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I barely felt it.

I barely knew what physical pain was anymore anyway.

I walked her backwards into the shower and turned on the cold water then stood under it with her.

“STOP!” She shrieked.

I held her firm despite her squirming and screaming, and I counted. “Five. Four. Three.”

“ACE, STOP!” She kicked, narrowly missing my dick then tugged at my hair, her nails scratched up and down my back. “I hate you! I hate you!”

Teeth chattering, she kept yelling until her voice was hoarse.

Our countdown was over.

Slowly, I slid her down my wet body and gripped her by the chin. “Get your ass dressed, put a hat on your wet hair, and eat a sandwich, if you make me tell you one more time I’m bringing you back to the cold shower. Don’t for one second think anyone’s going to save you. Only you can save yourself and you do that by eating a fucking sandwich, do you understand?”

Her chest heaved. She shoved against me and stomped off, grabbing a towel. I followed after her and wiped down my face with one of the other dry towels and watched while she stripped out of her wet clothes, showing me nothing but naked glistening skin.

She looked over her shoulder. “Stare much?”

“Slow much?” I sighed.

She jerked on a pair of black sweats and a matching sweatshirt and shoved an LA hat on her head and walked out the door.

I followed close by.

Ivan and Bella were waiting on the outside.

Bella smiled up at me. “I thought you were water boarding her with all the screaming. Dante asked us to check up on you.”

"I would never hurt her.”

“Oh…” Ivan grinned. “He was more concerned for your safety.”

I snorted. “I can handle her.”

Bella made a face. “Most kids ask for a car for their sixteenth birthday. She asked for a machete.”

I almost cracked a smile. Good girl. “So?”

Ivan pinched the bridge of his nose. “I thought dealing with my family would be hard, you’ve got your work cut out for you. The Alfero’s are actual nightmares.”

Bella nodded in agreement. “At least the Abandonatos are sane.”

We both gave her a look.

She rolled her eyes. “Whatever. So we wiped out like your entire bloodline at one point, water under the bridge.”

I shook my head and walked away. “I’m going to go make sure she eats.”

"Eats!” Ivan called. “Not chokes!”

"No promises!” I yelled back.

5

RAVEN