Page 26 of Victorious Vice

I was so excited about the meeting with Emily. About getting a board together, about the new anonymous donation, about the gala.

Then one stupid text.

And my mood is shifted.

This kind of mood I never wanted to be in again.

So damn it, I won’t be.

I have to face it all.

Jared gets on the phone quickly as he drives. He’s talking to Leif. And after a while, it sounds like they’ve got Falcon on the line as well. All I hear is Jared’s yeses and nos. I could tell him to put it on speaker, but frankly I don’t want to deal with that.

I’ll let them make the decisions. They know more about security than I do.

But they’re not going to hole me up in some hideaway. They can’t. I won’t allow it.

The conversation seems to drone on forever. Again I try to read the book on my iPad. It doesn’t work.

It’s near seven p.m. by the time we get back to my house. Jared is probably starving. Normally I would be too.

“Don’t you want to eat?” Jared asks once we’re back in the house.

“I’m not hungry.”

He narrows his eyes. “You have to eat, Raven. You’re still?—”

“Recovering.” I cross my arms. “Yes, don’t I know it. I kicked cancer’s ass, and now someone wants to kick mine in return. What the hell do they think they’re doing?”

Even the raven can’t fly forever. Sooner or later, it comes home to die.

Then I gasp.

I’mhome.

This is my home.

Maybe Ishouldleave.

But no. I clench my fists again. They are not going to kick me out of my home. I don’t even know who “they” are.

“So are you going to tell me?” I ask Jared.

“About what?”

“Your talk with Leif. And my brother. It sounded like you got him on the line.”

“Yes, we did. Falcon wants you at the safe house.”

“A safe house?” I put my hands on my hips. “I’m not going.”

“Raven…”

“Look, I have a state-of-the-art system here, as you know. I haveyouhere. I also have a trust fund, so if you want, hire five of your biggest, toughest friends. All armed. You can stay in my fucking living room.” I plunk myself down on the living room couch. “But I will not leave my home. I won’t stop working on the nonprofit.”

“You can still work on the nonprofit from the safe house.”

“Not hands-on. I can’t meet with people, and I can’t?—”

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