“I’m going. End of story. I love you, all of you. Please let me just do this,” I plead.
“Fine, Babygirl. Whatever you want,” Reyes replies, kissing my head.
“Angel, we can’t lose you or Luis. Just know we will do whatever we have to at this point,” Damien says, kissing the side of my face and throwing his arm over my stomach.
I don’t care. Hell, if it weren’t for me saying I knew where he was, they probably could’ve gotten to him already.Is that selfish? I want to be the one to get to him?
Chapter 24
Raven
I’m standing behind a curtain with my mom as girls my age are being walked past us up to a crowd of people. I’m not really sure where they are going, but all I hear is a loud man yelling these numbers. I reach up and put my hands over my ears, because not only is it loud in here, but something feels off. Like a bad vibe. I always get those around my mom’s new boyfriend Brock.
“Can we leave yet, Mom?” I reach over and tap my mom on the arm to get her attention.
“Not yet. Brock’s not done with his work,” she huffs out in irritation, turning back to look at the crowd.
Turning around and looking behind me, I see another group, except these girls look to be a little bit older. A man looks at me and grins, causing chills to run up my spine and my stomach to turn, then pushes them towards the stage. Each girl that passes by looks at me with a pleading look in their eyes.
“Mom, where are they going?” I turn back and ask my mom, who just ignores me and shakes her head.
Suddenly, I’m in a familiar bedroom. A little girl lying down with her blonde hair splayed out on the pillow, a cute little unicorn tucked in beside her. It’s then that I realize I’m standing in Blakelyn’s room. A sinister laugh comes from beside me, one I know all too well.
“She’d look so pretty walking across that stage, wouldn’t she?” Chills run up my spine, and I feel like I’m frozen in place as he walks up closer to me. I didn’t know what that place was when I was a little girl, but now? Now I know the horrid things that go on there! I’ll never let that happen to her, or anyone else, if I can help it.
“So much started for you there, Raven. You just gotta’ open Pandora's box and remember.” He chuckles repulsively.
Jolting awake, I reach up and grab my throat, gasping for air. Crawling over the mound of bodies in my bed, my feet hit the floor and I take off running for the bathroom. As soon as I make it to the toilet, I spill my guts.What the fuck was that dream?
“You okay?” Both guys ask as they come barreling into the bathroom at the same time after me.
“The worst nightmare of my life! We need to make a trip to the safe houses today. After the threat on my birthday and everything else that’s happened, I need to see with my own eyesthat everything is okay. Especially with my little blonde bestie,” I reply, bringing my legs up and resting my head between them for a second.
“Whatever you want to do, Babygirl,” Reyes says, squatting down in front of me and handing me a glass of water. Taking a big gulp, I swish it around my mouth and spit it into the toilet. Putting the glass up to my lips, I drink down a few sips, letting the cool liquid soothe my throat.
Damien holds out his hand for me. Reaching up, I grab it, and he helps me up off the floor. “Let’s try to get some more sleep, Angel. As soon as morning hits, we will take you to the safe houses. Promise.” He grins and kisses the top of my head.
Nodding, I walk to the sink to brush my teeth. Reyes leans against the wall and just watches. Rolling my eyes, I spit the toothpaste out and walk back to bed. “Come on, Loverboy. Sleep is calling my name.” I chuckle and pat the bed.
Climbing into bed, I’m once again sandwiched between the two of them.Such cavemen.My heart is yearning for the third missing piece. Reyes is all the way up against my back, and Damien is as close to my face as he can get.No such thing as personal space. Ever. Again.
Opening the front door with the guys hot on my heels because I forgot to tell them I’m having my cast removed today.Possiblyon my own terms, because fuck what the doctor hasto say. I’m not keeping this shit on for another day. I’m fine, everything is fine.
“Hello, Raven, I see you just couldn’t hold out any longer, huh?” Roberto asks, and I open the door more to allow him to walk in.
“It was either call you, doc, or take a hacksaw and try to cut it off myself.” Everyone’s head swings in my direction, and I just chuckle. “I’m also not kidding, that was really my first thought.” I wink and walk into the kitchen.
“I would have a few things to say about that, Babygirl. Like ain’t no fucking way you’re putting a saw that close to your arm without help,” Reyes says coming up beside me as I sit at the table.
“I mean I know we have a thing for pain and blades, but that’s extreme, Angel. What if you would have cut too far?” Damien says, standing off to the side as the doc stands in front of me.
Laying my arm across the table, I watch as he takes the little saw and cuts across my cast, the shield not letting it go too deep.Ah, it already feels good. Like when you take your bra off and everything just falls and can breathe. It feels free. Yeah, that’s how this feels as it’s getting cut.I watch as he goes through the motions of finishing up with the cast saw, then using the spreaders to help bust it open. The smell, however, is awful. I highly do not recommend, now I just need to scrub a layer of skin off.
“Alright. There you go, all done,” Roberto says as he starts putting some of the tools back into his bag.
“Mmm, I think you should wash your arm first,” Reyes tries to joke, and Damien starts to laugh with him. Picking up the cut open cast, I throw it in their direction. It flies through the air, hits Reyes in the face, bounces off and lands right where Damien has his arms crossed over his chest.
“Keep talking shit, boys, and I’ll leave the smell,” I sass, walking over to the sink. I absolutely will not be leaving the smell.
