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23

RAVEN

I t’s hard to explain what made me reach out for him like that.

Perhaps it was the simple fear of being home alone and unable to protect Fen.

Perhaps it was the way he threw himself on me to keep me safe.

But most likely, it’s just him.

In spite of everything, Wraith looks at me like he understands me. Like he can see right through to my soul.

“Let me make a call. Smoke can bring us some supplies.”

As he steps away, I again notice the blood. “Wraith!” I take in his injuries. The slices up his arms, the rip in his T-shirt. “Oh my God.”

“I’m okay, Blue. I’ll shower after you and it’ll be fine. We need to get you and Fen warmed up first.”

Something rips me out of the shock I was in and propels me to action. “We don’t. Call Smoke and ask if he’ll bring some medical supplies. We need to clean all those up so they don’t get infected.”

“I’ll take a shower. That’ll clean ‘em good.”

I wrinkle my nose. “No. It won’t. I’m sorry I don’t have much in here. I should probably have a first aid kit in case Fen hurts himself, but I just haven’t had the funds to…well. Please, it would make me feel better.”

I can see Wraith wants to say no. It’s in the gentle roll of his eyes. “Fine.”

“I’m just going to check in on Fen while you do.”

He runs a knuckle over my cheek. “Good to see you getting some color back, Blue. You had me worried.”

“And you have me worried, now. I know we didn’t…last time…you know. We said some things. But I’m glad you’re here. I’m glad you were there earlier for me.”

“Me too,” Wraith admits.

He reaches out and touches the ends of my hair, and I want to stand here with him, wrapped in this moment, but I hear a clunk in the bathroom, then laughter.

Both of us look in Fen’s direction.

“Fen and I…we’re a package deal.” I don’t know what makes me blurt this out at this moment.

Wraith presses a kiss to my forehead, then smiles softly. “I know.”

“I need to check in on him,” I say.

“I know that too.” He releases me. “I’ll go call Smoke.”

Fen has stripped and is about to get into the water when I get there. And there are bubbles everywhere.

“I spilled the bubbles.”

I stroke my hand over his hair. “That’s okay. I think today calls for bubbles. You doing okay, bud?” I dip my hand beneath the tap and then into the bath water to check the water isn’t too hot.

“There were a lot of police cars,” he says as he climbs in.

I kneel next to the tub. “There were. How do you feel about that?”

He reaches for my hand with his wet and soapy one. “I was scared you were hurt again.”

“Oh, sweetheart. I bet it was really scary to feel that way. I wasn’t hurt. Wraith made sure I was safe.”

I don’t tell Fen the details and pray he doesn’t ask.

“There was a lot of blood,” he says, looking up at the ceiling.

“There was. But it was all the bad guys’.” I know it’s a lie. But he’s too young to understand the nuance of what happened today. ‘Bad guys’ is a concept he can get his head around. And maybe it will help alleviate some of the shock and fear if he thinks ‘the bad guys’ are dead.

In truth, I have no idea who the good guys and bad guys were. I know what I want to believe, that Wraith is one of the good guys, but the reality of it could be murkier.

He nods. “Okay.”

“You have any more feelings you want to tell me?”

“The blood made me feel a bit sick. And I got blood on my clothes.”

I glance down at the outfit I sent him to kindergarten in laying in a pile by the toilet. It must be Wraith’s from when he carried him. “We can wash them. I’ll put them in the sink to soak overnight, and they’ll be good as new.”

And…shit. Blood transfer could mean transfer of diseases.

My heart thrashes in my chest as I panic. I’ll speak to Wraith about it.

Fen nods. “Will Wraith look after us?”

I stroke my little boy’s head, brushing the hair back off his face, trying to wrestle my own fears into submission. “Wraith is a good friend. But this isn’t his home. He’s going to get some supplies so I can take care of his boo-boos. And then we’ll eat some dinner. When he goes home, we’ll lock the doors tight and be safe and sound from the world.”

“Okay,” he says, but I can hear the caution in his voice.

It takes another ten minutes to finish up his bath and get him into clean pajamas.

“Go read a book,” I say, then go and find Wraith sitting at one of the chairs at the small table. It’s too small for his large frame. I wonder if I’m liable to the landlord if it breaks beneath him.

“You should get in the shower next,” I say.

“Not gonna happen,” he says.

“But you’re still bleeding and I…”

He stands and strides towards me. “We don’t know each other very well, yet. But there’s no way I’m seeking my comfort until I know you and Fen are both taken care of. You can patch me up to your heart’s content…once you’re showered and not shaking anymore, yeah?”

I stare at him, unused to the warmth of feeling…cared for.

He leans in, placing his lips close to my ear. “But, for the record, if Fen weren’t here, I’d be suggesting we shower together.” He stands up tall and winks.

And I melt…again.

“Wraith,” I say quietly.

He tips his head in the direction of the shower. “Go get cleaned up, Blue.”

I do as he says, savoring the heat of the hot water as it sluices over my body. The pressure is pathetic, but I don’t notice because I’m still thinking about the way his breath whispered across my ear.

About the way it would have felt to have our wet bodies meet.

Would he have washed my hair? How would his large hands feel as they massaged my scalp?

My body cries out for attention. For something to ground me and make me feel worshipped. I’ve rarely felt that.

I’ve felt needed. God, between Fen and my husband, that’s all I ever am. The one who meets their needs.

But to have someone pause for a moment to meet mine?

Bliss.

In the midst of the turmoil and the self-preservation telling me that none of this is a good idea, I see a sliver of what a fulfilling relationship with Wraith could be like.

Simply standing here, desiring the touch of another man, is more than I could imagine six months ago.

I can’t count the number of nights I simply laid there in bed, dreading the sound of my husband’s footsteps on the way to the bedroom. Trying to ready myself for sex with him when it was really the last thing I wanted to do.

Now I’m standing in the shower, knowing my child is just on the other side of the wall, silently wishing Wraith would throw all good sense out the window and join me.

I finish up, wrap the towel around me, and realize I forgot to bring my own night clothes to the bathroom.

“Shit.” I brush my teeth, looking at my hazy reflection in the steamed-up mirror.

When I’m done, I step out of the bathroom and find Wraith and Smoke at the top of the stairs. They both look at me, and I suddenly cringe, standing there in a towel.

“Stop fucking looking at her,” Wraith says to Smoke.

Smoke laughs. “She looks good in that.”

Wraith shoves Smoke toward the first step. “And you’ll look good six feet under if you don’t get the fuck down those steps.”

“Later, guys,” Smoke shouts.

“Sorry,” I say. “I didn’t know he was here. I forgot my clothes.”

Wraith strides toward me with heat in his eyes. “I see that.”

He glances into the bedroom, and whatever he sees reassures him enough that Fen is occupied. “How am I supposed to keep my hands off you?” he asks quietly.

He dips his head and lazily licks a drip of water making its way over my chest.

“Wraith,” I say. The word comes out breathless.

He shifts us so we are out of sight of the bedroom door, and when he does, he kisses me roughly. And for a moment, I let him, before pushing gently on his chest.

“It’s unfair to stir me up when we can’t do anything about it,” I say playfully.

He kisses the side of my neck. “Fucking impossible.”

“What is?” I ask.

He grins. “Nothing.”

“You’ll have to use Fen’s towel. We only have two. Don’t worry if you get blood on it, I’ll just bleach it, but…” I don’t want to ask the question, but for everyone’s safety, I do. “Do we have any reason to be concerned about your blood getting on us?”

Wraith touches his fingertips to my cheeks. “No. But I’ll get tested tomorrow and bring you the results to put your mind at rest.”

“Really?” I expected an argument.

“Stop worrying about shit that’s easy to fix. I get it. Blood. Not always healthy or safe. If it takes a needle to reassure you, I’ll do it. Blue, I was just willing to take a bullet for you—a needle feels too easy.”

Then he walks into the bathroom and closes the door.

It takes me a moment to process everything he said. He’s willing to take a bullet for me, while Marco just left me to those who’d hurt me.

He’ll take a test tomorrow to reassure me that there won’t be any risk of infection from his blood.

I feel stronger simply knowing he’s here.

On the table are two bags of food.

My son is reading happily, feeling safe.

And as I hear the rush of water hit the bath, I realize that, in spite of everything, I’m happy too.