Page 43 of Pretty Monsters

"Damn, it looks like I don't stand a chance with her," he mutters.

"Is that why you're doing all of this? To get laid?"

"No, there's something about her that makes even assholes like us step up to be a white knight, isn't there?"

I glare at him. "I'm no one's white knight."

His eyes drop to where I'm absentmindedly brushing her hair back. "You sure about that?"

"I've got to figure out where to take her for at least a few days. If I'm right, she's going to forgive her brother and want to go back, but until she decides that on her own, I want to give her space."

"Shane," Ford leans his head outside of the room and calls for his roommate.

He comes to the doorway, and although he looks at Raven and I curiously, he doesn't say anything.

"Do you think your grandpa will let us use his cabin in the mountains for a few days?" Ford asks.

Shane shrugs. "We've got a long weekend starting after tomorrow. I bet I can convince him I deserve a reward. After all, I am working to join his business."

The thin walls carry the conversation he holds with his grandpa. Knowing we can hear him he shouts from his room. "We're on."

"The cabin is off grid. It has solar power, a rainwater collection tank, a septic system, and even better it's out of cell range. We'll have everyone leave their phones in their cars so we won't have to tell the girls not to take pictures."

Jess would be an issue, but one I'd deal with when I had to.

"I'm going to take Raven home now that her brother is gone. I'll just have to have her up early before he gets home from work."

Ford shakes his head. "No need. Ted and Amber have been hooking up. He already texted and let us know he would be gone tonight. I'll take the couch, you can stay here with her. I promise I won't come in and punch you in the face in the morning."

It isn't very late, and after he leaves the room the sounds of a game come from the television. He and Shane spend most of it arguing over who is going to win, and the stats of the players. Instead of joining them, I kick off my shoes and lay down next to her.

I'll have to wake her in an hour, but until then I watch her sleep. "You scared me, princess," I whisper.

Her eyes flutter open. "Sin?"

"I'm here. We're in Ford's apartment. I promise, your brother isn't coming here. Tomorrow we're going to hang out with your new friends for a few days at a cabin in the mountains."

"What about Lucien?"

"He's going to stay here. If you don't want to go back to the apartment, we'll figure something else out. I'm not going to make decisions for you anymore."

"Thank you," she says quietly, then her eyes close again.

I set an alarm for an hour and a half and wrap my arms around her.

I must have fallen asleep for a while, because my alarm wakes me up after what feels like only minutes passed. There's a light tap on the door right before it opens. Ford enters the room, and pauses. "I'm not excusing what her brother did, but I can see why he'd have a problem with that."

Once again, in my sleep, my hand has found its way under Raven's shirt. She protests when I slide it out.

"Nothing going on between you two, huh?" He smirks, and I fight a litany of curses I want to spew. Mostly, I'm ashamed that my unconscious self has sought her out again.

When I don't answer he continues speaking. "Has she eaten today?"

"No," I rasp. Neither have I for that matter, but I'm used to going without.

"I made some soup. We should see if she can eat some of it."

"Yeah, she needs to eat."

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