Page 64 of Ravaged Saints

“Fuck, Aspen, stop! It’s me.” He pleads almost desperate.

I thrash under him, my chest heaving. “He didn’t do anything! And even if he did, you don’t own me, Knox!”

“I know, pet, I was just trying—” He breaks, dropping to a low murmur as his eyes search mine. The rage fades, and I see the man I let touch me last night staring back.

Slowly, he lets go of my arms, though his weight still presses me into the dirt.

“Reaper.” Max’s tone is firm as he and Ryker approach cautiously.

“It’s fine,” Knox says, standing up and stepping back.

I wince as I sit up, my hand clutching my hip; it feels like I hit a rock, and the pain throbs with every movement.

Max and Ryker look between Knox and me, their eyes filled with worry, but I can’t meet their gazes. I can’t meet anyone’s.

This is all my fault.

“Let me see it, sweetheart.”

Max kneels beside me, gently tugging up my shirt. I wince as he reveals the growing bruise forming on my hip, right next to the faint marks Knox left last night.

“I’m sorr—” Knox starts, but I cut him off.

“It’s not your fault. I panicked.” My eyes finally meet his, and I can see the tension in his muscles, his hands are clenched at his sides, his jaw is ticking, and his lips are pressed into a hard line.

“Knox?” Dante calls from the door, and Knox turns without a word, walking away.

Dante steps closer with concern all over his face. “What the fuck happened? Did Knox—”

“Nothing happened!” I snap, pushing myself to my feet. “I panicked, that’s all! Ethan didn’t do anything, and neither did Knox. Can you all just leave me alone?”

I huff in frustration and march toward the house, needing space, needing air, needingsomething.

Even after everything, after they’ve all proven they’re not like Cash, I still react like they are. I claw at my shirt with frustration.Why can’t I just move on? I killed him!

Reaching my room, I slam the door behind me and take a deep breath. The simple white walls, the plain sheets, the ugly metal furniture—it all feels like I’m in a hospital or a prison. The anger boils up, and before I realize what I’m doing, I grab the ceramic vase on the dresser and throw it to the floor with all my strength.

The crash is loud and oddly satisfying.

“What did the vase do?”

Dante’s voice startles me, and I spin around to find him leaning in the doorway, arms crossed, a smirk tugging at his lips.

“What do you want?” I snarl, the rage from earlier bubbling back to the surface.

Without answering, he steps into the room and tosses me a small bag of ice.

“We have ice?” I roll my eyes. How the hell do we have ice?

“Just put it on your hip, Aspen,” he snaps back, his smirk disappearing.

“Ryker, Max, and Ethan are heading into town,” he says, his tone more neutral now. “We need some fuses and lamps. Max spotted a stash the last time we were there. Do you need anything?”

I close my eyes and rub my temples, trying to keep myself from snapping again. “No, I don’t think so.”

I’ve gone so long without anything that now, with all of this, even ice, I can’t even think of asking for anything.

“You and Knox are staying?” I ask, a new wave of anxiety creeping in. Being alone with them, and Bryn doesn’t feel like a good idea at all.

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