Chapter 6

Raven's pov

Chapter 6 – Red Flags and White Lies

The bass thudded in my skull, a pulse I couldn’t escape. Lights flashed across the club like warning signs, and I still can't shake the feeming thatsomething was off

“Sienna,” I leaned toward her, raising my voice over the music. “We need to go.”

She pouted, eyes glossy and unfocused. “But I just found a guy who looks like he owns a yacht…”

I grabbed her arm. “Sienna. Now.”

Her smile faltered. Maybe it was my tone. Maybe it was the look on my face. But she nodded, slow and hazy.

I scanned the room as I reached into my clutch and dialed Marco.

“Raven?” His voice was sharp, alert.

“Come get us. Now.”

He didn’t ask why. He never did.

By the time the black SUV slid to a stop at the curb, Sienna was clinging to my shoulder like a sleepy cat. Her heels were in her hands, and she kept mumbling something about shots and betrayal. I didn’t push.

“Where to?” Marco asked.

“Vitali mansion.”

He blinked at me in the rearview mirror. “Are you sure?”

“No,” I said. “But go anyway.”

The mansion loomed like a secret you regret telling. Cold stone, quiet halls. It was past midnight when we arrived, but the front doors were unlocked.

I half-carried, half-dragged Sienna through the entrance, her weight slumped against me. She giggled under her breath, not realizing how tense I was.

And that’s when I saw him.

Leon was sitting in one of the leather chairs by the fireplace, a tumbler of something expensive in his hand. The fire cast flickering shadows across his face,all sharp edges and unreadable calm.

He didn’t look surprised.

“You’re late,” he said, voice low.

I stopped dead. My arms tightened around Sienna.

“Didn’t know I had a curfew,” I snapped. “Last I checked, you weren’t my keeper.”

He raised an eyebrow but didn’t rise. Just took another slow sip of his drink.

“I see,” he murmured. “Then allow me to free you of the obligation.”

I narrowed my eyes. “What?”

He met my gaze with something colder than fire. “The engagement is off. You’ll leave my house in the morning.”

The words hit like a punch to the chest,sudden, silent, and bruising.

I didn’t answer. Couldn’t.

Not in front of him.

Not like this.

Jack is going to kill me, I have to think of a way to salvage this, but not now.

I adjusted my grip on Sienna and started walking again, heels echoing down the marble hall. The weight of his words burned in my spine.

I said nothing as I guided Sienna to the guest room beside mine. She collapsed onto the bed with a sigh, murmuring incoherent thanks before falling into a drunken sleep.

I stood there in the doorway for a long time.

Too long.

Trying to piece together what I’d missed ,what I’d said or done that made the Butcher decide I was no longer a part of his game.

Or maybe I’d never been a player to begin with.

Just another piece on the board.

And now I was being swept off it.

Tomorrow, I’d be gone.

But tonight…

I wasn’t finished yet, I had to make things right.

For my father's sake