AllFreeNovel
Share Us
CHAPTER7
Raina wanted to throw up what little food she was able to swallow. This had been a huge mistake. “I shouldn’t have come,” Raina whispered, but everyone heard her. She then looked at Thorne. “And there is no connection with me and that wolf thing.”
“Shifter,” Bruce informed her, then shrugged his shoulder when Wicked glared at him. “Well, if she is going to be around, she needs to know Shifters are not things.”
“Bruce, believe me when I say I get Shifters.” Raina narrowed her eyes at him. “What I don’t get is mouthy shit-talking cats.”
“Touché,” Bruce snorted with raised eyebrows, then stretched himself out on the floor with a huge yawn as if bored with the conversation.
“Raina, I know you as well as I know myself. You would not leave New York, let alone the business, if you weren’t running from something.” Wicked ignored Bruce as she continued to watch Raina closely.
Raina sighed and felt her body slump in defeat. “I lost the business.”
“Excuse me?” Wicked frowned, looking a little shocked. “Raina. No.”
“Yeah, it’s gone. Everything I own is in my car.” Raina said, then noticed Thorne and Zane glance at each other. “As I’m sure you both saw.”
“Yes, we figured.” Thorne nodded, his frown hard and serious. “What I need to know is if my family is in danger?”
When Raina didn’t answer right away, Thorne cursed, causing Raina to cringe. “I don’t think so,” Raina stood slowly, realizing what a huge mistake she had made coming here.
“That isn’t good enough,” Thorne growled loudly, making Raina jump.
“Damn, Thorne.” Bruce glared at Thorne. “Chill out. Raina isn’t the enemy here. If she’s in trouble, we are all she has.”
Glancing at Wicked, her eyes filled with tears. “I’m so sorry, Wicked. I shouldn’t have come.” Not wanting to lose her shit in front of everyone, Raina dashed past Thorne and Zane out the closest door.
Raina heard the raised voices as she jogged away from the house. She needed to get herself together, but the tears fell angrily down her face. What in the hell had she been thinking? Thorne was right. She was putting not only Wicked and Thorne in danger but their beautiful children.
Slowing, she looked toward the woods, then toward the road, trying to decide where to go. That was the problem. She had nowhere to go and no way to get there. Her life had become a mess; she had lost everything, and now she had lost the only person on earth who cared about her.
Coming to a complete stop, she glanced at the woods again, swiping angrily at the tears that wouldn’t stop. Damn it, she hated to cry.
“With your recent history of the woods, I wouldn’t go that way.” Zane’s voice came from behind her.
“Maybe that’s exactly the way I should go.” Raina snorted, then sniffed with a shrug. “Save everyone the trouble.”
A strong hand gripped her arm, turning her around. Zane stared down at her; his eyes narrowed. “You don’t seem like the kind of woman who pities herself or circumstances.”
Raina sighed not proud of having a moment of weakness in front of this man. “I’m not.” She replied, blowing a strand of hair out of her eyes. “Haven’t you ever just been so tired that nothing seems worth it anymore?”
Zane stared into her eyes for a long time as if searching for something. He remained silent, which had her looking away from him.
“Just me?” Raina said with a sarcastic edge. “Okay.”
“Every day.” Zane’s deep voice vibrated through her body as her gaze snapped back to his.
Her eyes searched his, then dropped to his scars, understanding his words completely. “Scars don’t make a man, Zane.”
“And trouble doesn’t make you a runner when you have people who will help you.” He countered back, raising one eyebrow.
A small smile tipped her lips as she looked away from him. “Point taken.” She said, then glanced at the woods again. “But sometimes running may be the only avenue a person has. I don’t really know what or who I am dealing with, only that I have been given to someone.”
“Given to someone?” Zane growled, his eyes darkened, making him look even more handsome, if that was possible. “What do you mean, given to someone?”
“It’s complicated.” Raina sighed, wanting to tell him more than anything, and yet, didn’t want to bring anyone into her fucked up reality.
“Don’t care,” Zane answered with a growing frown. “Either you tell me, or I answer whoever is calling you and find out myself. The choice is yours.”
