“Don’t touch them,” he warned, because his father had poisoned Evelyn. He’d allowed Belle to be locked up in a cell.

Raven had to protect his true family.

But he’d forgotten who he was dealing with. As he pushed to his feet, he saw Belle standing in front of the car, blocking their passage. Lily was kneeling beside the front tire, her gardening shears stuck deep in the rubber. Jack stood nearby, his phone set to record in case Raven’s father lashed out.

Dr. Holloway held up his hands. “I’m sorry,” he said, tears streaming down his cheeks. “I don’t want you to live in fear of me. I’ll turn myself in.”

A pang shot through Raven’s stomach as his friends surrounded him. “Every time we call the police, it makes things worse. I don’t want you locked up—”

But his father was already climbing back into the car. Before Raven could stop him, Dr. Holloway had sped through the open gates, disappearing into the darkness.

Raven raced after him, but the road spread out before him, silent and empty. “This isn’t what I wanted,” he said at the sound of footsteps approaching.

“I know.” Jack touched his arm and Raven spun around, letting Jack enfold him into an embrace. “We don’t turn each other in,” Jack whispered. “We fight for each other.”

“You fought for me.” Raven pulled back, his gaze drifting to the house. “How did you get to me so quickly? You didn’t answer your phone.”

“I didn’t have to.” Jack leaned in, brushing his lips against Raven’s cheek. “I heard you talking through the vents.”

28 Happily

They didn’t sleep in the orchard as planned. Instead, Raven and Jack curled up together in his third-floor bedroom, while Lily and Belle settled into Lily’s room on the second floor. Hours passed, and the sun started to rise. As Raven slept fitfully, Jack snuck downstairs and tracked down a planter’s box in the garage. Raven awoke to find a single crimson rose greeting him from outside his window.

He blinked at the sight of it, then smiled. “You did what you promised.”

“I always will,” Jack said, coming to sit on the bed. There was dirt on his hands and cuts on his fingers. It almost felt like a normal day.

But it wasn’t.

“Do you want to talk about last night?” Jack asked softly. He was aching to toy with Raven’s hair. Aching to cup Raven’s face in his hands. But with dirt on his fingers, the best he could do was grip Raven’s gaze.