Instead of freaking out, I calmly move to step around him, but he darts his hand out, wrapping his fingers around my arm.
“You’re not going anywhere,” he whispers in a low tone.
“Fuck off.” I try to jerk my arm back, but his grip tightens. My gaze slides to him. Though his lips are twisted in that frightening way, I keep myself composed, knowing that, if I panic, this’ll go down a lot worse. “Let go of my arm,” I warn.
“Or what?” he challenges.
I rack my brain for a good comeback. Usually, I’m better at this, but Katy’s warnings are screaming loudly in my brain. “Or I’ll slam my foot into your balls.”
He lets out a low laugh. “Go ahead and try. I’ll knock you out before you even come close.”
Goosebumps sprout across my flesh, yet I manage to hold his gaze. “Go ahead and try,” I taunt back. “My bet is my foot will come into contact with your balls before you get your swing in.” I smirk. “I can kick pretty damn quickly.”
His lips curl into the eeriest smile I've ever seen. "Yeah, but can you kick fast enough to get all three of us before I knock your ass out?"
Three of us …
I scan the hallway, and that awesome buzz I had earlier dissolves.
Standing just a ways back and leaning against a locker with his arms cross is Jax. Other than that, no one else appears to be in the hallway.
Where did everyone go?
Did they make everyone leave?
Why?
And why did he say the three of us?
I look back at Zay, who’s grinning, but not in a happy sort of way. No, his grin is all sorts of sinister.
“Still think you can get that kick in?” he questions with a smirk.
Despite the nervousness bubbling inside me, I shrug. “Jax is far enough away that I’m sure I could still get one good kick in before he reached me. And FYI, three comes after two, not the other way around. It’s okay, though. Not everyone can learn to count past two. My nephew always gets two and five mixed up. Then again, he’s two, so …” I smirk.
His smirk broadens. “You should pay more attention before you start smarting off. Because, in about three seconds, you’re gonna feel very stupid.”
“Three seconds? Or two?” I throw back at him, my stomach churning.
He shakes his head, his jaw ticking. “Stupid girl. You do have a death wish.”
My lips part, about to fire a comeback, even though, deep down, I know I should keep my mouth shut. If I had any self-preservation, I would. But I already established that I don’t. That I’m stubborn and have a temper that often makes my mouth do stupid things. It’s gotten me in trouble many times. I used to try to break the habit, but at this point, I’ve given up.
Give up, Raven.
Just give up.
God, how I’ve wanted to many times, and honestly, I’m not sure why I haven’t yet.
“Sorry, little raven,” a male voice whispers in my ear as I feel an arm slide around my waist.
I move to elbow him, but he slides his arms up, trapping my arm against my side, while Zay still holds my other arm.
“Let me go,” I growl out.
Zay holds up three fingers. “One, two, three,” he counts off, folding his fingers into a fist. Then he cranes back his arm, as if he’s going to punch.
I squeeze my eyes shut and brace myself for the impact. But it never comes.
After a few beats of silence skip by, I crack open my eyes, half-expecting him to be gone. But nope. He’s still right in front of me, his arms crossed, a pleased smile possessing his face.
“Take her to the car,” he tells the guy who has his arms wrapped around me.
The guy’s chest crashes against my back as he lets out an exhale. “You sure you want to do this, Zay? This might be enough. I mean, she’s shaking pretty badly.”
That voice… I’ve heard it before. Hunter, the guy who I thought was charming. Now, he just seems like a whipped pussy. Zay being the one who’s whipped him into submission.
“I’m not shaking.” I hold my chin high. “I’m not even scared.”
Zay leans in, his breath hot on my face. “Liar.”
“Psychopath.”
That eerie smile returns as he slants back. “Yeah, you definitely have a death wish.”
“And I have a feeling you have a fetish for handing those out,” I quip. “But if you so much as try to take me out of this school, I’ll scream.”
He laughs darkly, causing a chill to slither up my spine. “Go ahead. Scream. No one here’s gonna do a damn thing about it. And soon, you’ll learn why.”
“I already know why,” I inform him. “I don’t need a recap about who you are. The Raven Three.”
He measures me up. “Who told you?”
I lift a shoulder. “A little raven.”
“I want a name so I know who’s been running their mouth about shit they shouldn’t.” He digs a pack of cigarettes out of the pocket of his jacket. “And I’ll know if you’re lying.” Then he lights up right there in the hallway.
What the actual shit?
He takes a drag off the cigarette. “Clock’s ticking. And if you don’t give me a name soon, I’ll punish you for their mistake.”
“Why’s it a mistake?” I ask as he blows smoke into my face. “They just told me about you. And, if I’m remembering correctly, you wanted me to know about you when I sat in your seat.”
He sucks in another inhale from the cigarette. “People aren’t allowed to gossip about me. Everyone knows this. And if they break the rules, they need to pay.”
I hold my breath as he exhales a cloud of smoke into my face again. “Yeah, well, I’m not gonna out them.”
He drags his finger along the end of the cigarette, scattering ashes all over the floor. “Then I guess you’re going to pay for their mistake and for yours.”
My lips twitch in annoyance. “I didn’t do anything to you, other than sit in your damn seat.”
He gets in my face “You smarted off, which is about the worst thing you can do to me.”
I roll my tongue in my mouth, my blood boiling. “Other than kick you in the balls.”
He’s so surprised that it takes him a second to speak. “Nah, I can handle that just fine.” He flashes me an emotionless grin then backs down the hallway. “Let’s take her to the spot.”
Hunter keeps his arms around me as he pushes me forward, forcing me to follow Zay. Jax moves up beside us with his hands stuffed into his pockets, his gaze fixed on Zay.
I attempt to dig my heels into the floor, but it doesn’t do any good.
“I can’t just leave school,” I gripe. “It’s my first day.”
Zay glances over his shoulder at me and rolls his eyes. “That’s the last thing you should be worried about.”
“Why? What’re you going to do to me?” As I ask the question—and calmly, I might add—a revelation dawns on me.
I’ve become fairly numb to fear, either because I’m used to it or I really do have a death wish. I’m not even certain I fear death anymore. I did once, back before and during my parents’ deaths. I feared it then. But over the years, that will to survive, to live, has slowly withered like a wilting raven feather.
He lifts the end of his cigarette toward his lips again. “Now, what’d be the fun in telling you?”
“To scare me?” I suggest.
He shakes his head and looks forward again, muttering, “Damn stupid girl does have a goddamn death wish.”
Yeah, Zay, I completely agree.
Raven
We leave the school without crossing paths with anyone. When we start across the parking lot, though, a couple of people are lingering around, eating their lunches. But everyone looks in the opposite direction as we pass, except for Mr. Mcnellton, who’s heading to his car. He glances at the three of us and frowns.
Seizing the opportunity, I give him a come-on-dude-help-me-out look, but he quickly looks away and ducks into his beat-up Honda Civic
.
Blowing out a frustrated breath, I wiggle my arms, attempting to escape again. Hunter just pulls me closer, holding me against his chest.
“Easy, little raven,” he whispers in my ear. “If you cooperate, things’ll end up a hell of a lot better for you.”
“I really doubt that,” I mumble back. “And stop calling me little raven.”
“But it’s such a fitting name.” Amusement flitters in his tone.
“No, it’s not,” I scoff. “Yeah, my name is Raven, but I’m not little.”
“Hate to break it to you, little raven, but you kind of are,” Hunter teases as he slows to a stop in front of a black SUV with tinted windows.
I tense at the sight of the car, flashbacks of the day my parents died flickering through my mind.
A dark SUV with tinted windows rolls up to the front of my house.
“Who is that, Mom?” I ask as I peer out the window.
She gasps as she looks out the window. “Hide. Now, Raven. Don’t let them see you.”
The memory fades. It always does. I can barely recall anything else that happened, except the blood that ended up on my hands and what everyone told me they believed I did.
You killed them.
Murderer.
Evil.
“I’m five-foot-nine,” I point out, shoving away all thoughts of that day and the days that followed. I can’t think about it too much. If I do, I’ll crumble, which is fine when I’m alone. But in front of others, I have to be Raven, the girl who doesn’t give a shit about anything. And I really need to be that girl in front of these guys. “That’s far from little.”
“Yeah, but you’re still small compared to us,” he quips as Jax moves in front of us and opens the back door to the SUV, seemingly distracted by something on his phone.
True. These guys are at least six-two, if not taller, which makes me feel kind of small. But not little …
My thoughts become sidetracked when Hunter nudges me toward the SUV, trying to shove me into the back seat. Panicking, I prop my foot up on the sidestep and throw my weight back, opening my mouth to scream.
“Help—”
Hunter curses, slapping his hand across my mouth and muffling the scream. “Help me out, Jax.”
Jax looks up from his phone then tosses it into the SUV before grabbing my legs. “This is gonna happen whether you like it or not,” he tells me as he drags my legs away from the sidestep.
Then Hunter and he work together to shove me in the car. But I manage to kick Jax in the stomach. He grunts, letting go of my legs. Grasping the opportunity, I bite Hunter’s hand. He lets out a string of curses, his grip on me loosening just enough for me to escape from his arms.
I whirl around, preparing to run, when another set of lean arms wrap around me.
“Fight all you want. This is going to end in only one way,” Zay says in the most eerily bored tone ever.
I throw my weight forward. “Go fuck yourself.”
“That statement is going to seem pretty damn ironic to you in just a few minutes.” Then he scoops me up and slings me over his shoulder.
As his words replay in my mind, the fear I thought was gone pours through me.
Wait … Does he mean—
He tosses me into the back seat hard enough that I bounce against the leather and fall onto the floor. I scramble to get up, but Zay climbs in and grabs ahold of me, dragging me up onto the seat beside him.
“Let go of me, asshole.” I move to head-butt him, but he slants back.
“The more you fight, the worse this is going to be.”
“Says every serial killer ever,” I mutter, fury burning underneath my skin.
“Are you saying I’m a serial killer?” he asks, mildly amused.
It’s the first time he’s shown any signs of emotion, besides irritation, and considering the situation …
“Are you?” I ask.
He chuckles. Actually fucking chuckles. “I guess you’re about to find out.”
That whole grasp on calmness I had is starting to fray.
Hunter sticks his head into the car and glances at me then at Zay. “You want me to drive?”
“Yeah. I’ll sit back here and make sure she behaves,” Zay tells him, drawing me closer to him.
I manage to jab my elbow into his side, hard enough that he winces.
A smile plays at Hunter’s lips as his gaze skates from me to Zay. “You sure you can handle her? She’s feistier than we’re used to.”
I glare at him. “You haven’t even seen feisty yet.”
Hunter arches a brow, amusement glinting in his eyes. “Is that so?”
“Yep.” I offer him a cold smile. “But you’ll find that out soon.”
He shakes his head, a smile tugging at his lips as he returns his attention to Zay. “So, you’re good with sitting with her?”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine. Just drive careful,” he warns in a quiet tone.
The statement and his tone seem oddly out of place considering how taunting he’s been.
Nodding, Hunter closes the door then climbs into the driver’s seat while Jax hops in on the passenger side.
“So, are we going with option one or two?” Hunter asks as he starts up the engine and adjusts the rearview mirror.
“It should be option two.” Jax cracks the window open then pops a cigarette into his mouth, lighting up. “I have a feeling she’s not going to go for option one.”
Hunter gives him a curious look. “Why do you think that?”
Jax shrugs, casting a glance at me. Then he looks forward and shrugs. “Because she’s a fighter.”
I struggle to maintain even breathing. He’s worried because I’m a fighter? What’re they planning on doing to me that he’s worried about me fighting? None of the possibilities that come to mind seem like a good thing.
Katy’s warnings ring in my head. You don’t want to mess with them. They’re kind of dangerous.
I can’t keep the shiver from rolling through my body, and then I internally cringe, knowing Zay felt it.
Keeping one arm in front of me, he dips his lips toward my ear. “So you do get scared. Good to know.”
I try to smack my head against his again, but he leans out of the way and chuckles.
Jax tosses a curious yet confused look over his shoulder at Zay.
“What?” Zay questions as Hunter steers out of the parking space. “What the hell is that look for?”
Jax lifts a shoulder then cracks the window open a bit more, letting cool air gust into the cab. “What look?”
“You know what look.” Zay shifts his position as Hunter pulls the SUV onto the road. Then he drags me to his side and stiffly puts one arm in front of me, pinning me against the seat.
His movements are slightly shaky, like either he’s too worked up or afraid of me. The latter doesn’t make sense, though.
My fingers curl into fists, my fingernails piercing my flesh. Instead of running my mouth, though, I try another tactic, wiggling my arms around until my fingers are near my pocket where my phone is. If I can get to it, I might be able to call for help.
Jax shakes his head as he ashes the cigarette out the window. “No, I really don’t know what you’re talking about. Sorry, brother.”
“Brother?” I ask as I feel around in my pocket for my phone. “I thought you guys were cousins?”
“We are cousins, technically.” Jax stares ahead at the road as he lifts the end of his cigarette to his mouth. “But Zay is more of a brother to me than even my own brothers. He’s been there for me when no one else has, and I know without a doubt he’d take a bullet for me.”
The concept of cousins being close is lost on me, and when Jax glances over his shoulder at me, he must notice my confusion.
“You have a cousin, right? The one that you live with?” he says, but it’s not really a question. “Aren’t you close with her?”
I snort a laugh. “Yeah, that’s a big, fat no. But, how do you even know we’re cou
sins? Usually, she tries to keep that info pretty hush hush.”
“Oh, we know all about you, Ravenlee Wilowwynter,” Zay taunts. “The parentless girl who lives with her aunt, uncle, and very shallow cousin. Who’s gotten suspended from school countless times, yet hasn’t gotten expelled because her uncle, who just happens to be a cop, bails her out every time. I’m wondering why, though? Is it because he loves you or is it an embarrassment to his family? From some of the stuff I’ve read in your files, I’m guessing it’s the latter.”
I’d really like to know the answer myself…
Wait…
My pulse quickens. “What files?”
“Oh, I read all sorts of files during my little fourth period break,” he continues to torment me. “Your school records. Your therapy records. I even saw a copy of the agreement your uncle signed when he took you in after your parents died. Apparently, he did it because, if he takes care of you until you graduate, he’ll get a nice chunk of the cash your father left behind.”
The words my uncle said to my aunt this morning pierce through my mind.
I made an agreement when I took her in. She’s going to live with us until she graduates high school.
I’ve often wondered why he’s never gotten rid of me. Now it makes sense. Then again, my parents weren't rich by any means, so I'm still kind of confused. I mean, my mom worked at a gas station and my dad… Well, he stole a lot of stuff and conned people for a living. But he wasn't a terrible man, at least to me and my mom. He also didn't have ton of money, so how is my uncle getting a big payout for taking care of me until I graduate?
“I also know you spent a little bit of time in a psychiatric hospital,” Zay continues. “Because, apparently, there was speculation that you killed your parents.”
Images flash through my mind, along with rage.
Blood on my hands.
Where am I?
Who are those bloody people lying on the floor in front of me?
The Raven Four: Books 1-2 Page 5
