Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
RAVEN
I couldn’t hear much over the blood rushing in my ears as we pulled up near our house in the Heights, finding it fully ablaze. There was no saving it, it was gone.
Rory was talking to BG and a firefighter, the flames casting a bright glow around the whole street. The neighbors stood outside watching, panic and grief washing through me like a tsunami.
I heard one of the guys curse as I started running towards it, not knowing what I intended to do, but I had to make it stop. Every memory of Josh lived inside those walls, and I couldn’t handle the thought of not feeling him around us.
An arm snaked out and yanked me back, a sob breaking free as I was dragged back from the raging inferno.
“It’s gone, Raven,” Diesel murmured, holding me tighter when I tried to break free. “It’s gone.”
My legs buckled as more sobs wracked my body, giving up the fight as he continued to pull me away from the fire. It couldn’t end like this, we were supposed to move home when all of this was over.
“I’ve got her,” Logan said from close by, and it registered that Diesel was no longer holding me up and it was Logan.
When had that happened?
I buried my face in Logan’s chest, letting him pull me to the ground so he could just hold me. My chest ached with every breath, and I jumped when there was a loud crash as the roof caved in.
I looked over just in time to watch Ander shove Beckett, both of them apparently mid argument, and Diesel snapped at them when Beckett pulled her gun out and pressed it against Ander’s forehead. “Hey, hey, hey! Enough!”
I couldn’t really hear them, my head was so damn loud as I returned my attention to what was left of the house. If Logan was talking, I couldn’t hear him either, so I just zoned out as I stared at the flames.
I wasn’t sure how long I’d zoned out for, but I heard someone mention bodies, just as Rory appeared beside us. She squatted to our level, her voice firm. “There’s at least three bodies inside.”
“Is one my dad?” I asked, hating how my voice cracked. I didn’t give a shit if one was, I was crying over the house, not him.
“They can’t identify who they are yet. They’re too burned to tell,” she answered carefully. “Do you have any idea who else might have been in there?”
With Viktor currently sitting in a jail cell, I wasn’t sure who they could be, but Reid spoke, his voice tight and full of pain.
“My mom.” Rory glanced up at him, his voice cracking as he added, “She moved in recently. It has to be Mom.”
I’d seen Reid hurting before, but the heartbreak on his face right now was like a punch to the gut. Part of me hoped one was her so he could be free from her bullshit, but I also knew it would destroy him.
He’d never stop loving her, no matter what she did to him.
My stupid tears fell harder as the realization sank in with him, and thankfully Zavier could grab him to stop him from falling completely as his legs gave out and he dropped to his knees beside us.
Rory stood and gave us a minute as she went to talk to BG again, probably updating him on Reid’s mom being a possible body. Ander silently joined us, dropping down beside me with a sigh.
“This has Stefano’s name written all over it. I’m sorry, Bluebird.”
All I could do was nod that I’d heard him, my eyes on Reid, who was falling apart right in front of us. I’d seen him cry before, but the heavy sobs leaving him were killing me.
Silently, Ander shuffled closer to him and Zavier, who was now sitting on the ground too, and Ander dropped an arm around Reid’s shoulders so he was wedged between them both.
They’d look after him, I knew that, and I honestly was grateful because I didn’t have it in me to comfort him right now. I couldn’t move, my body numb to my emotions.
It took forever for them to put the blaze out completely, but we still remained on the grass by the cars.
My phone dinged with a message, and I pulled it out of my pocket absently to check it.
Unknown: Do you regret it yet, Raven? Immunity for you, Logan, and Reid is off the table and won’t be offered again. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Logan took it from me, holding it up in the air. “Rory!”
She turned, her face serious as she saw the phone in his hand, instantly knowing we’d received a message of some kind. Ander stood, leaving Reid with Zavier so he could come and look too.
“Where the fuck is he hiding?” Ander growled as he read the message, Rory appearing beside him to look over his shoulder.
“The Thieves are on it, but he’s blocking their every move. Do you know his tech guy?” Rory asked, making him nod.
“Antonio. Dante swore he was loyal to him and was helping him bring down Stefano in the background, but I’m starting to think he’s betraying him,” Ander replied, his jaw tight.
“No shit?” Logan scoffed. “Can we trace this message?”
“We can try to pull something from it, but I dare say he’s smart enough to either block us from doing so, or it’s a burner and he’s already tossed it,” Rory sighed, pulling her phone out to call the Thieves, moving off to the side to talk.
“We should go home,” Logan murmured softly, but I shook my head. We were home, and I wasn’t ready to walk away from it yet.
He didn’t complain, pulling me onto his lap more and resting his cheek on top of my head.
By the time the sun rose, the street was crawling with people. Even the local news reporters were here.
It had been a while since someone had given a shit about a house burning down here, it was common, but the fact that bodies were inside the house changed things.
And that the Donovans were clearly pushing to find out information, which was probably why the reporters were here.
One of them called out my name from behind the barrier that had been put in place, but I ignored them. If they thought I was going to give them an interview, they were mistaken.
At some point, Beckett had wandered over to sit beside us, silently giving my head an awkward pat. It would’ve made me laugh if I wasn’t so fucking upset.
“Got some information out of the cops,” Diesel said quietly as he squatted in front of us, keeping his voice quiet so only we heard him. “One body was found in bed, most likely dying in their sleep. Another is by the door, so they think they were trying to get out and most likely suffocated to death from smoke inhalation. There’s another one in the kitchen too.”
“Why couldn’t the person by the door get out? The windows were all boarded, but the door should’ve been easy to unlock,” Logan stated.
“Stefano’s a cruel man,” Ander answered, making me look up to see the grim look on his face. “Chances are high he trapped them inside. Either that, or they were too drunk or high to focus in their panic to get out. Usually, he can do shit like this then pay the cops to report it as an accident.”
“Not here,” Diesel snorted, eyeing me. “Local cops are on our payroll, so they’ll give us the right information.”
“Maybe. It depends if Stefano decided to threaten their families or something,” Ander shrugged.
“I assume the house wasn’t insured?” Diesel asked carefully, and I forced myself to shake my head, finally speaking.
“We let the insurance go so we could afford the house repayments.”
“I know there’s probably not, but is there someone I can call for you guys?” When I shook my head again, he reached out to give my shoulder a comforting squeeze. “Okay. If you’d feel safer at our house, you’re welcome to stay there.”
I didn’t reply and he didn’t stick around to wait for an answer, heading back over to Rory, who was now talking to Tyler and Hunter, who had recently arrived.
I glanced over at Reid, finding him staring at the rubble. I had no idea when Riley had shown up, but she was silently sitting beside him on the ground. Zavier had stood to stretch, having a quiet conversation with Ander about fuck knows what.
Hopefully, it was a plan to kill Stefano by the end of the fucking day.
Reid
She was gone. I could feel it deep in my bones. I tried to remind myself that this was the woman who’d destroyed my childhood, but all I remembered was the hopeful feeling I’d had when I’d wait by the window for her to come home.
I’d idolized my mom, and all those feelings and memories from the eyes of a child hit me. She wasn’t the monster I’d accused her of being, she was a woman struggling in this world, and she’d left it thinking I hated her.
The guilt ate away at me as I watched the cops work, my body hurting from the crying.
Maybe I’d snapped at her because I knew she’d always come back?
Sure, she’d let me down again and again, but she was still my mom, and she didn't deserve to burn to death.
I wanted to blame Ander, to punch him and take my anger out on him, but that was just my grief talking. I knew it wasn’t his fault, and I could’ve easily been the one in that house if Stefano had wanted it to happen.
I was aware that Riley had shown up and sat next to me, her shoulder pressing against mine to let me know she was there, but I barely felt it.
Was I cold? I couldn’t really feel my body.
The sun was up, so I knew a lot of time had passed, but I had no idea how much.
Someone moved to stand beside me, their hand coming down gently on my head to run their fingers through my hair.
I still didn’t move, not being able to take my eyes off what was left of the house. In any other situation, I would’ve been relieved to see the house gone, then maybe Raven could finally heal from the loss of her brother.
Forcing my eyes towards Raven, I found her watching me over Logan’s shoulder as he continued to hold her. She looked just as spaced out and numb as I did.
I should’ve crawled over to her, to hug her and tell her that everything was okay, but I wasn’t going to lie to her.
Riley let out a sigh, dropping an arm around my shoulders. “Do you think this is a message that you guys are next? Are you safe in your house?”
“I don’t know,” I managed to say, my voice rough. “My mom was in there.”
“I know. I’m sorry, Barron,” she answered, leaning into me a little.
Exhaustion from my emotions washed through me, and the fingers in my hair were almost making me sleepy. There was no way my mind could shut down and sleep though.
“I think it’s time we got home. I’ll drive,” Ander said, my brain registering that he was the one toying with my hair. When I didn’t move, he removed his hand from my hair and bent down to put an arm around me, helping me to my feet and fishing my keys from my pocket.
I looked at him, finding a determined look on his face. He was mad on our behalf, something I didn’t think I’d appreciate so much.
“Thanks,” I mumbled, trying to hold myself up properly so he could let me go.
“You’re family,” he said without hesitation, clapping me on the shoulder. “Let’s get our girl home. We can talk more privately when we’re away from the reporters.”
Riley stood too, lifting her chin at me. “You guys get out of here. I’ll tell Mom to call you when she has more information.”
I nodded, the feeling in my legs getting better the longer I stood. Beckett was pulling Raven to her feet so Logan could stand, and when he went to lift her, she swatted him away.
She looked defeated, but she was standing on her own again.
Her eyes met mine, and I motioned for her to follow me. I thought she was going to argue, her eyes flicking back to the house, but then she sighed and walked towards me.
We didn’t talk as I put an arm around her shoulders, sheltering her from prying eyes as we all walked towards the car with Beckett on our heels. Reporters started moving in our direction, and I jerked as a gunshot went off, turning to find an innocent looking Beckett behind us. Her gun was in her hand, aiming up in the air, and some reporters scattered while others started filming her as if she was about to go on a murder spree.
“Beckett!” Tyler snapped as he jogged over, three cops following.
“Oops. Did I let my problem child side out again?” she asked sweetly, not bothering to fight the cops as they took her gun and handcuffed her.
Tyler was shaking his head, giving us a look. “I think that’s your cue to escape.”
“If you guys get followed by the reporting parasites, call Maddox. He can sic Zane on them so they leave you alone,” Beckett called out as she was carted away, and much to my relief, the reporters stayed back as I led Raven towards the car.
Logan and Zavier got in the back, and Ander gave me a look. “Go on. You’re in no state to drive.”
Raven gave my hand a squeeze, encouraging me to climb in before adjusting the seat so she could get in the front. Logan instantly put an arm around my shoulders, his comfort almost causing me to break again.
How many nights had he done this for me when Josh had died? I’d tried to keep my grief hidden from Raven, but Logan always seemed to know and come find me to make sure I was okay.
I leaned into him, soaking in his silent comfort as we headed towards Ashburn Valley. Zavier kept glancing at Raven, but she’d shut down and was staring blankly out the window.
Ander’s hand moved to rest on her thigh, and I relaxed a little at the reminder that I wasn’t the only person she had right now to hold her together. It felt selfish, but I just couldn’t be that person right now.
I had to trust that the guys could be there for her, and hoped that she understood my need to take a step back to gather my own emotions.
Zavier
We weren’t at all surprised when Raven crashed when she went to lie down in the bedroom, or when Reid passed out on the couch an hour later. Both of them were emotionally drained, and the sleep would do them some good.
I headed outside with Logan and Ander so we could talk without waking them, and Ander instantly let his walls down a little. He’d been holding in his own feelings about the situation, but I knew him. He was blaming himself.
“Don’t, bro,” I said lightly when he opened his mouth to speak, reaching out to pat his shoulder. “It’s not on you.”
“That house meant everything to Raven, and Reid?—”
“That house has been a curse for a long fucking time,” Logan cut in, lighting a cigarette. “We’ve been trying to get her to let it go for years, but she wouldn’t. I’m probably a bad person for admitting it was a relief to see it burning.”
“I feel the same,” I admitted, feeling like a dick. The devastation on Raven’s face was like a punch to the stomach, but that house had been haunting her the entire time I’d known her.
I didn’t want her to forget her brother, I just wanted her to remember him for the good times, not the day he’d died. I swore whenever she was in the kitchen that she’d stare at the bullet holes and relive that day.
“Now what?” Ander asked, scanning the yard for trouble automatically.
“There has to be a way to find him,” Logan scowled, angrily blowing out smoke before offering it to me for a drag.
I took it, having a few drags before handing it back.
“What do we know?” I asked, lifting my chin at Ander. “Any idea on his next move?”
“He doesn’t exactly have a pattern, just a style,” Ander replied, pulling his own cigarette out to light, offering me one for myself.
“Which is?”
“That shit with the house is the style. I already told you he likes burning shit, particularly with people inside. He never does things in a set order to avoid someone learning his moves. We need insider information, which we can’t get without Dante.”
“You don’t have anyone else on the inside?” I asked.
“That I trust one hundred percent? Not really. Stefano’s men are sneaky fuckers. Look at how they managed to sneak into Wet Dreams, murder one of the girls, and get out without being seen, while pinning it on Dante. That person had to be covered in blood, and they got out without a single witness? My money’s on Antonio hacking shit so they could get out unseen.”
“What about your cleanup guys? Aren’t they on the inside?”
“Some bailed, some are acting weird. I wouldn’t be surprised if Stefano turned them against me to protect themselves. I don’t trust any of them right now, not with this.”
“Why did Dante think Antonio was in his pocket instead of his father’s?” Logan asked with confusion.
“Probably because Antonio is one of his childhood friends.”
“Wait, Antonio is our age? Not some fifty-year-old hacker dude?”
“Yep. The guy’s a genius with technology. Cruz would come in his pants if he saw the guy’s office,” Ander chuckled. “They’d probably be really good friends if Antonio hadn’t been raised in the mafia. He doesn’t trust anyone, and it can make him a little unlikable.”
“His tech is better than Cruz’s? It must be if Cruz can’t find Stefano,” I stated, my phone ringing. Slash’s name popped up on the screen, and I answered quickly. “You have news?”
There was a pause before he replied, apology in his tone. “Unfortunately, nothing yet. I know it’s been a long day for you guys, but do you think I can borrow you for a few hours?”
I didn’t want to leave Reid or Raven, but the thought of possibly making some money made my thoughts waver.
“What for? I don’t want to stress Raven out more.”
“Nothing that can get you in trouble, I promise. I’m down a few people since half the crew are currently in the Heights. You can say no, I won’t hold it against you,” he replied, and Ander gave me a curious look.
“What’s happening?”
“Can you guys hold down the fort while I go out for a few hours? Slash needs some help,” I explained, and Logan winced.
“Doing what?”
Slash chuckled, obviously hearing their concern. “Tell them it’s just some business at the Shed, no gang meetings or anything.”
I repeated it, and Logan nodded. “Alright, go. No drug deals or shoot outs.”
“He didn’t say you couldn’t move guns,” Slash said with amusement, hopefully joking. “Need me to send someone to pick you up? I can spare someone for a few minutes.”
“I’ll borrow Logan’s car, but thanks. Just the Shed, right?”
“Yep. Thanks, Lopez,” he said before hanging up, and Logan sighed.
“Why is it always my car?”
“Yours is the quietest to start. I don’t want to wake them,” I explained, finishing my cigarette. “You guys want me to bring pizza home for dinner tonight? I don’t think anyone feels like cooking.”
Ander grabbed some cash from his wallet and handed it to me. “Sounds good. Put that towards it. You sure you’re okay to go alone?”
“What are the chances of Stefano making two moves in one day?”
“Slim, but not zero. Keep your eyes peeled,” he warned, and Logan handed me his keys.
I told them I’d be careful before slipping out the side gate, heading to the car and starting it.
It sounded so damn loud, but no one raced outside to stop me, so I figured Raven hadn’t woken up, and Reid was caught up in his own grief right now and probably didn’t mind me leaving anyway.
The drive to the Shed was quick, and I made sure to lock the car before walking inside, finding the place practically empty. Harley was surprisingly sitting at the bar, and Caden was pacing close by on the phone.
“Hey. Where’s the boss?” I asked as I approached, and Harley pointed to the office.
“In there. How’s Raven? D said she was a mess, poor kid.”
“Sleeping, thankfully. She’d only been asleep for an hour or two last night when Beckett called. It will do her some good to sleep the afternoon away. Reid crashed too,” I replied. “I’m surprised you’re not at your bar. You’re never here anymore.”
He winced, looking a little uncomfortable about that. “Yeah, I know. We’ve been hiring some help so Alex and I can get back to things here a little more. We both slacked off on our responsibilities since opening the bar. Besides, Penn and Landon could almost run the place themselves.”
“Not if you put Penn in the kitchen, you know she can’t cook toast, right?” I grinned, amusement filling his face.
“I’m aware. She’s getting better though. The problem with Penn is that she’s been working at the compound more, which means I can’t have her full-time anymore. Landon’s been off lately too, so I don’t want to overwork him. We had a new cook start last week, so hopefully he works out. We can always hire Noah or someone to help with serving if we get stuck.”
“We can always help if you need an emergency helper. We like money,” I laughed, just as Slash poked his head out of his office.
“Are you done gossiping?” he asked dryly, motioning for me to hurry up.
“Almost,” Harley grinned, giving me a nod. “I appreciate it.”
I excused myself so I could join Slash in the office, sitting in the chair opposite his once he’d closed the door again.
“I really wish you’d put a Psychos jacket on. You get here faster than my guys,” he grumbled, giving me a thoughtful look. “You sure Raven wouldn’t be okay with it?”
“Right now, I wouldn’t even bring it up with her,” I said seriously, making it obvious that I wasn’t going to budge either. “We’ve talked about it though. It might be a possibility when things blow over. She’d be okay with me running the bar for you, at least.”
“Let me know if you want to wear the jacket, and we’ll talk,” he answered, leaning back in his chair. “As you can see, I’m swamped with paperwork. I have a few things I need done, and Harley and Caden are the only two people I have right now. Most of my guys are out on jobs for me, but I need a few simple things done.”
“Like?”
“You can shoot a gun, right? I need you to go and get Noah from school and make sure he gets home safely. Fucker’s been suspended for fighting, and he’s being a little prick. Maybe you can talk to him, he likes you.”
“You want me to play parent to your foster kid?” I asked dryly, and he rolled his eyes.
“No, we’ll scold him later. I just need him taken home, and I trust that you’ll keep him safe. He looks up to you boys, so have a youthful bro conversation or something.”
“Why couldn’t Caden do it?”
“Caden is currently on the phone to the Kings trying to figure out this mafia mess, and Harley has a meeting with the foster agency in twenty minutes so he has to leave.”
I frowned, not following. “Why does he have an appointment with them?”
“You don’t usually ask so many fucking questions,” he muttered, crossing his arms. “They’re considering taking on some kids. We put in a good word, but they still need interviews and their home inspected.”
“Oh. That’s kind of cool then. I like how you guys take in so many. I wish you’d somehow stumbled across me as a kid, but I also wonder how different my life would be if that had happened.”
“You know if you need a family, you’ve got one,” he said seriously. “You technically are family since you’re Maddox’s cousin.”
“It’s taken him a long time to even be comfortable in the same room as me. I’m pretty sure he hated me when we first met.”
“We’ve talked about this. You probably represented a part of his life that caused him so much trauma. He’s healing, and he also understands that you were a victim to your father and his men, just like he was. I’m glad you boys are getting along though.”
Part of me wondered why Maddox held so much hatred when he’d been saved at such a young age, whereas I’d been abused until I was a teenager and my wounds were fresher.
I’d learned to lock that shit down and move on, not wanting it to control me.
Everyone coped differently, I guessed.
“I’m grateful for the help you and your family have given mine.”
“I know, and that’s why we keep doing it.” He cleared his throat, the deep and meaningful conversation gone. “How would you feel about going on a job later with Maddox and Caden?”
“It honestly depends what it is. Raven’s on edge right now, and you know what she’s like. I’d love to do whatever you need, but it can’t be at the expense of her emotions. I lost her once, and I won’t lose her again,” I said firmly, making him nod.
“I won’t lie to you and say she’ll be fine with it. They’re moving a shitload of coke from one of our warehouses to another. You don’t have to touch anything, but Maddox and Caden can work while you keep a good lookout. I’d feel better if you didn’t even know about it, trust me, but I need someone who’s a good shot, just in case.”
“Why don’t you hire the Thieves? Knox would bring the tactical team without question.”
“They’re spread thin too right now. Between mafia leads and their own business, they can’t really spare people. I honestly understand if you say no, and I’d be grateful if you could just get Noah safely home for me,” he said with a sigh, his phone lighting up on the desk and making him glance down at it. “Great, and now the guys that were on a stakeout job got themselves shot at, so I really need to handle that.”
“Are they okay?” I asked slowly, watching as he picked up the phone to type a response.
“Alive? Sure. Mikey got a bullet to the leg though.”
“Maybe you should bring Noah here to see the consequences of not going to school,” I joked, earning a raised eyebrow.
“Mikey went to college and passed with flying colors. He just needs to learn to weave instead of duck. You know what? Go get him and bring him here.”
“Mikey?”
“Noah,” he said exasperatedly, rubbing his temples. “There’s too much to do today, I swear.”
“Where’s Rory? Still in the Heights?” I asked as I stood, knowing it was time to go.
“Right this second, she’s bailing my princess out of jail for shooting a gun in front of a million cops,” he said dryly, pressing his phone to his ear as he called someone. “Oh, and Lopez? Call Noah on his bullshit. I know he’ll throw it at you. Tell him how good he fucking has it.”
I nodded and left the room, almost running into Caden, who was scowling. “Whatever job you’re doing, I’ll trade you.”
“Don’t think that’s allowed, Holloway,” I grinned, and he huffed.
“I won’t tell anyone. Where are you off to?”
“To pick up Noah. Slash told me to bring him here,” I shrugged, a frown tugging at his mouth.
“Why here?”
“Uh, Mikey got shot in the leg. I think Slash wants him to see it to scare him back on the right path or something,” I winced, and he groaned.
“Mikey got shot? Just what we need. You go get Noah, I’ll see you when you get back. Make sure you call the second you feel like something’s wrong, okay? If I have to come find you, I can. You have your gun?”
“We’ve kept them in the cars lately. I’ll make sure it’s there,” I answered, hearing something in the office slam.
“Uh, I’ll go deal with that. Thanks for helping,” Caden said as he quickly headed into the office, Slash’s voice scolding someone on the phone.
Harley was gone, so I headed outside and climbed into the car, checking that the gun was in the glovebox, before heading in the direction of Ashburn Valley Academy.