Page 96 of Perfect Sin

“Tessa,” I gentle my tone. “Did Jesse rape you.”

She turns her face away, but not before I catch a tear slip down her cheek. “Don’t let him get Raven alone.”

“I won’t. What about you? Are you safe?” I’m not heartless, and I can recognize true anguish when it’s presented to me. Tessa might be a bitch, but it’s clear she’s endured things that aren’t easily pushed aside.

“No, talking to you pretty much guarantees that, but I can’t help him anymore. Staying safe doesn’t matter if I destroy my soul in the process.”

Images of Jess lying dead in the trunk of Damien’s car flash in my head. Maybe I was finding my soul being with Raven, but I couldn’t leave Tessa to the same fate. “You’re coming with us. We won’t leave you alone in this.”

She starts crying in earnest. I awkwardly pat her on the arm. I’m not great at comforting people, but I have a good idea who could help her. I take out my phone and dial a number I haven’t used yet.

“Jen,” I say when she answers, “you and Amber need to meet us at the house.”

“Did something happen to Raven?”

“No. It’s Tessa. She needs you.”

“Say no more. We’ll be there soon.”

She hangs up. I text Lucien to grab Ted and meet us at the car, with a warning to be extra careful.

Tessa follows Lucien, Raven, and I home in her own car, with Ted driving behind her. I hold off on texting Ford until I see her pull in behind us. Lucien stands scowling at Tessa as she sits on the sofa.

“Give me one good reason to trust you,” he demands.

“I don’t think anything I say will convince you to trust me. I’ve done a lot of shitty things lately, and the reasons why don’t matter.”

“They matter to me,” Ford says from the doorway. Shane, Ted, Jen, and Amber walk in behind him.

“I understand,” Raven speaks up. “I didn’t have friends when Kyle came for me the first time, so I was already isolated. I’m willing to bet you were up for auction too.”

“Is that what this is?” Lucien leans in her face. “Trying to save your own ass?”

“Does it matter?” Raven asks. “Is she less worthy because she was in danger too?”

“No,” I say quietly, grateful that the girls came over to offer the emotional support I’m ill-equipped to provide to anyone except Raven.

“Call Gerrick,” I tell Lucien. “We need to find out if he’s setting us up.”

“Do you really think he’s just going to tell us?”

“We aren’t going to that meeting blind. Make the call,” I demand.

He pulls out his phone and steps out of the room.

“I don’t want you going to that meeting,” I tell her.

“And how do you plan to keep me safe if I don’t go? All of you are supposed to be going to the meeting. Is Shane supposed to watch over me along with Jen and Amber?”

“Fuck!” I shout, because she’s right. I can’t leave her, but I have to go to this meeting, otherwise Lucien will be there alone.

My father is proving to be a nuisance I can’t continue to overlook. “There’s something I have to do,” I tell Raven and go to our room.

I wrote down Carina’s number on the back of a business card and kept it in a drawer in my nightstand. Digging it out, I dial the number.

“Hello?” She answers on the third ring.

“It’s Sin. Uh, Jackson,” I reply.

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