Page 16 of Broken Promises

My attention wasn’t on Beckett though, it was on Raven.

She was grinning so wide, talking a mile a minute to Beckett the second she was out of the cage, and I wanted to know how they’d become so close over the past week.

I’d heard they were becoming good friends, but seeing them interact was proof. Raven’s guard was down, and Beckett’s shoulders were relaxed, telling me that both of them were comfortable in whatever conversation they were having.

Riley started talking to Maddox about something, so I took the time to go outside for a cigarette, wanting to get out of the noise for a moment.

I leaned against my car, staring at the door as I wondered if I should just leave, but then Raven stepped out. It was obvious she was just as surprised to see me, her whole body tensing.

“You stay, I can go,” I murmured, fishing my keys from my pocket.

“Reid.” Her voice cracked, and I tucked my keys back into my pocket, holding her gaze.

“Yeah?”

She looked ready to run, and as much as I wanted to comfort her, I knew it would only scare her away.

When she didn’t answer me, I took another drag of my cigarette, giving her one more second before I spoke again. “I’m sorry that you couldn’t be honest with me and that I reacted like a piece of shit in the hospital when I found out.” She blew out a shaky breath, and I risked it as I took a step closer, tossing my cigarette on the ground. “I’m sorry we made you feel like you were just some girl we were fighting over, and that when you needed me to comfort you, I made you feel worse.”

Her lip trembled, but this time when I stepped closer, she stepped back. It took all my willpower to stop moving.

“You have no idea how much you hurt me,” she finally said, her voice quiet. “I didn’t need you calling me stupid or careless. I’d been hit by a fucking car, Reid. I’d just found out I’d lost a baby that I hadn’t known about, and instead of the comfort I needed, you and Logan beat each other up and made me sound like a piece of ass you’d dragged home from a party. I never belonged to any of you. You can’t be angry at Logan for being with me when you rejected me.”

“I can’t be with you, Raven. I can’t do that to Josh,” I said weakly, her face wiping free of sadness as anger took over.

“Josh was thirteen, your promises to him were typical for teenage boys, but not grown men. Do you think Josh would like this? That you choose him over me again and again? That you called me names, insulted me, and would prefer me to be miserable than see me find someone?”

“But he?—”

“He’s fucking dead!” she snapped, throwing her hands out wide. “He’s not here, but I am! You keep trying to make a ghost happy instead of me!”

Angry tears burned her eyes, and when she stalked towards me, I stood still and let her punch me. There was some force behind it, telling me just how pissed she was, and then she smacked her hand into my chest, doing it again and again until she weakened and a tear fell.

My body ached, it was still healing from the damage Logan had inflicted, but I deserved every hit she threw.

“I hate you so much,” she whispered, yanking back from me and shoving her hood over her head, walking off into the dark towards the road. I watched her go, knowing chasing her wouldn’t change anything.

“What the hell did you do now?” Riley muttered as she appeared beside me, her eyes on Raven’s retreating figure.

“Let her get her anger out a little,” I answered, rubbing my sore cheek. “I’m kind of proud of her swing.”

She snickered, giving me the side-eye. “You’re one kinky bitch, Barron. C’mon, come back inside for another beer. Maddox wants to fight some prick, so there’s more entertainment coming.”

I’d rather follow Raven to make sure she got home, but I reluctantly walked back inside with Riley, bracing myself for Beckett’s wrath that I knew was coming my way.

CHAPTER FOUR

RAVEN

“Raven?” I glanced around the dark street in the Heights, trying to see who’d called out for me. Cami appeared across the road under the flickering streetlight, a grin on her face. “It is you! Word on the street is that you got hit by a car.”

“Hey. Yeah, just bruises though,” I answered. “Are you heading to the Pit?”

“Nah, house party. I’ve got some bitches to beat at pool. You want to come with?”

It was on the tip of my tongue to decline, but then I considered it. It could be good to hang with Cami and make some new friends.

“Uh, sure,” I said slowly, her eyes widening.

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