I nod, his words nearly overwhelming me.

I have friends. More than one. And they want to take care of me.

It’s … a lot to process, and I’ll admit that I’m kind of wary about how long it’ll last once they get to know me. Plus, what if I say I won’t help them? Are they just going to ditch me?

I could ask him this, but all I say is, “How many people have you brought into your group?”

“You’re the first.” Smiling, he brushes his fingers across my wet cheek then turns. Then with a hesitant pause, he leans in and lightly brushes his lips across my cheek. “Go inside before it starts to rain harder,” he whispers as he steps away.

Then with one last look, he turns and slinks away into the night, leaving me with goosebumps sprouting across my skin, partially from the cool rain and partially from the wonderful shiver I felt from his lips across my skin.

15

RAVEN

I make it into the house before my aunt pulls up in the driveway. My uncle is still sitting in the kitchen when I enter and is staring at his phone while grumbling stuff underneath his breath. I quietly sneak up to my room and lock the door. About a minute later, I hear my aunt and Dixie May walk into the house, their loud voices carrying up the stairway. From what I can overhear, apparently, Dixie May was at cheerleading tryouts, and then the two of them went shopping.

Eventually, someone knocks on my door and I tense.

“Oh Raven, are you alive in there?” Dixie May asks from the other side. When I make no effort to respond, she says, “FYI, you can keep my makeup case. My mom bought me all new stuff today... You should try using some of my makeup. Maybe it’ll help fix that hideous face of yours.”

Again, I don’t utter a word, lying on my bed and staring up at the ceiling. Eventually, she grows tired of taunting me and stomps off to her room.

One she’s gone, I let out a breath and allow my mind to drift to Hunter and his friends.

What happened tonight seems so surreal, as if I dreamt it. Maybe I did. Perhaps this is all just a dream. If it is, though, I kind of want to stay in it since, for the first time in a long time, I don’t feel so alone.

Plus that kiss…

I mean, it was on the cheek so I’m sure it was a friendly kiss. But it’s the first kiss I’ve ever had that was welcomed.

Still, I’m eager to know just who Hunter Hathingford really is, his background, why they’re doing what they do? And Zay and Jax too. Are they spies? Detectives? Sure, Hunter tracked the number on my phone and said he learned how to from a PI, but he’s also eighteen, and a spy or detective seems sort of out there—