Dark Angel (Sequel to White Raven)

Chapter Thirteen: Showdown in Little Haven

"Well then, I guess I'm obviously not in my right mind then," Ary replied, before hanging up.

Rave tried calling her back, but it just went straight to voicemail. He had to use all of his restraint to keep from throwing his phone across the room. He didn't understand why Ary always felt the need to put herself in danger. She didn't need to. Why had she even paid him to protect her cousin when she was going to do the same exact thing? He didn't understand her at all.

"So?" Mason was the first to break the awkward silence.

Rave took a calming breath. He wanted to yell or punch a wall, but he refrained from doing either. "Well, Ary is packing now," he said, slamming his phone down on the counter.

"As if she wasn't dangerous enough before," Ty grumbled. He gingerly touched his nose and winced.

"What are you gonna do?" Mason asked. He was worried about Ary too and he knew first hand what one of Christian's flunkies would do if they got their hands on her.

"I'm gonna go get her and drag her ass back here," Rave decided.

"Is that a good idea? With Ary's family drama and everything?" Mason asked, giving him a worried look.

"I really don't give a fuck if it's a good idea or not. I'm not going to let something bad happen to her again," Rave said, and with that he was storming out the door.

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"Where the hell have you been? We've been trying to call you all week!" Scarlett started to nag Ary as soon as she stepped inside the house.

"Where's Mom?" Ary asked, ignoring her sister's question.

"She's at work. Some of us actually have to work and don't get to mooch off of other people," Scarlett replied with a snotty attitude.

Ary just stared at her sister. She knew that Scar had her fair share of dumb blonde moments, but was it really possible for someone to be that dumb? Scar had been living at home with her kids for over three months now. She only worked part-time, as a teacher's aide. She didn't even take Micah to school in the morning or Stella to daycare in the afternoon. She never got up early enough to take care of her kids, and she was calling Ary a mooch?

Nothing would have made Ary happier than to rip her sister a new one, but she didn't have time to get into a screaming match with her sister. She wanted to save all of her screaming for her mother. It wouldn't be good if she wasted her energy on her sister. She chose to take the high road and decided to just walk away.

"Where are you going?" Scarlett demanded, following Ary out of the house.

"I'm going to see your mother," Ary replied, still walking away. She had to keep telling herself to just keep walking, even when she really wanted to turn around and punch her sister in the face.

"Hey!" Scarlett grabbed Ary's arm and stopped her from getting into the Jeep.

Ary winced when Scarlett's grip tightened around her bruised wrist. Scarlett, having spent some time trying to hide bruises, quickly picked up on Ary's reaction. Before Ary even had a chance to pull her arm away, Scar managed to push up the sleeve of her jacket, revealing the red, raw skin around her wrist.

"Scar, it's not-" Ary started to defend herself, but Scar cut her off.

"What the hell, Bella!?" Scarlett shouted at her. "You're still with the asshole that hurts you?"

"He doesn't hurt me!" Ary objected, and even she thought she sounded like the typical battered woman. Anything she said would just make it sound like she was defending Rave for beating her. All she needed now was to tell Scar that she deserved it.