When Raven agrees to help sheltered Cassian complete his list of firsts in exchange for cash, it's strictly business-until their deal ignites an undeniable chemistry neither of them saw coming.
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After making a deal to finish her last year at Bria...
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Raven's POV
I twisted the cap off the lukewarm bottle of soda I'd grabbed on the way and took a quick sip.
I stopped walking when I reached the porch and sighed when I saw the dead flowers.
I had spent all my savings to buy those last year.
Suddenly, there was a loud noise coming from inside the house, like something heavy had been knocked over.
I immediately pulled out my knife before slowly opening the door.
The faint sound of something shifting inside made my pulse quicken.
I stepped slowly towards the sound before I wrapped my arm around the intruder's neck and put my knife to their throat.
"Relax, Birdy," a familiar voice said. "It's me."
I immediately dropped my hands. "Ryan?"
He turned around and smiled. "Looks like someone learnt how to play with knives."
I immediately hugged him. "Where the hell have you been?"
He pushed me away.
"Not far," he started. "I have to leave soon. I'm just looking for the cash I left here. What did you do with it?"
I looked down. "I bought food with it."
His eyes widened. "All of it?"
"It's was four hundred dollars, Ryan," I explained. "You'd left for I don't even know how long. Don't you think I deserved to eat for all those months you were away?"
He stayed quiet as he watched my uniform.
He quickly pulled me closer and looked at the school symbol.
"Briarwood Academy?" He freaked out. "What the hell is this? How are you going there?"
I hesitated for a couple of seconds before admitting. "Sergei Volkov."
"How did they find you?" He asked worriedly. "Are they torturing you?"
He turned around before grabbing his backpack. "Come, we have to go before they come back to torture you."
"If forcing me to go to school isn't torture, then no, they aren't torturing me," I held him back. "In fact, they're actually very nice to me."
He looked at me like I was crazy.
"Birdy, you don't know what these people are capable of. I've seen them do things to people we know just because they couldn't afford to pay."
"I know," I admitted. "I live with them."
A mischievous look appeared on his face. "You live with them?"
I slowly nodded. "They're gone now, but I stay at their mansion."
