meet her eyes only for her to break the contact not a second later.
“I get why you didn’t though, and it’s like I told you before.” I drop down in front of her, and her eyes move back to mine. “You owed me nothing. Not your loyalty, or your secrets. Nothing, Vee.”
She glares at me, shaking her head, but humor lines her eyes. “You’re the strangest fucking person I have ever met.”
A light laugh leaves me.
“Are we gonna talk about it?” she asks.
I shake my head. “Not today.” I shift on the bed, looking to Captain’s empty one. I take a deep breath.
“So... how are you, I mean who are you gonna talk to first?”
My brows pull in, and I squint to her.
She studies me and slowly her head pulls back. “Raven, tell me you’re gonna...”
“Gonna what?”
“End this.”
My head jerks back. “End what?” Right as I say it, a bitter laugh leaves me, and I stand. “Victoria, don’t,” I warn.
“You don’t.” She stands with me, facing me from the other side of the bed. “This changes everything.”
“It changes nothing!” I shout instantly.
She jolts back. “You don’t have to do this, Raven.”
“I already did.”
“But—”
“But nothing! I married him, Vee. I married Captain.”
“Oh, come on, Raven,” she hisses, stepping around the bed. “You don’t give a shit about marriage!” She throws her hand out. “Don’t stand there and pretend you do.”
“You’re right!” I snap back, getting in her face. “I don’t give a fuck about the word. That’s all it is to me, a fucking word. I have no idea what it means, no clue what I’m suddenly supposed to be with the title of wife, it’s not like I had a role model.” I push even closer to her, my chest bumping hers, my jaw muscles clenching. “So, you’re right, Vee, I don’t give a shit about marriage, but I give a shit ton about him.”
“I’m not questioning how much you care about him.”
“He gave up his future for mine, then almost gave his life, for mine,” I snap. “Did we find out things I wish we’d have learned of earlier? No fucking duh, but we didn’t, and I made him a promise. I’m keeping it.” I step back, keeping my eyes on hers. “This is where we are. Period.”
Her eyes soften. “You made a choice when the alternative was something you couldn’t live with, he did the same thing. He’d understand.”
I swallow, shouldering past her, but she grips my elbow, spinning me back around.
I yank free from her hand, pushing her as hard as I can in the chest.
She flies back, slamming against the bed tray and knocking all the shit on it to the floor.
The loud crash has one of the boys yanking on the locked door handle.
The banging follows, shouts from all of them after that.
I glare. “Are you saying this just so you can have him?”
“I’m saying it because it’s the truth and you know it.” She glares back.
I get in her face, fighting to hold back the moisture burning behind my eyelids. “What am I supposed to say to him,” I hiss. “Hm? How do I tell him I want out?” I force past clenched teeth, my entire body shaking. “That I need out. That I never should have fucking agreed to this, ever. That we were all wrong and we should have fought from the beginning? That I can’t be his wife because I will never be his and I don’t want to be?”
She swallows, but her eyes only sharpen more and she pushes off her elbows, standing before me, my hands shooting out to grip her wrist when she lifts it.
Her palm opens, letting me know she wasn’t trying for anything.
“You tell him just like that, Raven,” she says strongly. “Word for fucking word. He needs you to say it.”
He needs words...
My jaw starts to tremble, so I clamp it shut to stop it.
Keys clank in the hall, and the door flies open, too many footsteps to count shuffling in, each one halting at the entrance.
“You can do this,” she whispers, eyes firm.
“What if I told you I was afraid?” I force out in a shaky whisper.
She licks her lips, her eyes moving over my shoulder. “I’d say you’re human after all.”
Mine tighten with my grip before I shove her away.
“Bass,” I rasp, knowing he’s in here without looking.
One set of footsteps grow closer.
“Victoria could use a walk, see her out?”
Her eyes slide between mine, unsure.
Bass takes a step closer, but Victoria’s head snaps