Page 44 of Pretty Monsters

"Have you eaten?" he asks.

"No, but I'm fine. I'm used to it though."

Ford cracks his neck, and I worry we're about to have a moment. "Look, man, I know we got off on the wrong foot. I was pissed off about how you used Jess. That girl has issues, and we've all been trying to keep her from self-destructing. I get why you did it though."

"Do you?" That would make one of us. Other than the obvious reason, sex, I'm not sure what point I was trying to prove. That's a lie, I was trying to prove to myself I didn't need Raven. Needing someone makes you weak, and in my world that's as good as making yourself dead.

"We don't have the same background. You've been through some shit. You said you have been trained to kill since you were a child. Were your parents employees of her father?"

Talking about this shit isn't normal for me, but if he's going to risk his neck, he needs to know what he's up against. "I have no idea who my parents are. Her father is Damien Blackthorne."

"Wait, isn't he running for governor? I read that he's a billionaire, but no one really knows how he's made his money."

"Guns, drugs, and people mostly," I answer.

"Shit," he mutters.

"I don't remember anything before I was around four or so. I'd been living in the compound before that, but I don't know how long. I don't remember who sold me. I've never been to school, or to the doctor. Legally, I don't exist."

"Yeah, that makes my shit look small time. So, this isn't just about her running away, is it?"

"No. I had the plans in place and was ready to run. Lucky for her I hadn't found my opportunity to do it yet. As soon as Lucien and I learned what her father planned to do we took her and ran. We couldn't go to the hospital, because I haven't had a chance to make her a false ID yet."

"I don't think you're a bad guy, just someone who hasn't had a chance yet. And if you've got computer skills, I might have a way you can make some money and not leave Raven."

My interest is piqued. "What would that be?"

"Let's grab some food and we'll talk."

15

New Friends

Raven

"Wake up,princess, you need to eat something."

My stomach rolls, but I'm not sure if it's because I'm far past hungry and now ravenous, or if it's the concussion.

Sin takes my hand, and pulls me out of the bed. "Come on, Ford made you some soup."

I sit down at the small table the guys have on one side of the living room. Ford places a bowl of chicken noodle soup in front of me. "I figured if this works for a cold, it can't hurt a concussion."

"Thank you," I say. My voice sounds scratchy, and even though I only hit my head, the pain is radiating through my entire body.

Ford notices and sets a bottle of water and a couple of pain killers next to my bowl. "Concussions are a bitch. When your brain gets knocked around the nerve pain tends to radiate through your entire body. Those will only dull it. Sorry we couldn't get you a prescription."

"I'll manage. I'd rather not take opioids anyway," I say and then swallow the pills. He's right though, they don't do much to get rid of the feeling of being hit by a truck.

I see Ford and Sin studying something on an old laptop computer. It's odd how chummy they are acting when they seemed to be at each other's throats this morning.

"What are you guys working on?" I ask.

"It's nothing," Sin says and closes the laptop.

"I don't buy it. What's going on?"

They share a look, and my suspicions are heightened. "We're getting along, isn't that good enough?" Sin asks.

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