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Chapter Forty-Three
Thorn
I grumble and groan when I accept Ace’s call on my phone. It feels like it’s the crack of dawn, but in all honesty I don’t even know what day it is, let alone what time of day it might be.
“Fucker?” I answer, a weak attempt at humour and a pathetic attempt at trying to hide just how hanging I am. Ace just sighs impatiently at me.
Pretty sure I’m meant to be mad at him about something.
“We need talk. Meet at Raven house. One hour.”
The line goes dead.
Excitement leaps in my stomach at the thought of seeing her. It feels like ages since I last saw her. Then it quickly sinks when I realise I’m supposed to be mad at her about something too.
I move - too quickly - and find myself racing to the bathroom as something else this time leaps around in my stomach.
Fuck. How much did I drink? Or, looking at my phone to find out both the time and the day, I think I should switch that to how long have I been drinking? It’s been days since I saw or heard from anyone.
I smell like ass. Feel like it too. Lumbering clumsily across the bathroom, I switch on the shower and step in before it has a chance to heat up.
Icy water blasts me back to my senses, and the grim reality of what happened a couple of days ago. Fuck. Raven, Phoenix, Ace. The realisation hurts far worse than the needles of ice pelting me. Without looking, I grasp the shower knob and spin it all the way around.
Jax and Lizzie. Fuck. Scalding hot water that feels like magma has me jumping out of the powerful jets of lava and reaching, more carefully this time, to find some middle ground. Beyond the wall at Westeros or the blazing fires of Mordor are not my cup of tea.
Once some semblance of normality - think a gentle monsoon in the tropics - is found, I safely step back under the spray and relax. I let the water wash away the stains of the last few days. And the evidence.
Shit.
I really hope I didn’t sleep with anyone.
I may not know what’s going on with Raven and I and the guys, but I do know that I don’t want to fuck it up even further by sleeping around. I can’t cheat on Raven - if I can even call it cheating when we aren’t together and she doesn’t know how I feel. But my heart is very firmly telling me that it would be wrong, so for once I’m gonna try and listen to it, rather than my dick.
Showered and refreshed, I shut off the water, step out, dry off. I comb my long blonde locks back out of my way and finish with all that cosmetic shit that chicks love; aftershave and clean teeth and that. I want to impress Raven today and vomit stale brewery breath isn’t likely to do that, so I even floss and mouthwash. I’d fucking deny it if anyone ever asked though.
Done, I dress in dark jeans (clean, no rips), a t-shirt (white, creases, but no stains) and pull on a blue shirt over the top. It’s a little wrinkled but it’s pretty smart. I slide my feet into some Vans, pocket my phone, keycard and wallet, and head out. On my way, I check my phone for any sleazy texts or random call history, but everything seems clean, thankfully. I can walk into Raven’s with a clear conscience.
Well, as clear as a coward who ran away and hid for days’ conscience can be.
It doesn’t take too long to get to Raven’s place from the hotel, shortcutting across one of the lovely parks. It’s too cold now, at this time of year, but I imagine it would be a lovely space to hang out, have a picnic and play with Phoenix in the summer.
If Scotland even has a summer? It’s pretty fucking bleak right now. I’m glad I grabbed a jacket at the last minute, but if we’re planning to stay here any longer I might have to consider investing in a winter coat. And a place to live. Hotels suck.
Whoa, check me out, planning for the future and shit. I guess I need to see how today pans out before I go getting ahead of myself like that.
I ring the bell, smile and wave at the security camera, and am just considering mooning it for shits and giggles when Phoenix opens the door alongside Raven.
Phew, close call that I didn’t pull a moony then.
“Thorn!” Phoenix lights up, oblivious to the tension etched all over Raven’s face. I bend down to say high to the kid - my kid? My gut twists - and she gives me a killer high five. I idly wonder what age I can get her on a surfboard, already mentally outfitting her with all the gear. Have to take her to warmer climes for that though.
“Thanks for coming over,” Raven says tightly.
“No problem, Princess.” I smile at her to show I’m okay. It’s okay. We’re okay. But she barely manages a quirk of her lips in response.
“Everyone else is here.”
“Shit-” I go to apologise but I’m interrupted.
