Page 29 of Raine

She growls beside me, and I find I like her even more. It’s not often she sits in on meetings, but I must admit it’s nice not being the only woman around these buffoons.

“Can we stay on track? I’m nursing a hangover like you wouldn’t believe.”

“That sounds like a personal problem, Rainey, ayouproblem.”

I flip Justyce off, and it only fuels his and Acheron’s laughter. I sigh; I am way too sober and hungover for their shit.

After a couple seconds, they right themselves, and the humor dissipates.

Oh fuck, what now?

“What’s going on?”

“I know you and Arrow tend to do these little missions together, but I’m going to need you to go with Ach.”

“Fuck no.”

“Aw, you hurt my feelings, Raine,” Acheron drawls, placing his hand over his heart.

“You’re already treading a thin line with me, Raine. I told you to be here this morning, and it’s now after lunch. I sent Arrow to talk to you and you come in alone, and looking like shit,” he pauses, words lingering in the air. “I need you to do this for me.”

I sigh in defeat, knowing I’m going to do whatever he asks of me because he wouldn’t ask me if it wasn’t important.

Justyce looks to Acheron and then back to me, and I cross my hands over my chest, already on high defense.

“Avernus and Arrow’s father, Jarvis, have been getting a little handsy with the slaves since my father’s alleged death,” he says, letting that hang in the air.

Draconis is currently in a mental asylum, one he owned and only he and Justyce knew about. After he kidnapped Kenzi and did some pretty fucked-up things to her, Justyce figured death was too easy for him. So he’s currently sitting in a small, padded white room, swallowing pills for a living — ones that’ve proven to provide pretty fucked-up adverse reactions.

Protectiveness blooms inside me, and I stand up, ready to go downstairs. “Where?”

“Avernus took it upon himself to pick up the latest shipment, making sure we knew he was still a part of this, still watching.”

My blood runs cold, anxiety coating my veins as I think about the girls downstairs.

“Are - are they still alive?”

“Yeah…but I’m not so sure about their mental health.”

“Where are they?”

“Santa Monica.”

“Your safe house?”

“It’s the only place I could think of and the only place no one other than us knows about.”

“Fuck. Is anyone there now with them?”

“Angelite is. She’s working around the clock, and she has a nurse with her too, Cassie, one of her friends. Arrow did an extensive background check, and she signed the contracts and all that shit.”

“Ok. So, what do you need me to do?”

“I need you and Ach to take some supplies to them, check in with Angelite, and see if there is anything else she might need.”

“Is she expecting us?”

“She was expecting you and Arrow, but I’ll update her shortly, so she’s not shocked when this bottle of glitter shows up.”