Page 13 of Wraith’s Betrayal

She nodded, unable to speak.

"This ends now," I said, handing the phone back.

"Smart, not angry," Viper warned. "We protect her, but we do it right."

"Blade needs to know," Phoenix pointed out.

"No!" Raven grabbed my arm. "Please. Not yet. Let me figure out how to tell him."

"He's going to find out."

"I know. Just... give me time."

My phone rang. Blade.

"Yeah?"

"Where's Raven? She's not answering her phone."

I met Viper's eyes. "She's at the clubhouse. We had a situation."

"What kind of situation?" His voice had already gone dangerous.

"You should come here. We need to talk."

"I'm already on my way." He hung up.

The guilt of betraying Blade's trust ate at me. He'd asked me to protect his sister, and instead I'd kissed her, wanted her, nearly taken her on my kitchen counter. When he found out—and he would—our brotherhood might not survive.

But looking at Raven, pale and scared but still standing strong, I knew I'd already made my choice.

Her over everything.

Even if it cost me my brother.

CHAPTER 4

RAVEN

The kiss haunted me.

Three days had passed since Wraith kissed me against on his kitchen counter top, since his mouth crashed into mine with weeks of pent-up hunger, since I'd finally tasted what I'd been craving from that first moment in the clubhouse. Three days of him pulling back, rebuilding walls, treating me with careful politeness that made me want to scream.

Or strip naked in his living room just to see that control shatter again.

"Earth to Raven." Tiffany's voice cut through my spiral. "You haven't touched your coffee, and Bea's coffee is basically liquid gold."

I blinked, focusing on the woman across from me at Bea's Diner. Tiffany had texted this morning suggesting a "girls' day"—shopping, coffee, gossip. Normal things that felt surreal when my body still burned from phantom touches.

"Sorry. Just thinking about the job hunt." The lie rolled off easily. I'd gotten good at those lately.

"Bullshit." Tiffany stirred sugar into her third cup, studying me with those sharp nurse eyes that probably caught every tell. "You've been floating around looking thoroughly kissed for three days. Spill."

Heat flooded my face. "I don't know what⁠—"

"Please. I lived with Blade when he was fighting his attraction to me. I know that look." She leaned forward, lowering her voice even though the lunch rush had mostly cleared out. "It's Wraith, isn't it?"

My silence was answer enough.