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My heart pounded a little faster in my chest. Had Killian tried to come by? I never changed the locks. He should’ve had the keys to get into everything. There was no need to break it down.
Or maybe the hunter?
No. I shook my head. That was a ridiculous thought. There was no reason the hunter would go through this much trouble just for someone like me. I wasn’t anything special—not in a town full of wolves.
Still, I cautiously pushed open the door and peeked inside my own house. A small groan passed through my lips as I saw Raven sitting on my dining table with the broken doorknob casually next to her. She munched on an apple.
“It’s funny you think something as trivial as a lock could keep me out,” Raven commented with a small grin. “You can block my calls, but I’m marrying my handyman. I know how to get through a door.”
“You broke the door,” I said.
“I know. Declan is getting you a new doorknob,” she replied. Good Lord, I could only imagine his face when she called him with that news. “He’ll install it for you too.”
“I can do it myself,” I told her quietly. The less Byrnes the better. “Raven—”
“I vaguely remember you showing up at my house uninvited when I tried to cut everyone out,” she interrupted and slid off the table. “I’m assuming something similar is happening here. I made Declan try to call you. He’s blocked too.”
She said it like I wasn’t already aware of that fact.
“And I vaguely remember you closed the door on my face and locked it.”
“Semantics.” She waved me off. Her gaze fell to the stack of boxes on my porch. “Best friends don’t let best friends pack alone. How can I help?”
I drew in a deep breath. Just say it. I didn’t want to, but I didn’t want the fight if my father found out she was here.
“You can leave,” I said and opened the door wider for her.
“And leave you to pack alone? That sounds boring.” She wandered to the kitchen, throwing away her apple and raiding the fridge. “We could drink wine while we pack.”
“I don’t want your help packing.”
“Or we could skip packing and drink wine while you tell me why you’re packing.”
“Raven—”
“Is it Killian?” Raven demanded. “Did he do something? I swear I don’t care if he’s Declan’s brother, I’ll still kick his—”
“This is about me!” I interrupted, my voice rising a notch and cracking with the words. I cleared my throat to try again. “This isn’t about Killian. This is about me and what I need. I can’t… I can’t go down this road. Anymore. It hurts too much. I should’ve done this three years ago.”
“You love him.” She said it like a fact. And it was. “And he loves you.”
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“Then make me understand! Make me understand why you’re doing this to yourself. We’re family, Ginny. I just want to help you. Tell me how I can help.”
I drew in a shaky breath and willed the tears not to fall. She’d never understand.
“If you really want to help, you’ll leave.” I inched the door open fully to make sure she understood. “Please.”
She considered me for a long moment—so long that I was positive I’d have to fight her to get her to leave. I prayed otherwise. I didn’t have it in me to fight anymore. I just wanted to fade away and not deal with any of it anymore.
“Well.” Raven clicked her tongue. “I love you, and I respect you and your choices, even if I think they’re bad and you’re going to end up getting hurt. I’ll be back to bug you tomorrow.”
“No, you won’t,” I called after her.
“Yes, I will! You can’t stop me!”
“I won’t answer the door.”
