“If Ben found his biological parents, he would’ve told me.” I press my finger to my temples, applying pressure to ease the ache beginning to pulse there. “It’s too important for him not to.”
Like a group of scorpions gathered in the pit of my stomach, betrayal infuses its venom into my being. I hang my head in defeat. How could he keep this from me?
“We don’t know anything for sure,” Raven says. She places a hand on my shoulder and gives it a gentle squeeze. “Let’s assume it was given to him for the sake of the fraternity, okay?”
I nod, unable to form words just yet.
“The Obsidian Order,” she mumbles. “Let’s see what this one is all about. I swear, everyone is in a fraternity or sorority now. For the students here, it’s a social status thing. Very elementary, my dear Watson.”
After a few keystrokes, Raven takes a deep breath. “The Obsidian Order, nestled in the shadowed fringes of a historical campus, this fraternity lies behind the imposing wrought-iron gates that lead to a castle. After years of restoration, the place that was once a battleground during the famous British invasion during the American Revolution is now home to a number of South Harbor University students. The Order is the source of many legends. Its members claim lineage from the ten founding families of the South Harbor colony, who still hold power and influence today. The Gothic stone mansion is rumored to be haunted by British redcoat ghosts, as well as those of American revolutionaries, but only those initiated know the truth.”
Raven looks at me, her gaze scrutinizing. “Okay, so I might’ve been wrong about the family lineage and all that, but I’m confident that Ben can explain everything.”
“Yeah.”
“You guys didn’t have a fight or anything, right?” she asks. When I shake my head, she purses her ruby-painted lips. “Then there’s only one thing left to do. We need to find him.”
Even if Ben’s feelings toward me have changed, there’s no way he would abandon the littles. They have nothing to do with our relationship, and he’s shut them out as much as he’s donewith me. Maybe he found his real family and felt too guilty to tell us because we haven’t. And probably never will.
“I’m going to reach out to my contacts?—”
“You mean friends?” I ask.
She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, that. Especially June. She dated one of them recently. The only guy she was faithful to. If anyone knows anything about the fraternity, it’ll be her. Besides, no one loves men more. And a whole castle full of them? Might as well put her on a spinning table with her legs spread so she can get?—”
“Oh, my God!” I shake my head. “It’s too early in the morning for this.”
“Honey, it’s never too early or too late to talk about sex.”
“This explains why June was so excited to see Xavier Donovan,” I say, attempting to change the subject. “He’s from one of the founding families. Does she just want to sleep with him, or is it like a revenge fuck against her ex?”
Raven glances at me. “Bingo. Tell her the prize she’s won, folks.”
“Makes sense.”
“Well, that and the fact that he’s gorgeous and forbidden fruit. Like a fly to a banana. And by banana, I mean?—”
I throw up my hands. “Yup. It’s too early in the morning for this.”
“It’s never too early to talk about dick.”
“I knew you were going to say that.”
Chapter 15
DELILAH
“What did I tell you?” Raven holds her hands to her chest and sighs. “Brewed Awakenings is the absolute best.”
I nod. “I believe you now. If the coffee is anything like the decorations, I’ll be blown away.”
Vintage lamp lights hang from the ceiling like floating lanterns, casting a glow over the black velvet chairs and crimson settees strategically placed in the room. A huge marble fireplace boasts a roaring fire, its crackling threaded into the soft alternative music playing in the background.
Raven grins at my astonishment. “Told you. This place is a mix between punk rock and aristocratic aesthetic, drowning in goth.”
I breathe in the familiar notes of coffee, chocolate, and sugar as I follow my friend to the counter. An employee with aquamarine hair smiles at us.
“Raven! Good to see you,” she says. “Do you want your usual ‘death in a cup?’”
