Page 35 of Under an Endless Moon

“You’re not going to spend the night at your shop.”

“And why not?”

“For starters, there is not a bed.”

For second…just fuckin’ no.

“Well, it’s a whole lot better than having to walk back into that house. Talk about awkward.”

“It’s not that big of a deal. You think kids don’t walk in on their parents going at it all the time?”

A sigh pilfered from her lips, and she stared out the side window as we hit the main part of town. “I know. It’s just…I think it’s time I find my own place. So much has changed since Charleigh came into the picture.”

Surprise tore through my consciousness.

“I thought you loved Charleigh?”

Raven turned toward me. Sincerity was written in every line of her face. “I adore her. She’s the best thing that ever could have happened to River and Nolan. The best friend and sister I ever could have asked for. But they’re a family and they need their space, and I need to be able to walk into my house without being worried I’m walking in on them. It isn’t fair to any of us.”

River wasn’t gonna fucking have it. Wasn’t sure I could stomach it, either. The idea of Raven out on her own. Living by herself. Vulnerable.

But shit. She was right. She wasn’t a kid any longer.

“How about you come stay at my place for a while before you make any big decisions?”

The reckless idea was out of my mouth before I could think through the repercussions.

Raven at my house. Under my roof. What kind of idiot was I?

“Hello, Otto, but you don’t have an extra bed, either.”

“I can sleep on the couch.” I kept right along like this might actually be a prudent idea.

She sighed when her phone rang from her purse, and she undid the zipper and pulled it out. I peeked that way, able to see it was River. She rejected the call, and instead, she tapped out a text that I didn’t even bother trying to stop myself from reading because I was a nosy fucker like that.

Raven

You’re gross. I don’t want to talk to you.

Amusement rolled out of me. “You’re really going to bust his balls over this, aren’t you?”

She pitched me a disgusted look. “Can we please not talk about my brother’s balls?”

I cracked up. “Fine. Fine.”

Then she sobered and whispered, “It really is time for this girl to spread her wings, Otto.”

Emotion gathered heavy in my chest. I got it, her need to break free of the boundaries it’d felt like a duty for us to keep her under.

“Well, I guess you can start stretching them at my place until you figure out exactly what you want to do.”

It was a terrible fuckin’ idea, and maybe I should have known it was the moment that my framework was going to shift. Should have known that things would start to bend, giving way to the breaking. That the second Raven stepped through my door, everything was going to change. Every oath I’d ever made obliterated.

But there seemed to be no stopping myself right then.

THIRTEEN

RAVEN

---