Lord of Destiny (The Dragon Demigods #6) - Charlene Hartnady Page 0,44

girlfriend, West. Stephan and I are just friends…nothing more.”

It stings to hear her say that, even though it’s true.

“There’s more there,” West growls. “He sure as hell wants to get inside your—”

“West! Raven!” Maddox appears. He sounds groggy. “What’s going on? What are you doing here, West?” he adds, giving the guy a double-take.

“I’ll tell you what’s going on…!” West shouts. Thank god my closest neighbor is a good half an acre away because they’d call the cops otherwise.

“Nothing is going on,” I say.

“Shut the fuck up,” West snarls at me.

“Don’t talk to my friend like that.” Raven puts her hands on West’s chest and tries to give him a shove, but it doesn’t work. West doesn’t budge.

“Can everyone please calm down.” Maddox is fully awake now. “What’s going on, Raven?”

“I came to check on Raven, only to find that they—” West begins.

Maddox interrupts him. “I’d like to hear it from Raven. Explain, please,” he says to her.

My blood goes up. They’re giving her the second degree. Even Maddox. I’m sure their concern is coming from a good place, but fuck! Raven is a grown woman. She’s pointed this fact out numerous times already. They don’t seem to get it.

“I left a note. Stephan was going to take me flying.”

“In the middle of the fucking night?” Maddox frowns.

“Why not the middle of the night? I needed to spread my wings. To get out,” she says.

Maddox doesn’t look happy. West looks downright murderous.

“We didn’t end up flying in the end.” She shrugs.

“Where did you go?” West sniffs Raven, who takes a step back.

“What are you doing?” she asks, her voice shrill. “Stop that!”

“Where the fuck did you go?” West yells at her.

“Don’t speak to Raven like that, or so fucking help me…” I snarl because I can’t hold back anymore. West is pissing me the hell off.

“You’re a little fucking prick.” West practically bulldozes over Raven. All of his muscles are bunched. Scales pop out on his neck just above his shirt. “Raven is mine! Do you understand that? We’re together. We’ve been together for years. Just because we’ve hit a stumbling block does not mean we’re through. You need to understand that, pretty boy, or you won’t be so fucking pretty anymore. I’ll see to that.”

“I think Raven can speak for herself,” I say, forcing myself to calm down. I won’t rise to his insults. I refuse.

“Stop it, West,” Maddox says. “Where did you end up going, sis?” he tries to sound casual. He fails. “It’s not safe out there alone. You know that.”

“I wasn’t alone. I was with Stephan. We were going to fly, but I felt too tired, so we went out for…” She glances over her shoulder at me. The side of her mouth quirks up for a second. I have to school my own expression because West will go nuts if I react to her right now. “…pie…cherry pie.”

“Pie! Fucking pie! You went out for dessert?” West shouts. “I’ve been worried sick.” He seems to relax some. “I was about to wake up your brother. I care about you, Raven.”

“You shouldn’t be going out so late at night. Stephan can’t protect you against the weyr. You said yourself that we can’t stay for too long. That danger might still be lurking,” her brother says.

“We also agreed that it was highly unlikely. That they can’t possibly know where we are. There’s no paper trail leading us to Stephan.” Raven shrugs. “I’m twenty-eight years old. I can go out with a friend if I want to. It’s as simple as that. I did you a courtesy by leaving you the note. Quite frankly, I didn’t have to do that. Maybe I won’t next time. Please don’t come over to check on me in the future,” she says to West.

“But—” he starts.

“But nothing. We’re not together anymore…it’s too much like stalking for my liking.”

“I wasn’t—”

“Save it,” she says. “Call or message me in the future, West, and do it as a friend. Now, if you’ll excuse me…I’m tired. I want to go to bed.” She folds her arms, looking from West to Maddox and back again.

“Good night,” West says, sounding hard done by.

“How did you get here?” Maddox asks West.

“I jogged. It’s a twenty-minute jog. I couldn’t sleep.” He looks down at his sneakers for a moment.

Maddox nods and then turns to Raven. “Night, sis.”

No one moves. We all just stand there looking at one another. “Um,” Raven pipes up, “The two of you can go now. You can