Page 5 of Keg's Revelation

“Problem with snakes?”

“The things creep me out. Even the black ones that hang around and eat mice.” Ry cringed.

“I’m with you there, kid. Not fond of those things myself.”

“Guess I better go before my mom yells for me,” Ry said and moved around me. I turned and followed so I could check in with Freak. Evidently, one of the man’s snakes had taken ill. He took better care of his snakes than he did himself most of the time.

Ry’s mom stood with her back to me and held the hand of a little dark-haired girl while she talked with a few of my brothers. She was dressed in jeans, a t-shirt, and boots. And the woman filled out the jeans. If the front matched the back, Ry’s dad was one lucky man.

“Hey, Mom,” Ry said just as we reached the group. When the woman and the little girl turned—I was left speechless as a piece of my past met my eyes.

I stared at the woman I hadn’t seen since she was going on seventeen. As she looked back at me, I noticed the years had been good to her. Her black hair was pulled into a ponytail and left her face on full display. As a young girl, she had been beautiful, but as a grown woman, gorgeous didn’t even seem a good enough of a description.

Talking had ceased around us, and I didn’t need to glance away to know my brothers watched us.

“It’s good to see you, Reed.”

Chapter Two

Raven

Ithought I’d preparedmyself to face Reed. How wrong I was. When Gramps called my cell and asked me to handle the call he’d received from Mr. Owens about his snake being lethargic, I agreed to the house call before I was informed on where he lived. I knew the location of the Haven MC’s clubhouse, everyone in town and the surrounding area did. But I’d never spent time there when Reed and I dated. Our time together was spent either at his house or mine.

Gramps knew what he asked of me, and I could have argued about not being ready to face any confrontation, but there was no way around it. I didn’t want to have an argument with him on the phone since the kids were in the car with me. And definitely not one pertaining to Reed.

Moving back to the area, I hadn’t expected to avoid Reed forever. It’d never been my intention, but I had hoped for more time. Time to come to terms with what needed to be done. Time before the choice I made so long ago came into question. Time to steel myself for Reed’s hatred when the truth was revealed. Because there was no doubt that he would hate me. And he would have the right to.

As I drove to the Haven MC’s compound, I prayed luck continued to be on my side as it had before every time I visited my grandparents over the years. Being honest with myself, it was probably due more to me avoiding trips into town so I wouldn’t cross his path.

I’d almost made it today. I probably would have if a few of the men hadn’t followed me out to inquire about Mr. Owen’s—Freak as he asked me to call him—snake.

When I turned at Ry’s voice and saw Reed standing beside him, all I could do was stare. Reed’s expression likely mimicked mine as we both stood speechless. One of shock.

Once I noticed the sound around us had stopped, I gathered myself enough to speak, “It’s good to see you, Reed.”

“Raven. Been a while,” Reed said as he looked me up and down with blue eyes so familiar to me. Eyes set in a chiseled face framed by hair a little darker than the sandy blond I remembered. I sometimes saw those eyes in dreams. Dreams I hated. Dreams that reminded me of a time I needed to forget. My first love. My first heartbreak.

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