Page 18 of Raven

“Who’sthey?”

“The Wolfthorn Syndicate,” I said. “Private contractors. Ex-military. Funded through black markets and American tax dollars. They don’t just kill you. They erase you.”

Raven leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “You think they’re here for you?”

“Iknowthey are.”

He was quiet for a moment. “How long do we have?”

I looked him in the eye. “Not long. I’m surprised they haven’t already killed me.”

* * *

That night,I locked every door.

Checked every window.

Raven stayed with me that night. He held me in his arms, and I felt safe. For the first time in years, I wasn’t afraid to go to sleep.

I woke up in a sweat, having a panic attack. Raven reached over and pulled me to him, until my breathing got under control.

* * *

Two miles down the beach,a figure crouched beside a boulder, watching the waves.

He spoke softly into a communication device.

“Target has confirmed location. Ledger is with her.”

A voice crackled back through the earpiece.

“Wait for the go order. We take herandhim.”

The figure smiled in the dark.

10

Raven

By sunrise,I’d made my decision.

This wasn’t just Beatrice’s fight anymore.

She was under my protection now, whether she liked it or not. For some reason, she was worried about me getting hurt.

And if Slate or anyone from Wolfthorn wanted to come for her, they were going to find a very different kind of hell waiting.

I dialed River.

He answered on the first ring. “You’re up early.”

“I need a favor.”

“Define ‘favor.’”

“I need help from the team, off the books. Golden Team only.”

Silence crackled through the line.

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