Rejected, Abused, I Fall for the Forbidden Alpha (by Riley Scott) novel Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Raven POV

The look on Jackson’s face is comical. He makes a strangled sound, turning slowly as though in slow motion, his hand trembling as he puts his glass down. The woman’s smile is bright, her eyes twinkling with undisguised humour. I see him begin to shake as he stands up, embracing the woman with a fierceness quite unlike him.

“Aeress,” he murmured thickly as she smiled and patted his back, “do you have any idea how much I’ve waited for this moment?” he exclaimed, his voice thick with emotion.

“I know,” her voice is low, “and you won’t believe how much it hurt to leave you, to pursue my dreams while left you behind. If you had come with me…” she hiccups and steps back, grabbing Jackson’s hand and squeezing them, “but you couldn’t because I made my brother a promise and I kept it, although it killed me slowly inside.

Her brother? I stare at her, not quite comprehending her words. She glances over Jackson’s shoulder and sees me, her lips curving into a gentle smile.

“Who is your guest, Jackson. I don’t think I’ve seen her before?”

Jackson turns, putting an arm over Aeress’s shoulder and beams at me. “This is the girl I’ve been telling you about,” he said smugly as her smile grew and her body relaxed, “this is Raven.”

She squeals, taking me aback. She’s fast, even in heels, and as I stand up, she hugs me tightly. “You saved my Jackson,” she breathed, “he told me everything. I can never thank you enough,” she cried, stepping back and sweeping her eyes over me, “and you’re so much more beautiful than he let on” she said dramatically, pretending to shoot Jackson a disgruntled look as she sheepishly ran a hand through his hair and mussed it up.

“You must be the woman Jackson said was special to him,” I said warmly as she pulled out a chair and sat beside myself and Jackson, nodding excitedly at me. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I owe Jackson a lot for being so welcoming and being a friend when I needed it the most.”

“Isn’t he great?” Aeress gushed as Jackson puffed out his chest, “he’s always been the kind of guy to extend a hand in friendship but only to special people. I was jealous when I saw him with you but now that I know who you are,” she almost bounced up and down on her chair, “I can tell we’re going to be great friends,” she exclaimed.

It was impossible to dislike this woman. She was bursting with vitality. She snuck a pastry off of Jackson’s plate and began to nibble on it as he stared at her in pretend outrage. They were so cute together.

“So where is this annoying brother of mine?” she asked between bites.

“Your brother?” I can’t keep the curiosity from my voice.

“You didn’t tell her?” Aeress looks annoyed at Jackson, who hastily shakes his head.

“Hades. The royal pain in the ass who seldom smiles,” she grumbled, “my big brother and constant pest.’

I giggle as she finishes the pastry. She sounds exactly like a younger sister. Looking at her, I would have never guessed she and Hades were related; they looked so different. Just like Marissa and me.

“We’re half-siblings,” she offers, reading my mind, “same fathers, different mothers.”

“Oh,” I said weakly, “you don’t have to explain to me.”

“Honey, slow down,” Jackson put a hand on her shoulder, “you’re scaring Raven a little. Besides, it’s not any of our business who she sees.”

Aeress looks disappointed. She sighs and then glances around. “Where is my douche brother and his fiancée anyway? I thought this was an engagement party,” she added glumly.

“They’ll be here. I’m sure he’ll be excited to see you,” Jackson soothed.

She gave a scornful laugh. “I doubt it. He’ll probably have a heart attack. At least while I was gone, he didn’t have to worry about me getting into too much trouble or annoying him constantly. I had protection,” she saw the look on my face and hastened to explain. “My brother is the kind of overprotective type. I guess I can’t blame him, given his childhood,” she added, biting her lip and looking sheepish.

Childhood? I want to know more. I lean forward, my lips parting to beg her for information when the crowd goes silent, everybody going still.

Hades and Marissa. They are finally here. The crowd parts, allowing them to make their way to the stage set up in the distance. They stand in front as people swarm to congratulate them. I see my mother standing beside Marissa and cringe, fighting the urge to make myself smaller and less of a target. That old Raven was gone now. I didn’t have anything to fear.

“I guess I should go and congratulate him,” Marissa reluctantly gets up from the table, and Jackson joins her, “It was nice meeting you, Raven.”

“Same,” I said, fixing my eyes on the not so loving couple, noting the distance between them and the detached expression on Hades’s face, “In fact,” I purred, “I might get a little closer and hear the official declaration. I wouldn’t want to miss it.”

It was time for the next phase of my plan.