After another agonizing twenty minutes riding to Jaelyn’s house, Malachi parked on the driveway, sliding off the bike and starting to the front door before Raven could even follow.
He rang the doorbell while holding his helmet under his arm, Raven rushing up the steps when the door opened.
Mona—Jae’s mom—stood there, tilting her head to the side when she noticed Malachi and Raven were standing there again.
“She came home about ten minutes ago,” Mona said, gesturing into the house. “Do you want to go find her?”
“Mona,” Malachi said with a sudden sternness in his tone, all play gone, “can I speak to you?”
Her brows drew together in concern, but she pushed open the door, offering him inside. “Sure.”
Malachi looked to Raven, sending her a, “Stay here” look.
She nodded in response, watching Mal walk in and kick the door until it lightly touched the frame, clearly not closing it because he needed to make sure he could hear Raven if she was in danger.
Whispering echoed through the sliver of the door, though Raven couldn’t tell what they were saying.
The door opened almost a minute later, and Mona’s face looked as white as a sheet, clearly breathing shallowly.
Did he threaten her?
Raven was about to scold him when Mona looked to him with an indecipherable expression, catching his hand and raising it as she pleaded, “Take care of her, please.”
Who were they talking about?
“Don’t worry,” Mal responded, “he will.”
Wait... who’s “he?”
And who were they talking about?
“Jaelyn!” Mona called into the house. When there was no response, she called louder, “Jaelyn!”
“I’m coming, mom!”
Raven heard her familiar footsteps rushing up the stairs, then followed by clicking down the halls, and Jaelyn came around the corner to the front door.
“Hey, mom,” Jae said, slightly breathless, “what’s going—”
Her eyes settled on Raven, and they hardened slightly.
Not even a second passed, and Raven found herself being tackled by her best friend, Jae wrapping her arms around her tightly, preventing her from falling back.
“Okay,” Raven choked, “can’t breathe.”
She let go then, staring at Raven with tears welling up in her eyes. “Where have you been?” she questioned sternly. “I thought you were dead! You can’t freak me out like that!”
Raven pulled her in for another hug and pulled back. “Look,” she said, clasping their hands together, “I’m real, okay? I’m not dead.”
“Where were you?” Jae said. “I went to your house fifteen times! Called the hospital and checked all your favorite places and restaurants! I thought that guy took—”
Jae's voice broke off when her eyes settled on Malachi, watching him lean against the wall of the porch while watching this encounter almost impatiently.
Her expression changed from fearful to enraged.
“He took you,” Jae said, “didn’t he?”
Raven looked to Malachi who—for some reason—didn’t look afraid; his expression was entirely blank.
She launched toward him then. “You MOTHER F—”
Raven caught her arm, reeling her back. “Hey, hey, calm down, alright?”
Mal still stood there, unfazed.
“You kidnapped my best friend!” Jae said, lurching for him but Raven pulled her back. “Again! What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Jae!” Raven said, questioning why Mona wasn’t helping her daughter with her anger bursts like always. “Calm the hell down!”
Jae drew back then, seething at Malachi when she harshly pulled out of Raven’s grip.
“Done yet?” Mal said, brows raised. “We have places to be.”
“No. Nuh—uh,” Jae said, catching Raven’s arm. “You’re not taking my best friend again. I can take care of her.”
Mal looked to Raven, arching his brows higher, but at her shrug he aimed his gaze back down to Jae. “You—and she for that matter—don’t really have a choice.”
Jae drew back in surprise. “What do you mean?”
Footsteps echoed from the driveway, and all of them aimed their gazes to the porch steps apart from Mona, still standing there in shock.
A dark form emerged from the darkness of the night, and when he got more into view, Raven could see his black hair and amber eyes glistening in the lighting, and her breath caught when she recognized him.
Clay.
She threw Jae behind her, making her gasp in surprise when she almost hit the wall, and Raven snarled at Clay like a rabid dog, attempting to prevent him from getting closer, but he only stopped at the base of the steps, hands in his pockets.
“Ray,” Malachi said softly, suddenly at her side while gently touching her shoulder, “it’s okay. He’s with me.”
She looked at Malachi quizzically. “What do you mean? He’s with Archer!”
“What’s wrong with Archer?” Jae questioned. “And why are you so angry at Clay?”
“Raven,” Malachi said softly, “let him take her.”
She shook her head. “What are you talking about? I thought you said we need to protect her!”
“What’s happening?” Jae questioned, but they all ignored her.
“Raven,” Mal said, warning in his tone, “come on. Step away.”
“No!” she snapped. “I’m not going to let him kill her!”
“Why the hell would I do that?” Clay questioned.
“Don’t play games with me,” Raven said, pointing an accusing finger at him. “Archer wanted me dead! That’s why he attacked me that night! He told me you were his plaything!”
Clay laughed then, though in amusement. “He told you that? Wow, he’s moronic. It’s quite the opposite, you know.”
She put her hand down, brows drawing together in surprise. “What do you mean?”
“Clay’s with me,” Malachi explained, “he’s not the bad guy. And this is coming from me who doesn’t trust anyone.”
She looked to him then, then back at the black-haired boy.
“Don’t worry,” Malachi said, “she’s going to live with us, alright? In that place you love?”
“Will she be close?” Raven said.
“I live in one of those hotel rooms,” Clay explained. “Room two-oh-three. She’ll be with me. You can visit whenever you want, Raven.”
She glanced at Malachi then, and he nodded in response.
“Okay,” Jae said. “What the hell is happening?”
Malachi caught Raven’s hand then.
Raven stepped away, letting Clay pass when he caught Jae’s hand.
“Come on,” he told her. “We have to go.”
She gave Raven a concerned look before following him down the porch steps, taking one last glance at her mom who nodded softly, though there were tears in her eyes.
“Remember to call,” Mona said, voice cracking. “But don’t come back here. We’ll be gone.”
Meaning... they’d move?
But she shut the door as if she couldn’t handle watching her daughter leave.
Malachi tugged Raven’s arm. “Come on, Princess.”
And he guided her down the steps, Raven following numbly as all four of them got onto a bike, Malachi and Raven on his, and Jae got on Clay’s, both Raven and Jae looking at each other before putting on their helmets, holding onto the boy in front of them as they all sped out of the neighborhood.
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2BatIoa0UN
*****
After they got to the garage, Jae followed them all into the trap door with no hesitation, and Raven couldn’t tell if Jae was trusting of her best friend or that she trusted Clay.
If it was Clay, Raven would have the record for highest trust-issues because she still didn’t trust Malachi; Jae and Clay had been together for a lesser time.
It was clear that Jaelyn was as mesmerized as Raven was when they got to the tunnels, and she waved to Raven and Malachi as Clay guided her to the pool room, into the hotel section of the underground tunnels.
Currently, Raven sat on the couch in Malachi’s townhome, staring at herself twiddle her thumbs as Malachi was doing dishes in the kitchen.
After he finished the last dish, Malachi sat down beside her, placing a hand on hers so she’d stop moving her fingers uncontrollably.
“I don’t understand,” Raven whispered then, still trying to comprehend what was happening.
“He’s been a spy,” Malachi said, knowing she was talking about Clay. “He was tasked to watch over Jae and make sure Archer wasn’t a suspect.”
“Archer told me Clay was his plaything,” Raven said.
“He might’ve thought that because Clay made him think that,” Malachi explained. “He’s a pretty good spy, Raven.”
“But then,” she said, confusion clouding her eyes, “who were those other guys? The one who stabbed me and the ones that attacked me that night you took me? Those two assassins?”
“We’re not even sure if Archer is one of them,” Malachi explained.
Shock rattled through her. “What? Then who was it?”
“We don’t know,” Malachi said, “but we do know he’s definitely involved.”
She started breathing shallowly, staring at the ground as her lungs clamped.
“Raven,” Mal said in a soft tone, as if trying not to scare a child, “Jae’s safe, I promise.”
She was silent, just shaking uncontrollably.
“C’mon,” Mal said gently, wrapping her arm around his neck and lifted her. “You didn’t sleep well last night. Let’s get you to bed.”
“Malachi…” Raven said as he carried her to their bedroom, “what’s going on? I don’t really understand.”
He set her down onto the bed, but she stayed sitting up, staring up at his soft gaze.
“Who’s Archer?” She scooted further to him. “How did you plan this?”
“Raven,” Mal said, pushing her down, “bedtime.”
Anger sparked inside her. “No!” She slapped his hand away and shot up, standing in front of him while craning her head back to look at him. “You don’t tell me anything! I don’t understand what you’re planning anymore!”
He scooped her up then, taking her off guard.
“Malachi!”
“Don’t fight,” he whispered, still holding her despite the bed being right in front of him, “please.”
“Please?” When did he start saying that?
Small tremors spread across her entire body. “Why are you acting so different?”
“Don’t be afraid,” he murmured into her ear as he felt her shaking rapidly. “I won’t hurt you.”
Raven couldn’t help but throw her arms around him, taking him off guard.
He stared down at her softly and couldn’t help but smile and hold her back, squeezing her slightly to assure her she was safe, hoping to make that gesture permanent in her mind.
And he then gently laid her down, undoing her folded arms and sat on the bed beside her.
“Shhh…” he cooed while drawing a blanket over her cold form. “I got you now. Don’t be afraid.”
“I’m not…” she sniffled, “afraid.”
He only smiled, lying down next to her and drawing her to his chest, earning a little gasp at the gesture. “Go to sleep now.”
She settled in his embrace, knowing that he wouldn’t let go if she fought him. “Mal?”
“Yes?”
“Can I have a girl’s day with Jae tomorrow?”
He was silent for a moment, clearly hesitating.
After a minute, he responded, “Yes, but be back before dark, alright?”
She smiled at this, realizing he was easing up on his possessiveness. “Okay.”
“Now go to sleep,” he responded.
“Alright.” And she snuggled closer as he drew the covers over her, happily willing to fall asleep.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRBQGy0sYy0
