Raven’s secrets won’t get rid of us, and I won’t let ours drive her away either. She can try to push us away, but it won’t work. She’s already cemented herself in our lives. Losing her would be like losing a piece of my soul.
She doesn’t get to leave.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
RAVEN
Setting the last bag of trash by the back door, I sag against the wall. I knew this job would be a lot, but oh my, do the people of Mystic River sure know how to party. There wasn’t a single dull moment tonight. Camden finished up in the kitchen an hour ago and went home, which apparently isn’t far.
Must be nice.
An exhausted groan makes its way through my limbs and out of my mouth. My phone vibrates in my back pocket, and I pull it out.
Dahlia: How’s it going working for two hunks of man meat?
Shaking my head, I laugh to myself. I shouldn’t have told her about Griffin and Knox the other day.
Me: Just fine and dandy.
Dahlia: By “fine and dandy,” do you mean you get to admire up close just how fiiiiiiine their dandies are?
Me: What kind of euphemism is that? What does that even mean?
Dahlia: Don’t gatekeep. You know exactly what I mean. Dandy. Dick. Cock. Schlong.
Dahlia: Wait…did you get double-dandied?
Me: Now you’re just saying words.
Dahlia: Don’t play dumb.
I sigh through my nose and allow myself to admit the fears that have been circling my mind.
Me: They’re different. I don’t know what to do with that. An asshole, I can handle. Sexy, protective men with a sweet side? This is new territory, and they have secrets.
Dahlia: Hey, I know what we lived through was shit, and it’s warped how we view men in general. But I promise you, they’re not all bad. There are good ones who will wrap you in their arms, and suddenly the world won’t seem so bad.
Me: Is that how Declan makes you feel?
Dahlia: …
Me: You don’t have to answer that.
Dahlia: Yeah. He does.
She’s right. They’re not all bad, and I’m learning that firsthand.
Looking back at the bags of trash, I force myself to pick them up to toss in the dumpster. I shouldn’t have asked to work a double today. But after my…rendezvouswith Knox in the closet, I needed to work off the tension in my body, and Kat was more than happy to hang out with Noah a bit longer. And I can’t even touch what happened with Griffin on my doorstep yesterday.
Not to mention, my panties were uncomfortable as fuck all day today. I should’ve gone home during my break and changed them, but part of me wanted the reminder of how hot it got between Knox and me.
Griffin appears at my side out of nowhere, causing me to jump and drop the trash.
“Jesus Christ! I’m gonna put a bell around your neck!”
He smirks. “Does it come with a collar?”
My jaw becomes unhinged.
