Page 79 of Peaceful Chaos

"Damien returned and wouldn't let me see you anymore. He acted like my attention to you was wrong, but really I think he just wanted to keep us separated," Lucien finishes.

Javier nods. "I think Angela might have been planning to run away with the two of you, and Damien knew she wouldn't run if she couldn't take you both."

"There's a flaw in your logic there," Lucien argues. "She rarely paid any attention to either of us, and not once since that trip."

"Everyone has their breaking point, and Damien is skilled in finding them. I don't think Angela has spent her absences in Switzerland or fancy spas." Javier grips the steering wheel hard enough to turn his knuckles white.

"Damien's clubs," I guess.

"I can't prove it. Not yet at least," he replies.

"Okay, so he's using me to hide his money. What exactly does that mean?" Raven asks. Fear wells up inside me as I figure out what Javier is about to say.

"It means that he won't stop coming after you. You've proven you won't be controlled, and my guess is that marrying you off or selling you has always been about keeping you under his thumb and unaware of the money you have access to."

Lucien smiles, and I want to punch him in the face. Whatever he's thinking it's likely reckless and will put Raven in even more danger. "If she has all his money, then we can cut off his resources."

"It's not all his money," Javier warns. "He's kept a considerable amount. He can view the accounts, and somehow manages to move the money without Raven's signature, or he was able to until she turned eighteen."

"Right around the time he started planning to marry her off," I add.

"If we do this," Javier begins, "Raven must be watched even more than she is now."

She groans but nods her head. "I'm withdrawing from school."

"No," I start to protest. School is important to her as a symbol of her freedom.

She raises her hand stopping me from arguing with her. "I am. It's the only thing that makes sense. I can go back when this is done, but we're spread thin enough as it is."

"Then I will too." It's not an easy choice, but if she's willing to put our safety as the priority then so can I. A more rigorous program would serve me better anyway.

"No," Lucien argues. "We're going to finish online."

I look at everyone else. "We can't ask them to do that."

"We can continue to guard them. We won't need as many agents," Javier offers.

Ted reaches over the seat and squeezes Lucien's shoulder. "I'll stick with Amber. Then they can concentrate on Jen."

"We can do this, but only if Shane, Ford, and even you, Ted, go through our boot camp," Javier suggests.

"Do we have time for that?" Shane asks.

"There's a long weekend coming up. You've got some training already, and the rest we can do at the complex," Javier answers.

Shane looks at Jen and frowns. "She'll be protected?"

"Yes," Javier answers without hesitation. "The number of guards following you isn't the problem. It's having Raven out of a controlled environment at all. We will keep you safe."

"Then, let's do it," Shane agrees.

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