Page 65 of Shattered By the Currents

“I’ll go with you.”

“No.” She barked the answer too fucking quickly. “I’ll be right back.”

Then she left, all but running out of the café.

“What the hell was that?” Ryan asked.

A mix of frustration and annoyance ran through his bloodstream. Because these secrets were driving a damn wedge between them. He liked her. But emotionally, he couldn’t seem to break through her walls.

He watched her through the glass, and it was only when she disappeared from sight that he made the decision.

Fuck it. He was going over there—and she was going to tell him what was going on.

15

Fear sped Raven’s pulse, the beats so loud and aggressive they stole her breath.

Xander was in town.

His full name was Alexander. He’d always gone by Xander, but when it suited him, he used Alex. And it had obviously suited him to use it with Connor.

Air hissed through her teeth at the thought of Xander and Connor meeting. It was like light meeting darkness. And Xander had actually called SAR and requested arescue.

Bullshit. He’d grown up in Deep River—he didn’t need rescuing. He knew those woods like the back of his hand.

She barely felt her shoes hitting the grass as she raced past the gazebo. The town was a blur. The people. The sounds of voices and footsteps and car engines. It felt like there was a fog around her, and she was blindly running through it.

Was he here for her?

Ofcoursehe was. His parents had left this town long ago.

Nathaniel’s sweatshirt suddenly made sense. Xander was probably staying with him.

When she glanced down at her trembling hands, she could almost see the blood again. The dark liquid staining her forearms. Her fingers. Turning her fair skin red.

Stop it, Raven. You’re not back there.

Her fingers shook so violently, it took her three tries to get the key into the door. But when she turned it, there was no click. It wasn’t locked.

She hesitated. Was he inside?

Fear threatened to swallow her whole, but she ignored it and stepped into the center.

“You are such a sweet young man to help an old woman like me.” Lottie pushed chairs beneath tables.

“Happy to help.”

A buzzing sounded between her ears at that voice. So familiar. A voice that made her want to both be sick and turn and run all at once.

Xander walked out of the storage room, and one glance was all it took for small black dots to hedge her vision.

He looked right at her, and even that felt like a kick to the midsection. “Raven. Hi.”

She hated the sound of her name from his lips.

Lottie’s gaze shot up. “Raven. You weren’t supposed to be in this morning.”

She didn’t look at the older woman. She didn’t eventhinkto look. Xander was like a predator, and if she took her eyes off him for too long, he could pounce.