Page 145 of Pretty Broken Wings

“Raven?” Gage asks.

She doesn’t answer, just burrows in further, her shoulders shaking harder.

“Raven?” This time, Gage tries to move to see her face, but he’s still tied down. He throws a look my way. “Untie me.”

I frown, moving to do as he asks, trying to see Raven’s face. She won’t let me look at it.

Gage strains impatiently.

“Hold still, fucker,” I hiss, the ropes getting jerked out of my hands.

“Are you hurt?”

More silent crying.

Alarm rips through me as I undo the knot. Then I look Raven over, looking for any injury. She doesn’t seem hurt.

Gage tries to get up, but the ropes Raven tied around his chest are still there. He cusses as the chair jolts, then scrambles to untangle them under Raven’s body. She just brings her hands up to her face.

“Ax,” Gage says, and it’s panicked.

“Easy,” I mutter. “Just… get her to her room.”

Gage does, finally standing and carrying her down the hall and into her room. Then he puts her down. “Are you hurt?”

Raven shakes her head, throwing her hands in front of her face. “Don’t look at me.”

I do, scanning her for injuries on her front or blood between her legs. Nothing. I feel helpless, and it makes panic send adrenaline through my body.

Gage is panicking, running his hands all over her. I grab his shoulder and pull him back. This could be something like ‘sub drop.’ I’ve seen it happen to the women I’ve messed with in thepast. Even felt it myself after inflicting something particularly violent or bloody. It feels like the cocktail of emotions and hormones all spill over, and you’re left… empty.

“I’m fine.” Raven dashes away the tears, and now that I can see her face, I see the numbness creeping in. The disconnect.

“You’re not fine. What’s wrong?” Gage is all up in her face, brushing her hair away, looking intently at her as if he just looks hard enough, he’ll be able to see her. She swats at him numbly, but he doesn’t back off. “Tell me.”

She crosses her arms over her chest.

“Raven, I swear to god–”

“It was too much,” she blurts. “I… I made you. I made you do it.”

There’s a stunned silence. Gage looks back at me, and I just frown.

“Yeah, that was… kinda the point.”

“No! I mean, Imadeyou. And now I’m using you.” Her eyes well with tears again, and she dashes them away. Then I see that detached look come back in her eye. “I’m tired. I’m going to sleep.”

“Made me? You didn’t make me do anything.”

But Raven has turned and is headed to bed.

With a snarl, Gage grabs her arm and whirls her to face him. Then, he shoves her back on the bed so she’s lying back, then steps over her. “You didn’t make me do shit.” Then he presses his body over her, pinning her to the mattress.

“Gage.” She struggles weakly.

“No, Raven. You really think you could make me do something I don’t want to do?” He drops his face in hers, and he’s angry. I see it in the tense lines of his body. “Make me get off you.”

“Gage!” She’s still trying to hide her face.