Page 50 of Sins of Seduction
Jax reached for her, pulling her back into his body. “I’m not going anywhere, Rave. I lost you too many times to let you go now that I’ve gotten another chance.” He brushed the hair that had fallen into her eyes out of her face. “I know this situation sucks. I get it, but if you think I’m going to walk away for you to handle this on your own, you’re out of your mind. I don’t believe my presence in or out of your life is going to make a difference to whoever is leaving these rose petals and the notes.”
“No, you’re right, but….” She could feel the hysteria build deep in her chest. The image of Lea’s lifeless body flooded her mind.
Raven could smell the lilac wax melt Lea kept in her bathroom. She could hear the bathroom water running and could see the light purple tiles of her bathroom and the plush grey rug that sat just outside of her tub that had turned a dark grey from the water overflowing. She could hear the tentative way she called Lea’s name, could feel the apprehension seeping into her body as she walked closer to the bathtub. Raven watched her hand shake as she gripped the shower curtain. The dread had settled heavy in her stomach, knowing what she would find once she pulled back the curtain. Raven had this same nightmare for months, years, and every time her mind replayed it, it never got easier to see.
Raven pulled the curtain back, ready to see Lea’s lifeless body in the overflowing tub filled with her blood, but the image had changed. Lea was no longer in the tub; it was Jax and the grief damn near toppled her over. She wouldn’t survive it if something happened to him.
“But it will keep you alive, Jax.” She heard the urgency in her voice, and she prayed he understood it too.
Jax pulled her away from his chest. He cupped her face, “I love you, Raven. I’ve spent too much of my time away from you, and all it’s done is made me a shell of who I really am. When I told you I was all in, I meant it. Don’t ask me to give you up when I just got you back.”
Danny drove down Raven’s block, noticed the police presence, and cursed. This had taken an unexpected turn. The ever-fierce Raven had run to the cops for help instead of keeping quite like she’d done in the past. Danny was getting sloppy. The kill at Lush hadn’t been planned, not initially, but Danny remembered the way Bastillo had fucked Raven. He’d been one of the many that had fallen for the temptation she taunted with her clever lips, and Danny knew he needed to pay for his sins and for Raven’s.
Raven needed to understand that everything she touched, she broke and ruined. The paradise she promised was coated in lies and only ever got someone hurt, like Jax should have been hurt. The bastard should have been in the Mustang, then Danny could have gone on with the plans that had been cultivated for years now. Danny didn’t want to wait for Jax to fuck up again and leave Raven heartbroken. Their on and off again cycle had been too unpredictable, Danny thought for sure the last time was going to be the last time, but Jax had shown up at Lush a year ago and hadn’t gone anywhere since.
“What to do, what to do,” Danny whispered, taking note of the undercover car sitting at the end of Raven’s block. There was still the party at Murray’s house, but would there be cops pretending to be partygoers?
Danny had to be careful how the next phase of the plan played out. Raven’s demise was so close, Danny could taste her fear. Danny could feel Raven’s delicate skin under their palms and could already see the recognition in her eyes when all would be revealed, and it made Danny hot and bothered.
Danny needed to keep their wits about them. Sloppy mistakes could undo all the hard work that had already been done, and Danny was too close to the victory line to fuck it up now.
My pretty little Raven
I enjoy the way your body shakes
Under my touch.
My pretty little Raven
You know what’s coming
You’ve set it in motion
And now there’s nowhere you can run to
That I will not find you.
My pretty little Raven
I can see the fear in your eyes
Your blood will finally set me free
From the chains your lies have told.
Jax could physically feel Raven’s fear—he could taste the rising panic that coated her skin. It was tangy, a complete contrast to the sweetness that always made him hungry for her. He didn’t want to downplay what she was feeling because what could happen was real, and she had every right to worry.
There was someone out there lurking just beyond the shadows, unreachable, but Jax felt its claws digging into his skin nonetheless. He could only imagine what it actually felt like for her—not knowing who or what was coming and who was going to get hurt in the aftermath. There was already one dead body, but that wasn’t enough to get Jax to go anywhere. He would not leave her to fend for herself when it came to whoever was threatening her. Jax had a funny feeling that whether they stayed together or not, it wouldn’t matter. Raven was no safer with him in her life than she would be without him in it.
“Jax.” Her voice broke, the plea in her tone made his heart ache.
He wanted nothing more than to ease her fear. Tell her he’d slay any dragons that taunted her, but he was flying blind. It was hard to slay the monsters that scared Raven Wright when he didn’t know who the monsters were.
“You saw how I was after Lea’s death.” Raven’s breath hitched. She’d stopped crying an hour ago, her face a beautiful, blotchy mess. He didn’t think she had any tears left to spill, but he could see the water filling her eyes as she spoke, as she begged him to see where she was coming from and convince him to leave.
“It nearly destroyed me, Jax. If I lose you,” she closed her eyes as her whole body shook in his hold. “Especially if I know I can prevent it.” The words were barely audible, but he heard them just like he heard what she didn’t say:
I can’t lose you like I lost Lea.
