Page 107 of White Raven (Nevermore Duet #2)

“Open the envelope,” Brent urged, gesturing with his hand as Vanessa and her husband both gasped and leaned in to read over C.J.

’s shoulder. Annie hesitated, but peeled it open, and pulled out a signed check.

Her small fingers slid over her mouth, and her shoulders shuddered as she silently cried.

“That should cover your tuition for law school. When you kick ass at Harvard…you’ll have a place here.

I can’t wait to see what you do, Annie DeVord. ”

“You slick bastard,” C.J. smirked, shaking her head. “You’re blackmailing me. You know I can fight this.”

Brent smiled up at her, knowingly. “You knew I was a good lawyer before you backed me into a corner, Cece. You won’t fight it. You know why?”

“Enlighten me,” she smiled, crossing her arms. He pointed at Annie, who was now being comforted by her parents.

“Because when she’s old enough, and every firm on the east coast is dying to have her…you’ll already be holding the door open, and a spot ready on that wall.”

“Well-played, Stratford.”

Brent shrugged and beamed at her as he clicked the end of a pen and extended it to his former colleague.

“I promise it’ll be the easiest win for you yet.

” She jerked it from his hand and leaned down to scratch her signature on the top line.

They both looked at Annie then, and her eyes wouldn’t stop leaking as C.J. slid the paper over.

“You understand that if you want your name on that wall, then it’s something you have to earn, right?” C.J. asked, as Annie eyed her warily. “I’ll promise you an associate’s position, but it’ll be up to you to do the work. Corner offices aren’t handed out like golden tickets, sweetie.”

Annie lifted her chin, glancing at Brent before narrowing her eyes at Cece.

“I’ve never had a golden ticket, Miss Parks.

Only a second chance. I won’t be blowing that chance on getting that corner office the same way you apparently did.

” It was all Brent could do to keep his composure, but C.J.

looked like she couldn’t believe she was talking to a ten-year-old and wanted to hire her on the spot. “I’ll make you proud, Brent.”

He scooted the pen toward her small hand and smiled down at her as they locked eyes. “You already do, kid.” She signed her name, and stood, shaking hands with Cece, and then coming around the table to squeeze him around the waist. Brent clenched his teeth with emotion.

“Tell her not to get too comfortable,” Annie sniffled. “As soon as I get boobs, you’re in trouble.”

“Annie DeVord!” Vanessa laughed.

Ever since Nell’s catalog had been returned, along with the missing items Sykes had stashed, Sarah had trouble looking at the number of zeroes that Nell’s appraisal colleagues had determined on Poe’s pieces.

Wren and Brent had insisted they be given to her…

for obvious reasons. Athan had been completely fine with Nell’s fortune being left to Wren, and plans had already been made to have the remains of her ashes spread where she’d asked.

That left Sarah to figure out what to do with these priceless bits of American history…

history she no longer wanted to think about.

They had decided together that they’d auction off every piece but the original that Athan had gifted part of on the morning he’d asked her to marry him.

Poe clicked his beak on her shoulder as she scrolled through offers on her laptop. “They’re selling a lot quicker than I thought they would,” she admitted, biting her bottom lip.

“I told you that’d probably be the case. You sure you still wanna do it?” Athan asked, sliding on his stomach across the couch to rest his chin on her thigh.

“Yeah. It’s our ticket out of here. I’m ready to put this shit behind us.”

He playfully bit her thigh. “I would have gotten us there without that.”

“I know.” She closed the laptop, and set it on the coffee table, fingering through his hair. “It’s what I want. We’ve still got a couple things left to do in Boston. Are you wearing that?” She pointed at his outfit. Athan drew his brows and followed her line of sight.

“Are you seriously coming down on me for a band t-shirt and jeans?”

Sarah grinned adoringly. “You wore that for me , didn’t you…”

He rolled his eyes, and got up, sliding a cigarette into his mouth and cupping his hands around it. “Psh…arrogant.”

Sarah stood, locking Poe into his cage, and creeping up behind him as he gathered his stuff on the kitchen counter. “You don’t even listen to them, stupid,” she smiled, smoothing her arms around him and pressing a cheek to his back. “Tell me you love me, without telling me you love me.”

“No idea what you’re talking about,” he smiled, blowing smoke.

“Uh-huh. So, we’re gonna test your speakers in the car on the way, then?”

“Christ,” Athan griped, shaking his head.

“That’s what I figured.” Sarah turned him around, stealing his cigarette as she pressed her lips to his mouth. “I know why you wore it. Same band I was wearing the night I first saw you.”

“Maybe,” he smiled, kissing her back.

“Smooth move, detective.”

“I try,” he shrugged. “You ready?”

“Are you? You’re the dinosaur that doesn’t watch movies or T.V.”

Athan pulled his leather jacket on and smirked knowingly. “This was a book way before it was a movie.”

“Nerd,” she grinned, handing him back his cigarette, and grabbing her jacket.

“Go ahead and pretend you didn’t read it first.”

Sarah walked to the door, opening it and looking over her shoulder. “I sure did.”

Some might say that the tiny movie theater was in a sketchier part of town, but it was by far the best one.

Cheap, and rife with all the best older films. The building itself only had two theaters, and the seats were extra squeaky and ancient…

Rhaena would love this. They all parked across the street and gathered before making their way over together.

“I’ve never seen this place before in my life,” Brent said, dragging behind Wren who was catching up to Sarah’s side.

“You wouldn’t have, bitch-boy. This is the reject table. The last time we were here, me and Sarah saw ‘The Rocky’ .” Wren nudged her with an elbow, and Sarah shot her a warning look.

“Shut up,” she bit, wagging a finger.

Athan glanced over, and Rhaena stuck her nose in between them. “My detective brain is tingling. There’s a story here. What the hell is ‘The Rocky’ ?”

“Out with it,” Brandon laughed.

“Wren, don’t you dare.”

Of course, she didn’t listen. All too eager to humiliate her. “ The Rocky Horror Picture Show! ” she giggled.

“Dammit, Janet!” Sarah snorted. Wren exploded in laughter.

“I’m so confused,” Brent said, shaking his head as they approached the ticket window. Everybody stopped, and Athan crossed his arms as they all waited for one of them to explain.

“It’s the best movie ever made,” Wren snickered, “Especially the underwear run …” Sarah hid her face behind her palms. “Right, best friend?” She tortured, elbowing her.

“I fucking hate you.”

“Brad, I’m maddd for you too!” Wren sang, cackling as she threw an arm around her shoulders. Athan grinned at her, and Rhaena stood smirking as they waited for more explanation.

“The underwear run?” Athan teased.

“It’s the part of the movie where everybody strips down and runs laps around the theater. She loves that part,” Wren continued, clutching Sarah’s shoulders.

“And you don’t?” Brent argued, laughing.

“Shit…are you kidding? I led the pack,” Wren grinned. “When me and Sarah first met, we started going like once a month with the rest of Boston’s weirdos. Good times.”

“If any of you think for one second that I’m doing that shit, then I’ll start walking back to the car right now,” Rhaena said, pointing a finger at all of them. Brandon cut in, sliding his arm around Rhaena’s waist.

“No, no…I’ll be needing the time and dates for every showing of this movie,” he chuckled. Rhaena whacked him in the stomach.

Athan pulled her hands away from her face and drew her towards him as they turned toward the ticket booth.

“Two for Bram Stoker’s Dracula ,” he smiled, side-eyeing her, and pulling out his wallet.

The girl behind the counter recognized Sarah, and Sarah made sure to boggle her eyes and shake her head as Athan paid for the tickets she slid under the window.

“So, this is what the cool kids do on Friday nights when they’re not hanging out in shady clubs with a bunch of life-sucking parasites? ” he grinned.

Sarah snatched the tickets. “Shut it, detective.”

“You’re joking, right?” Brent sounded from behind them, as Wren asked for two more tickets. They turned and faced him, and the lawyer shook his head as he rubbed the back of his neck. “This is what we’re seeing?”

“What’s the matter, Brent? Not the stagnant, rich-boy piano bar you were hoping for?” Wren nudged. Sarah remembered that comment from the night at Black Bird Tavern. Now, it seemed like so long ago after everything that had happened between them all.

“I’ve gotta piano bar for you, Vintorri,” he said under his breath. Whatever he did after that earned him a hand slap, and Sarah couldn’t help her grin. Everything had changed. It was gonna keep changing now, but…this peace . This warm happiness they’d all found…damn it was wonderful.

This core memory had been unlocked and would live rent-free in her mind for the rest of her extremely long life.

Athan’s boot rested on the top of the seat in front of them as his knee bent and held the huge bucket of popcorn between him and Sarah. His eyes were glued to the screen, and he blindly shoved popcorn into his mouth. He hadn’t noticed that she’d been staring at him for God only knew how long.