Page 40 of Victorious Vice

I nod, relenting. “I’ll stay. But only until the gala.”

He sighs. “All right, Raven. You’ll be at that gala. Because I’ll make sure I eliminate any threat to you before then.” He starts to head toward the exit.

“No, Falcon.” I grab his hand. “You have Savannah to think of. Don’t you get yourself involved in this. The last thing I want is for you to go back to prison.”

His gaze darkens. “Oh, I’m not going back to prison, Raven. Not ever.”

“Good.”

I’ve heard my brother say on more than one occasion that he would do it all over again to protect Eagle. But I don’t know that he would.

He must’ve lived through hell.

Just as I did.

And I sure as hell don’t want to go through everything I went through again.

“Listen,” Falcon says. “I know this sucks. I know you don’t want to be here. I wish it were different, Ray. When I went to prison and asked Hawk to build this place, it was for exactly this reason. In case one of us needed it. I’m damned glad it’s here. I’m going to try to figure out who’s been texting you from this burner and who sent that threatening text to your regular phone. I’ve left a burner here for you. I want you to use it to get in contact with me. If you can’t get me or Leif, call Hawk.”

“What about Eagle? Dad?”

Falcon frowns. “I don’t want to drag Eagle into this right now. Part of me feels like he’s a loaded gun. And as for Dad?” He shifts his gaze back and forth. “Like I said, I don’t want him worrying about you. He and Mom have been through enough.”

I simply nod once more.

Falcon finally departs, and I take stock in the kitchen.

I suppose I’m going to have to be the one who cooks for Jared and me.

But he gets there before I do. “I’ll be cooking, Raven.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“This place is a fortress,” he says. “I won’t have a lot to do here to keep you safe. The least I can do is keep you fed.”

I sigh. “Fine.”

“I’m thinking steak and potatoes for dinner. Sound good?”

“Sure. Whatever.”

One thing I will do is eat. Whether I’m hungry or not. Because I’ve got to keep my body strong.

Because Iwillbe at that gala. Whatever else is going on must end.

And if my brother can’t figure it out?

I’ll figure it out myself.

14

VINNIE

“Please,” Daniela says. “You have to help me.”

I look around. “Are we being spied on?”

She shakes her head. “He can probably see us. I don’t know. Sometimes he has drones flying around that I swear to God are invisible to the naked eye. But no one can hear us out here. I’m sure of that.”

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