Chapter 33
Monica paced the room, her stomach in knots so tight she thought she might throw up.
She couldn’t stop thinking of Dena being scared.
Her heart dropped to her stomach as she prayed nothing happened to her niece.
Fear, anger, and rage overwhelmed her as she paced.
Images of Dena being frightened kept flashing through her mind.
She stopped glancing at the window again, but she’d already checked the window more than once, even though Kane had told her it was useless. He’d been right. It wouldn’t open. She’d tried everything to get it opened, but nothing worked.
She was on the second floor, and even if she had managed to get it open, she wasn’t sure what she would’ve done next.
She hadn’t gotten that far, and the door was just as useless.
She had also tried that multiple times by pinning every number combination into that damn pad on the door.
Seriously, who had that in a bedroom? Fucking Dark Guardians, that’s who, she thought with a snort.
Cursing under her breath, she shot it a glare before flopping back onto the bed.
A moment later, she dragged herself up again and started pacing.
She checked her phone and frowned. She had to try to call her brother, but he hadn’t answered.
She then texted him, but there was still no reply or call back.
Fear overwhelmed her again. Doug always called her back or texted.
Thoughts of Ken doing something to her brother overwhelmed her.
Monica started to call him again when the door beeped. Rushing that way to make an escape, Raven appeared with a bag and a fountain drink.
“I need to get out of here,” Monica tried to go around her, but Raven blocked her path with ease.
“Yeah, that’s not going to happen.” Raven used her foot to shut the door while still facing Monica. “I figured you might be hungry and thirsty.”
“I’m not,” Monica replied, already glancing past her toward the door. “I have to talk to my brother. He isn’t answering his phone or returning my texts.”
“He’s fine,” Raven said as she headed toward the bed and set the bag on it, then sat down, holding out the drink to Monica.
“I don’t want the fucking drink, Raven.” Monica hissed, wanting to pull her hair out in frustration. “I want to talk to my brother! I want to find Dena! I want out of this room! Kane has no right locking me in here. None of you do.”
Raven shrugged, then took a drink before setting it on the table next to the bed.
“Kane has already talked to your brother. Two of the Warriors are at his house now. He also sent someone to your neighbor’s house.
Kane is going to get Dena back, and until you understand what the fuck is going on, you are staying in this room. ”
Okay, that bit of information took the wind straight out of her. Kane had thought of her brother and Theo. “He did?” Monica whispered as she turned and plopped down on the bed, staring at the door.
“Yeah,” Raven dug through the bag, pulling out a fry, then took a bite. “Fry?”
Shaking her head, she then looked at Raven. “Why?”
Raven finished off her fry and sighed. “You’re really asking me that?
” Raven narrowed her eyes at Monica. “Kane isn’t the asshole you seem to think he is.
He is also one of the best Dark Guardians to ever be a part of this fucked up team.
If anyone can bring Dena back safe, it’s him.
If anyone can take down Farrar, it’s him.
And for the why. He is in love with you.
So, anyone in your life that is important to you, he will lay his life down for them and you. ”
“He told you that he’s in love with me?” Monica frowned, not knowing what to think at this point.
“Fuck no,” Raven snorted, then laughed. “He’d rather cut out his tongue and nail it to the wall than tell me that. I’ve known Kane for a long time, Monica. I have never once seen him look at a woman as he looks at you. And let me tell you, I’ve seen that man with a lot of women.”
Monica really didn’t know what to do with that information.
She knew she had deep feelings for Kane, but with everything going on, she had tried to ignore them as much as possible.
For so long, finding her sister had been the only thing she thought about.
Some say it had become an obsession, and she would have to agree with that.
Her life had been put on the back burner, so to speak.
“I heard you tell him you trusted him,” Raven said, grabbing her attention away from her own thoughts. “Are you a liar?”
“No,” Monica said with a frown. “I’m not a liar. It’s just I’ve been doing this, trying to find my sister, and now trying to find who killed her, for so long that...it’s my responsibility.”
“Says who?” Raven cocked her eyebrow. “You?”
“Well, yeah, me.” Monica was starting to get a little angry at being questioned. “Who else is going to do it?”
“The cops, for starters,” Raven shot back.
Monica snorted and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, that worked out really well. I was in there every day trying to get updates on Beverly’s case.”
“Ah,” Raven nodded, taking another fry out of the bag.
Monica frowned, “What does that mean?”
“You’re one of those people,” Raven chewed as if in deep thought. “I guess I pegged you wrong.”
“I am not one of those people!” Monica’s voice rose as she glared at Raven, then realized something. She didn’t know what in the hell Raven meant. “What kind of people?”
“You have to control everything, or it’s all going to fall apart if you don’t.” Raven didn’t hesitate in her answer. “You can’t hand over responsibilities for fear of losing control.”
“That’s not true,” Monica defended herself, but when Raven gave her a sideways look, she sighed. “Okay, maybe there’s a little truth in that, but dammit, it was my sister. And now I find out that her piece of shit husband, whom we all trusted, is the reason she’s dead.”
“Listen, I’m not saying what you’ve done is a bad thing, Monica,” Raven said, her voice calm and sincere.
“I’ve never had a sister, so I can’t even imagine what that feels like, but I have lost someone who was like a sister to me.
I was the same way until I realized I needed help.
That I couldn’t do it all myself, it wasn’t as if I gave up trying to find her killer, but I realized that if I wanted true justice, I needed to allow those who cared for me to help, and honey, Kane cares for you. ”
Tears filled her eyes, blurring Raven until she blinked them away with a nod. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Tracy would have liked you.” Raven gave her a sad smile. “You actually remind me of her. Tell me about your sister, Beverly.”
Monica kicked off her shoes and then climbed further onto the bed, curling her feet underneath her.
“She was my best friend. I mean, we had our sisterly fights, but they never lasted long. After Dena was born, she started law school. She was so smart, way smarter than me. She was funny and was the best mom. God, I miss her.”
“What about her husband?” Raven ventured her eyes, narrowing slightly. “They have a good relationship?”
“I mean, yes and no,” Monica replied, a crease forming between her eyes.
“Most of their issues were about money. He could never hold a job, and he had a lot of them. He would either quit or get fired, but it was always because of something the employer did. He was also job hunting while trying every get-rich scheme out there.”
“Makes sense,” Raven said thoughtfully.
“Now knowing what I know, it does...kinda. God, how could he do something like this?” Monica felt a sense of rage boil inside her again.
“He worshiped my sister. How could he put her in danger like that? When things were good, not that they ever got that bad, they were so happy it made me nauseous at times. Seriously, gag worthy.”
“Money is the root of all evil,” Raven sighed, sitting up. “I’ve seen it so many times. The saddest thing I’ve ever seen is mothers and fathers trading their kids for money to buy or trade for Crimson Rush. The world we live in is fucked up.”
“I used to try to look for the good in everything, but since this happened, I just can’t.” Monica frowned, then grabbed the bag and dug through it, bringing out a few fries. “I’ve been lied to, betrayed, and defeated. That does something to a person after a while.”
“Unfortunately, that’s life.” Raven sighed with another shrug.
“Yeah, well...” Monica dug back into the bag and pulled out more fries. “It sucks.” She then shoved the fries in her mouth.
“Yes, it does,” Raven smiled, watching Monica. “I knew you were hungry.”
“Shut up,” Monica replied, but a half grin tipped her lips.
Raven stood, “Come on, let’s go see if there’s any information yet.”
Monica frowned in mid-chew. “You’re letting me out of my prison?”
“Yeah, smartass,” Raven nodded, then waved her on as she keyed in the code. “If you try to run, I’ll catch you and kick your ass.”
Frowning, Monica stood slowly, crossing her arms over her stomach.
“I told Kane I’d never forgive him,” Monica said, not really knowing why she told Raven that, but it was bothering her.
He was putting himself in danger for her family, and she had been a real bitch.
“I’m a bitch,” she said, thinking out loud.
“Ain’t we all,” Raven laughed, shaking her head.
“Monica, if you only knew the shit I’ve said to Charger in the heat of the moment.
These men, Guardians, are a breed like no other.
He will get over it, and well, sometimes we have to be bitches to be heard with all that testosterone that bleeds through their pores.
Kane will forgive you for not forgiving him, and if not, just strip naked and dance around. ”
Monica thought about that for a minute, then nodded. “I can do that,” she replied, then grabbed the bag of food and headed her way out of the room.
Raven laughed, “I really like you, Monica. Bitch and all,”
“Good because you scare the shit out of me,” Monica said with a smirk, but actually, it was true. For a woman who looked like Raven that could keep up with men like Charger and Kane, holy shit.
As she came down the steps, she noticed how quiet the house was. Everyone was standing or sitting with their phones out, eyes locked on screens, jaws tight. Some faces she recognized. Others she didn’t. No one spoke. No one looked up.
Whatever was happening, it was already in motion.
Her chest tightened as she took it in, realizing this was the plan, the one she hadn’t been included in. And for the first time since all of this began, she stopped fighting that fact.
She let go of the control, the second-guessing, and the need to know every detail. She placed her full trust in Kane and the people around him.
The worry was still there, sharp and relentless, and fear clung to her like a second skin. But beneath it all was something steadier. Something she’d realized she always had with Kane. Faith. She’d just been too afraid to lean into it.
And as the seconds ticked by in that silent room, Monica realized there was no turning back now. Whatever was happening was already underway.