few of my guys. We’ll meet and see where we go from there.”
“One chance.” I take a deep breath. “One meeting. I’m not satisfied, you hand them over.”
“It won’t come to that. You’ll see this wasn’t us.”
“For your sake, I hope you’re right.”
I hang up and pitch the phone to the other side of the room. It crashes into the wall and pieces of it go flying in different directions. “Fuck!” I need to hit something. Or someone. It had to be them. It had to be. They had motive, means, and opportunity. People have gone to prison on less information. But what if Ace is right? What if it wasn’t them and I go on a rampage? A lot of people could get hurt. Raven, my family, my brothers...I need to be smart. I’ll hear what he has to say. In the meantime, I start planning.
I head back to the bar, but Raven isn’t there. I’m not in a socializing mood, so I make my way to my room. I have a date with my punching bag. I find her there, in bed with her sketch pad.
“Are you okay?” she asks, looking up from her drawing.
“I’m fine. Why?”
“I heard a crashing sound coming from your office.”
“I’m fine. Gonna need a new burner phone, though.” I sit on the edge of the bed and peek over at her pad. “What are you drawing?”
She hands it to me and once again, her skill blows me away. It’s us. She’s on her knees, cocooned in big, black wings, only her face visible. There are tears on her cheeks. I’m behind her, wearing a Reaper’s robe. I have a scythe in hand, eyes a dark red. I know I’m not there as the one causing her tears. The determined expression on my face tells me she sees me as her protector. She’s closed in on herself, and I’m there as her guardian. Fuck me. All the anger drains from my body. Under the picture, she’s written “Rage” in a creative font. I pull her into my arms and kiss her forehead. I can’t even find the words to express what I’m feeling right now. One thing’s for sure, I’ll protect her with everything I have.
“What’s with this ‘Rage’ thing?” I ask.
She raises her shoulders in a shrug. “Didn’t you hear? It’s our couple name.”
“Yeah...but why that?”
“It’s appropriate, don’t you think?”
“How so?”
“Because.” She stares into my eyes. “It’s what we’re both feeling right now.”
And there it is. The two of us summed up in one word; linked, not just by our names but our very emotions.
“What do you think?” she asks.
Rage.
“I think it’s perfect.”
CHAPTER 10
***Raven***
I’m stuffed and pretty sure everyone else is, too. I don’t remember the last time I ate this much. Chopper and Nita are gods in the kitchen. Right now, everyone is gathered in the bar, having drinks while I’m sipping on sweet tea. Other than the Hunters, no one here is related by blood, yet they embrace each other as family. It’s different for me. Growing up, it was me, Lonnie, and Daddy. After Lonnie left, it was the two of us. Toni would come over sometimes, but that was about it. I’m not used to having so many people around, so many people who consider me family. Even the Hounds have a place amongst everyone today. The blonde—I found out her name is Britney—has been shooting dirty looks at me, but I’m determined not to let her spoil my night. All the others have been super nice. I wonder why they’re called Hounds. Gage is nestled next to me on the couch, so I might as well ask.
“Gage?”
“Yeah, babe?”
“Why are the girls called Hounds?”
“It’s short for Hellhounds.”
“But why?” I push for a better answer. “Hellhounds are three-headed dogs with serpent tails.”
“Someone knows their Greek mythology.” He chuckles.
“Tell me.”
“Okay, fine. It all ties in with the whole death theme. See, Cerberus, he was Hades’ guard dog.”
“Yeah. He guarded the entrance to the underworld.”
“Right. He kept the dead in and the living out. Think of the MC as the
“One chance.” I take a deep breath. “One meeting. I’m not satisfied, you hand them over.”
“It won’t come to that. You’ll see this wasn’t us.”
“For your sake, I hope you’re right.”
I hang up and pitch the phone to the other side of the room. It crashes into the wall and pieces of it go flying in different directions. “Fuck!” I need to hit something. Or someone. It had to be them. It had to be. They had motive, means, and opportunity. People have gone to prison on less information. But what if Ace is right? What if it wasn’t them and I go on a rampage? A lot of people could get hurt. Raven, my family, my brothers...I need to be smart. I’ll hear what he has to say. In the meantime, I start planning.
I head back to the bar, but Raven isn’t there. I’m not in a socializing mood, so I make my way to my room. I have a date with my punching bag. I find her there, in bed with her sketch pad.
“Are you okay?” she asks, looking up from her drawing.
“I’m fine. Why?”
“I heard a crashing sound coming from your office.”
“I’m fine. Gonna need a new burner phone, though.” I sit on the edge of the bed and peek over at her pad. “What are you drawing?”
She hands it to me and once again, her skill blows me away. It’s us. She’s on her knees, cocooned in big, black wings, only her face visible. There are tears on her cheeks. I’m behind her, wearing a Reaper’s robe. I have a scythe in hand, eyes a dark red. I know I’m not there as the one causing her tears. The determined expression on my face tells me she sees me as her protector. She’s closed in on herself, and I’m there as her guardian. Fuck me. All the anger drains from my body. Under the picture, she’s written “Rage” in a creative font. I pull her into my arms and kiss her forehead. I can’t even find the words to express what I’m feeling right now. One thing’s for sure, I’ll protect her with everything I have.
“What’s with this ‘Rage’ thing?” I ask.
She raises her shoulders in a shrug. “Didn’t you hear? It’s our couple name.”
“Yeah...but why that?”
“It’s appropriate, don’t you think?”
“How so?”
“Because.” She stares into my eyes. “It’s what we’re both feeling right now.”
And there it is. The two of us summed up in one word; linked, not just by our names but our very emotions.
“What do you think?” she asks.
Rage.
“I think it’s perfect.”
CHAPTER 10
***Raven***
I’m stuffed and pretty sure everyone else is, too. I don’t remember the last time I ate this much. Chopper and Nita are gods in the kitchen. Right now, everyone is gathered in the bar, having drinks while I’m sipping on sweet tea. Other than the Hunters, no one here is related by blood, yet they embrace each other as family. It’s different for me. Growing up, it was me, Lonnie, and Daddy. After Lonnie left, it was the two of us. Toni would come over sometimes, but that was about it. I’m not used to having so many people around, so many people who consider me family. Even the Hounds have a place amongst everyone today. The blonde—I found out her name is Britney—has been shooting dirty looks at me, but I’m determined not to let her spoil my night. All the others have been super nice. I wonder why they’re called Hounds. Gage is nestled next to me on the couch, so I might as well ask.
“Gage?”
“Yeah, babe?”
“Why are the girls called Hounds?”
“It’s short for Hellhounds.”
“But why?” I push for a better answer. “Hellhounds are three-headed dogs with serpent tails.”
“Someone knows their Greek mythology.” He chuckles.
“Tell me.”
“Okay, fine. It all ties in with the whole death theme. See, Cerberus, he was Hades’ guard dog.”
“Yeah. He guarded the entrance to the underworld.”
“Right. He kept the dead in and the living out. Think of the MC as the
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