Page 211 of Under an Endless Moon

Angrily, I swiped at the tears on my face as I glanced around at my three friends. Sorrow pinched Eden’s brow and concern twisted through Sienna’s expression.

“I just want to leave,” I said.

Charleigh curled her arm around my waist. “I’ll take you wherever you want to go.”

“Okay, I didn’t mean here. Are you sure about this?” Doubt filled Charleigh as she glanced between me and my shop.

“Yeah. I really just want to be alone.”

I didn’t want to be around either River or Otto right then. Didn’t want to go to either of their houses.

Sienna wavered, too, rubbing her hands up and down her arms as we stood in the cool breeze that wisped through the night.

“But you’re going to sleep in your shop?” she asked, full of speculation.

I looked back at the darkened panes of glass, and I shrugged when I turned back to them. “Flowers make me happy. This is my happy place.”

Concern churned between them, both clearly reluctant to agree.

“Don’t worry—I’ll keep the doors locked and I’ll set the alarm. I’ll be fine.”

Charleigh’s nod was slight. “Okay.”

She surged forward and hugged me tight, muttering at my ear, “Call me if you need me.”

“I will.”

When she stepped back, Sienna reached out and squeezed my hand.

“I’m really sorry this messed up your night with Theo,” I told her.

A grin hinted at the edge of her mouth. “Who knows…I might head back to Kane’s and see what he’s up to.”

I giggled. “That sounds like a solid plan.”

Then she frowned. “I’m sorry your night got messed up, too.”

A heavy sigh whispered free. “It’s okay. It was coming, and I’m pretty sure all those old feelings needed to be dragged out into the open. I just wish Otto and River would have done it with a little respect.”

“They’re fighters, Raven. It’s what they know,” Charleigh said.

“Yeah, but they’re also brothers. Family. That should come first.”

FIFTY-SEVEN

RAVEN

EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD

Raven awokethrashing in the middle of the night. Cold and alone. The way she’d been the last week.

She felt abandoned. A new fear rising up to take her over. One that felt almost like a broken heart, though she’d never been close enough to anyone to understand what that was like.

Throwing off the covers, she heaved for breath as she tried to calm the dark storm that bellowed inside her. A tacky awareness that slithered through her veins, more toxic than the bad dream.

She squeezed her eyes closed, praying for sleep, but none would come.

She stilled when she heard the soft thud of footsteps outside her door.

---