Page 1 of Always
Chapter One
Raven.
Sabrina and Parker hang by the doorway ofCrimson DahliaStudios’well,studioroom,as I grab my backpack, having just finished recording my last take of the day.
Luke and Jordan, the producers, fist bump me on my way out of the studio and tell me to have a good night. It’s barely mid-afternoon but I’ve been here since seven this morning. My fingers are sore, my arms and upper back ache. But it feels good to work. They wanted me to do a few more violin recordings for this up-and-coming metalcore band from Scotland since their violinist and lead singer broke his hand. Apparently the guy requested me after watching a few of the videos Jonas and Sabrina posted of me on their socials, and if I want to get my name out thereprofessionallyand not…my past,this is one big step in that direction.
It feels good to put it all behind me.
It’s been seven months since Axel has disappeared, John was found murdered, and Sofia has been…untraceable.She randomly pops up every now and again in the tabloids but disappears soon after for weeks at a time. She has one social media post daily but I know those are made by her publicist. I know she doesn’t want to be found… but I’m a very patient woman.
I mean, I did waitfour yearsfor revenge.
I haven’t heard my death lullaby in a long, long time. But when I think of Sofia, I hear the small beginnings of a new song. Slower and almost vibrational. It makes my fingers twitch.
Parker follows while I walk side-by-side with Sabrina as we take the elevator and go down the four floors to the lobby. I say goodbye to Gerardo and Lalo, the security guys. Gerardo stands to hand Sabrina an empty Tupperware, thanking her for the cupcakes she brought them yesterday. That they’re ‘delicious, when is she going to open her own bakery?’
Sabrina giggles and I feel Parker stiffen behind me. I could laugh at how possessive of her he is, but my guys are just the same. Speaking of; I turn and lift my tired hands, asking Parker if he can fish my phone out of my backpack for me.
I open up the group chat once he hands it to me.Wincing, I thumb out-
Me: All done! Sabrina and Parker are with me.
Demigod: Practice is going to be a little longer. Coach wants us to run a new play.
Professor: My TA is an idiot. I’ll be a little late, too.
Dirty Doctor: I love you, Amourette. My last appointment is running behind, but I should be home at my usual time.
I frown at my phone, listening to Sabrina still chit and chat with Gerardo and Lalo.
Me: *frowny face emoji* *broken heart emoji*
Demigod: Aww baby, don’t be like that. We’ll make it up to you, I promise.
I’m usually not this whiney, I promise. But Damon took out my birth control implant a month ago and I’ve been so emotional and needy. Thank God my men like me like this. I practically rub against them and purr as soon as they get home. Honestly I’m worse than Luci and Kronos put together.
What have they done to me?
Once Sabrina is done speaking to the guys, we leave the building and head toward the SUV. Parker helps us into the backseat and soon we’re on our way back to Brooklyn. I close my eyes, tired from the day, the tips of my fingers feeling raw, my arms so sore. I broke two bows today. It’s fine. I’ll have time to make it to the music store before my guys get home. Parker does me that favor.Thankfully, the shopkeeper knows me already and it’s a quick in and out.
Life is a little quieter now that we all have our own things going. At Rayne-Moore, it was like we had been forced into a close proximity with Jonas and I being students, Maverick as our professor, and Damon being on campus due to following me from Lorne Wood Mental Institution. It is different.Verydifferent. But it's a breath of fresh air.
The only bad news we get these days is Jonas’ flight was delayed or that time Sabrina and Maksim needed Mav's help with catching some sick cop that was trafficking kids. Even then, he put it in Tasha's hands and then let it go.
Honestly, sometimes I get scared they'll grow bored of me. It fills me with a sick dread. I know it’s irritational to feel this way. I know they love me. I know this might just be how relationships are after the so-called ‘honeymoon phase’ phase is over. But I honestly wouldn’t know. The only boyfriends I ever had were short flings during my summer abroad for music programs. I left before it got too serious. I’m still so naïve when it comes to things like this. I feel the tears well up, falling without control and then a lace-gloved on mine.
“Ray? What's wrong?” Sabrina squeezes my hand softly then removes it so I can sign if I need to.
I blow out a breath, wipe my eyes and then face my soul-sibling. I lift my hands and tell her exactly what I'm thinking, hoping she understands this… tiny, itty bitty insecurity of mine.I guess sometimes I get scared they'll get bored of me. They're living great lives. Jonas is playing for his favorite team; Maverick is doing so many good things- taking down Syndicate members with the FBI and writing his novel. And Damon has his own practice. I know I'm doing my own thing, but I don't have funny stories to tell at the end of the day. I sit in a room and play my cello. That's so… lame.
Sabrina rolls her green, feline eyes. She really is beautiful. She's lost some of the weight and maintained whatever size she is now. A ten, probably. Like me. Or a twelve depending how many carbs I ate the day before. But I can't help it. I really love pasta. “And soon you'll be touring and having concerts all over the globe. Nothing boring about that. They could never tire of you, Raven. Do you tire of me? All I do is bake and study these days.”
I shake my head quickly. No. She's hilarious and so fun. And we do some of the coolest things together. Last week, we traveled down to Virginia to meet Verity Huntington, our favorite author at a lowkey meet and greet. The week before that, we went to an art festival in Boston. I was so surprised that Maksim was down to go, but he also had things to settle at Inferno now that Daisy is at Pandemonium and his cousin Kallum is in Boston managing Inferno.
I think about the painting I purchased from an artist named Roxanne Armstrong. She'sincredible. I immediately hung the portrait of a woman in the throes of ecstasy, all in vivid colors, above the claw foot tub in our bathroom. We stayedin Boston for the weekend, and when we came back, my guys greeted me happily.
But they've been quiet since we came back. Or maybe it's just me and I'm overthinking everything. I don't want to blame it on my star sign, but it's such a Virgo thing to do. Maybe Mercury is in my anus or something.All I know is that I hate feeling this way. Like I’m… desperate. It frustrates me and makes me feel… tired. Like tresses of depression wanting to pull me beneath the undertow.
