Page 16 of Twist’s Raven (31 Days of Trick or Treat: Biker & Mobster #6)

Chapter Fourteen

R aven was smiling as she walked into the clubhouse.

Twist was with the guys, helping set up some of the carnival games for the town’s Halloween celebration.

The decorations, games, and activities were so elaborate that it took days to set up.

Halloween was two days away and everyone was pitching in.

She walked into the front room and paused at the news playing on the television.

A reporter was talking about the storm possibilities in Nebraska and Kansas on Halloween.

Adrenaline flooded her system, and for a short time, she was waking up in that room with her thighs and buttocks in pain, with Snipe and Buzzard above her.

She blamed herself. She’d trusted someone she didn’t know well and paid the price.

She had her buddies to thank for being suspicious of him.

If they hadn’t been hanging around outside his room, they wouldn’t have rescued her.

Something worse than him whipping her thighs and buttocks could have happened.

“Raven, you okay?” Daydream asked, sliding her arm around her.

“Are you finally ready to tell us?” Guru asked, walking in with a coffee and doughnut. The woman was a junk food junkie but never gained weight. If Raven didn’t love her so much, she’d hate her for getting to eat anything she wanted .

“Tell you what?” Raven asked, letting Daydream lead her to the couch and sit down beside her.

“Woman, seriously, you can’t be around all of us former law enforcement and not have us notice that every time that jackass is on the news, you tense. Does it have something to do with the scars on the back of your thighs?” Guru asked.

Before she could answer, Quicksilver, Hoax, Fury, and Lucy, Avery’s wife, walked in.

“I called in reinforcements,” Daydream said.

“The kids?” Raven asked. She didn’t want Lane Jr. possibly overhearing her.

“Your parents have the kids at the diner getting pancakes,” Daydream said.

Okay, she could do this. Why she hadn’t shared this with the women who were closest to her made no sense, except she hadn’t wanted them to see her as weak.

“I went on a date with him. He asked me back to his apartment and I went. I had to go to the bathroom. When I got back, he had drinks for us. I should have known better, but we were on leave, and for once, I wanted to feel like a woman. I had on a dress, which I never do, but I was tired of being in uniform. I sipped the drink, but it tasted a little off. I’m glad I didn’t finish it.

It knocked me out but not for long. I woke up to Snipe and Buzzard beside me, asking what hospital I wanted to be taken to.

We got out of there. I had stitches put in and that was that.

I didn’t want to file charges because, let’s face it, he’s a celebrity.

I also didn’t want to deal with the looks I’d get.

The jerks who didn’t think women should serve would have used it as one more reason I shouldn’t have been there. And that’s it,” Raven said.

“Leave it to you to minimize what happened. You were attacked. And by the way, no man does something that well thought out without practicing before it happened to you. I get that you said you didn’t want to deal with him while you were in the military, but what about now?” Fury asked.

Raven knew that Fury could relate to what Raven had dealt with in the military. When Baylee had joined the ATF, she’d been relegated to filing most of the reports because the men didn’t think she had what it took. Fury harbored a boatload of resentment toward any man who hurt women.

“I just don’t know. I hate the feeling of helplessness I get every time I see him on TV. But he’s all over. I don’t know what I could do that would make me feel better because I don’t want to have to relive what I went through during a trial,” Raven said.

“Well, I think if you’re serious about Twist, you need to share with him in a more detailed version of what went on. Is he the first man you’ve had since the incident?” Guru asked.

Raven thought back. She’d had sex once or twice but always on her terms.

“He’s the first man that I’ve allowed to control what happened while making love,” Raven said, irritated with the heat she could feel in her cheeks.

“Oh, that blush says something else. Oh, oh, oh, is he a giver? Did he make your lady garden bloom or set your core aflame?” Daydream asked.

Raven giggled along with everyone else. She never dreamed she’d be talking about this topic and laughing .

“Well, we know who has been binging her historical romance books,” Fury said, smirking.

“He is a giver, but he’s more than that. I’m just scared to trust that it will all turn out okay,” Raven said softly.

Daydream slid her arm around Raven. “So it doesn’t all turn out okay just because you want it to. Relationships are full of ups and downs that require both people to dig in and fight for their love and the life they want together. Anybody who tells you marriage is easy is either lying or single.”

“I agree. Mace is the man of my dreams, but sometimes, the man of my dreams makes me want to bean him with a frying pan. But loving someone deeply means exactly what Daydream said, when it gets hard, dig in and fight. Now, I’d like your consent to do a little research on your assailant.

There are a lot of ways to make someone feel the consequences of their actions without them disappearing. Just sayin’,” Hoax commented.

Raven nodded. “Yes,” she said, sighing. “I think I’m ready to take a little control back. Find what you can, and I’m going to share with Twist. I think he needs to know.”

Hoax nodded along with everyone else. Despite her keeping a secret for so long, they didn’t hold it against her. Instead, they lifted her up and helped her find her way. She really did have the best girl gang.