13. Raven
13
RAVEN
I don’t reply to my brother. What is there to say?
He’s most likely right.
“Everything that you need is here,” Falcon continues. “Plenty of food. Like I told you, I brought in a couple weeks’ worth of fresh food. If you’re here for longer than that, you can get into the nonperishable items.”
I let out a huff of air. “And like I told you , I’m not going to be gone any longer than that. I will be at that gala.”
He doesn’t reply.
“That’s nonnegotiable,” I say. “Jared can be there. Plus you and Leif.… Figure it all out. Figure out how to get me safely to that gala, because I will be going. If you’re not here to take me, someone else will be.”
Falcon lifts his eyebrows at me.
“What about our father? How do you think he’ll feel that you’ve got his daughter imprisoned here?”
“He’s all for it, of course,” Falcon says. “Nothing is more important to Dad than your safety. All of his children’s safety.”
“Does he know I’m here?”
“If he asks, which he probably won’t, I will tell him that you’re safe.”
I bite my lip. “Oh my God. Dad doesn’t know about this place?”
“Only Hawk and I know about this place. And Leif. And of course Savannah and Vinnie. And now you and Jared.”
“Eagle doesn’t know?”
“You know I love our littlest brother as much as you do,” Falcon says, “but he hasn’t been the most trustworthy person.”
I bite my lower lip. Eagle’s my baby. He’s always been my baby. But Falcon is right. He’s made some stupid-ass decisions, and now, something else is going on with him. Something that apparently involves Leif’s sister, Scarlett Ramsey. No one is forthcoming about it.
“I see you’re not disagreeing with me,” Falcon says.
“No, no.”
“Is there anything else you need before I go?”
“Are you kidding?” I look around. “This place is self-explanatory.”
“I’ll have eyes on you at all times.”
“No.” I nervously eye a security camera in the corner. “I don’t want someone surveilling me while I’m sleeping or in the shower.”
“No, of course not. But I’ll have eyes on the place. I’ll know if anyone comes or goes. Jared has been briefed on everything about the house. No one will know you’re here.”
“What if someone saw us drive up?”
“Trust me. No one did.”
I cross my arms. “If you say so.”
I want to trust my brother. I want to believe him. Then I think of that drone that flew over my house while Vinnie and I were there.
How can I be sure I’m still not being watched? How can I be sure there aren’t drones flying above the safe house even as we speak?
“I need to go now,” Falcon says. “No one knows you’re here. I haven’t told Savannah. Only you and Jared know.”
I frown. “You haven’t told Hawk?”
“I haven’t. The fewer who know, the better.”
I bite my lip again. “I truly am in danger, aren’t I?”
Falcon nods solemnly. “I could lie to you, Ray. Try not to worry you. But you’ve already faced death. You been through the worst thing a body can go through. I won’t belittle you by lying to you.”
“Do you know who’s been texting me on the burner?”
Falcon shakes his head. “I don’t know. I’ve got Leif looking into it, and he’s the best. But burners are notoriously hard to track. Impossible in most cases. At least whoever it is seems to have your best interests at heart.”
“I wish I could remember more about that Uber driver. The one who gave me the burner. It’s just… That day is such a blur.”
“I understand. We’ll get to the bottom of this, Raven. Our family just got you back in one piece. We’re not going to lose you.”
“I’d prefer that too,” I say, letting out a nervous chuckle.
“Then stay here. Lie low. Work on your nonprofit, but let others do the legwork.”
I kick at the floor. “It’s not like you’re giving me a choice.”
“You always have a choice, Raven.” He looks into my eyes. “You’re not a prisoner. But I’m asking you, as your brother. Please stay here.”
“You’re not going to play the bone marrow card?” Another nervous chuckle.
He grins. “I can’t play that card with you. That wouldn’t be fair. I’m simply playing the brother card. I need you to be safe.”
I nod, relenting. “I’ll stay. But only until the gala.”
He sighs. “All right, Raven. You’ll be at that gala. Because I’ll make sure I eliminate any threat to you before then.” He starts to head toward the exit.
“No, Falcon.” I grab his hand. “You have Savannah to think of. Don’t you get yourself involved in this. The last thing I want is for you to go back to prison.”
His gaze darkens. “Oh, I’m not going back to prison, Raven. Not ever.”
“Good.”
I’ve heard my brother say on more than one occasion that he would do it all over again to protect Eagle. But I don’t know that he would.
He must’ve lived through hell.
Just as I did.
And I sure as hell don’t want to go through everything I went through again.
“Listen,” Falcon says. “I know this sucks. I know you don’t want to be here. I wish it were different, Ray. When I went to prison and asked Hawk to build this place, it was for exactly this reason. In case one of us needed it. I’m damned glad it’s here. I’m going to try to figure out who’s been texting you from this burner and who sent that threatening text to your regular phone. I’ve left a burner here for you. I want you to use it to get in contact with me. If you can’t get me or Leif, call Hawk.”
“What about Eagle? Dad?”
Falcon frowns. “I don’t want to drag Eagle into this right now. Part of me feels like he’s a loaded gun. And as for Dad?” He shifts his gaze back and forth. “Like I said, I don’t want him worrying about you. He and Mom have been through enough.”
I simply nod once more.
Falcon finally departs, and I take stock in the kitchen.
I suppose I’m going to have to be the one who cooks for Jared and me.
But he gets there before I do. “I’ll be cooking, Raven.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“This place is a fortress,” he says. “I won’t have a lot to do here to keep you safe. The least I can do is keep you fed.”
I sigh. “Fine.”
“I’m thinking steak and potatoes for dinner. Sound good?”
“Sure. Whatever.”
One thing I will do is eat. Whether I’m hungry or not. Because I’ve got to keep my body strong.
Because I will be at that gala. Whatever else is going on must end.
And if my brother can’t figure it out?
I’ll figure it out myself.