He raises his eyes to me. “If we want to get to him before everything gets bad…”

My mind instantly screams in panic.

“Let’s go!” I blurt without thinking.

We rush out of the building to the parking lot and get on Skiba’s four-wheeler. I don’t know what’s happening, but Raven has too much on his plate as it is. And if he needs me, I’ll be there.

It’s only when we are going in the opposite direction from Raven’s house or the Center that I tap Skiba’s shoulder.

“Where are we going?” I shout against the wind and the raging motor of the ATV.

“We are going to the Diggs.”

“Why?”

“I’ll explain in a bit.”

We veer into the utility road that cuts across to the Diggs away from the main road. That’s when Skiba pulls over and gets off the ATV. He pulls some dark package out of the ATV’s storage unit and unfolds it.

It’s a bag.

A bag?

His cold eyes meet mine. “It’s time to pay your boyfriend’s debt, princess.”

He yanks a black bag over my head.

58

RAVEN

I get out of the shower when my phone beeps with a notification.

The first text is from the unknown number.

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