The Debt 6 by Kelly Favor

 
    She was still in shock.
    The news that Raven’s parents’ house had burned down was absolutely shaking her to her core.   It seemed impossible, like a bad dream come to life, and Raven was still trying to somehow wake up.
    Jake got dressed and then came out of the bedroom to find her still standing there, phone in hand, her eyes wide open and staring into the distance.   She looked at him and her voice sounded strange in her own ears.   “I don’t understand what happened.”
    Which wasn’t really true.   She did understand all too well what happened—and yet—in another way she really didn’t.   Her mind refused to accept that it was reality.
    As strong as Jake Novak always looked, for the first time, Raven struggled to take comfort from his strength.   His brown eyes locked on her, his expression very serious but still calm, as if he could sense the troubles brewing under the surface and was treading cautiously.
    “Sometimes these things happen…” Jake shook his head as he looked into her eyes.   “We should just be grateful that everyone’s safe.”
    Raven nodded, but her heart wasn’t in it.   Everyone wasn’t safe.   Nobody would be safe until Club Alpha was out of her life for good.   But how could she make that happen?   It was completely out of her control.
    “I need to get my head together,” Raven said, blinking, as she walked into the hotel bedroom.   She brushed past Jake, feeling his body heat and sensing his strength and wanting nothing more than to collapse into his arms—tell him everything.
    No.   You can’t risk it.   Jake will go crazy and you won’t be able to stop him or control what he does next.
    Jake followed her.   “Do they even know how the fire started?” he asked, his voice probing.
    Raven stood there in Jake’s room, realizing she didn’t even have a decent outfit to put on and feeling more and more helpless and angry.   “No, they don’t know what happened.”  
    “I hope it’s not because of my connection to you,” he said.
    Raven’s stomach tightened and a cold thrill of fear rushed through her.   She turned her head and stared at him.   “Why would you even say such a thing?   Are you joking?”
    Jake folded his arms.   “It’s a possibility.   A crazy fan—they can do some really stupid stuff.   I’ve had death threats, stalkers, you name it.”
    Raven swallowed and felt her throat tightening.  
    You need to say something.   You can’t let them get away with this.   Are you really going to spy on Jake Novak and tell Club Alpha about his secret military mission?   If not, then what are you going to do?
    “I can’t deal with that right now,” Raven told him, an edge creeping into her voice.   “I can hardly think straight and you’re not helping.”
    “You know it’s going to be okay,” Jake said, reaching out and caressing her hair.
    He was too close, and she felt too torn and confused and guilty.   “Please, don’t—don’t touch me.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because, you’re distracting me.”
    Jake’s lip curled.   “I’m distracting you.   Huh.”
    She looked at him.   “Yes, you’re distracting me.   What are we doing here?   What is this?” she asked, waving her hands as if to indicate that them being in the room together didn’t even make sense.
    Jake just looked at her, his warm brown eyes concerned but also searching, as if he could tell there was more going on than she was telling him.   “This doesn’t seem like an ideal time to have a big talk about the state of our relationship.”
    “Exactly.”   Raven felt a sob nearly escape her throat, as she put on her shirt, pants and shoes from the previous night.   There was a slight bloodstain on the knee of her pants and the elbow of her shirt was a little ripped.
    That brought back memories of Zeke, his nail clippings and blubbery lips and threats, and then Max throwing her out of the car.
    She came back to the present and looked around