Page 89 of The Grief We Hold

I tuck a lock of hair behind Raven’s ear. Never ceases to amaze me how heavy and soft her hair is. “What kind of man just runs off and leaves his wife and kid behind?”

“One in a lot of trouble. I texted friends to see if anyone knew where he might have gone. On the third day, two of our friends came to the house demanding to know where he was. He’d taken their money and wasn’t returning their calls either. I told them what I knew, that I hadn’t seen him for a few days and that I had no idea what was going on. They alerted the police too.”

“Shit, Raven. I’m so sorry you had to face all this.”

Raven huffs. “The irony is, I was never planning to run. I figured that would make me look guilty or complicit if I didn’t stay in our home. I tried to help the police the best I could. They raided our home office and took away a lot of things.”

I stroke her hair and kiss her forehead gently. “What made you change your mind?”

Raven sighs heavily. “Fen was staying at my dad’s place one night. It was late, and I was in bed when the alert went off that there was an intruder in the house. I called the police, eventhough I knew the security company would call them too, and then I hid. We’d had a small cupboard with a washing machine and dryer in it. There was a small gap down the side of the stacked machines, so I crawled in there and pulled some clean bedding I’d washed over me.”

My heart races at the thought of her. “Did they find you?”

Raven looks up at me. “No. They didn’t. But I heard them. I couldn’t see them. They had an Eastern European accent. Russian, maybe. Polish or Ukrainian or something. They were angry. Shouting. I heard them yell my husband’s name. The police sirens disturbed them, but by the time they left, they’d tossed the house. And they’d taken a photograph off the table in the entrance. One of me and Fen.”

I hug her tightly, struggling to quell the wave of panic that something could have happened to her and Fen. It grotesquely dances with memories of the past.

“Fuck, Blue. That’s why you ran? Because you feared for reprisals?”

Raven nods. “They would know us on sight. Maybe they thought they could use us as hostages.” She pauses at a squeal of laughter from Fen in the other room, waiting for him to settle before she continues. “I packed quickly but thoughtfully. Vacuum packed everything to fit more in each case. Then Dad dropped me and Fen at the bus station. I sold some jewelry to get some cash, then used the cash to travel here without leaving a footprint behind.”

“Smart fucking girl.” I move her so she’s sitting astraddle my thighs.

She glances back towards the hallway. “We shouldn’t sit like this. It could be confusing to Fen if he?—”

I grab the back of her neck and tug her to me. All this honesty, all her softness and bravery make me feel a certain kindof way. When her lips hit mine, I have a thought about fucking her like this.

But I understand her worries. “When I want to kiss you, I’m gonna kiss you. I’m not gonna hide my feelings for you from Fen. Not when you’re trusting me like this and telling me your story. I’m fucking proud of you for making it here. You’ve been such a brave girl doing all that on your own.”

Raven smiles at my words, then runs her fingers along my jaw. “You get bonus points for saying sweet things like that to me, Wraith.”

I take her hand in mine. “Call me ‘Axel.’ When we’re home and it’s just the two of us.” Fen laughs loudly at something. “Or three of us.”

“Okay. I’d like that. You really want to try this with me?”

I position her so her pussy is over my cock. “Yes, Blue. You need a formal invite or something?”

She bursts into laughter at that. “I’d pay good money to see you try.”

“How about I just fuck you senseless until you realize I’m serious?”

She leans forwards and kisses me. “Both sound good.”

“Anything else worrying you? Or can I go take Fen to look for frogs in the pond while you make us some dinner?”

“He’d love to go looking for frogs with you. What food do you have in the house that I can use?”

He shrugs. “Just shopped yesterday, so make whatever you can find.”

She goes to move off me, then pauses when she sees the photograph of Hallie and Lottie. Her mouth opens as if to say something, then closes it again.

“What?” I ask.

“Nothing.” When she shakes her head, all that thick black hair moves with her. I grab the chunk that frames her face and falls over her shoulders, gently wrapping it around my fist.

“Blue. Remember that honest conversation thing?”

“What I was about to say was…”

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