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CJ HEARD STEVE’S SOS call and pulled next to the curb, turning off his car and pocketing the keys. He walked toward Bear and the rest of the defensive line he’d rumbled with yesterday. They just didn’t stop and this time their target was that weird girl no one talked to. The reason burned him enough to want to lose control.
She was being terrorized because she had been nice to Tom.
“Did you spread your evil legs for him, witch whore?” Bear taunted and grabbed at her. “How long have you been fucking him?”
She slapped his hand away, but another grabbed at her and another and she spun toward each attacker with her book bag long forgotten at her feet.
“Is that why he killed Tanya? To be with you?”
“Enough,” CJ said when he got close enough for them to hear. “Leave her alone.”
The girl spun toward his voice, her eyes wide and terrified, but not of him. Underneath the terror, he saw relief.
Bear turned in his direction. “This is none of your concern,” he snarled.
CJ laughed. “You never fucking learn, do you?” He didn’t wait for anymore comments. He let the anger loose, knocking them down with a blast that seemed to come from the girl and he walked into the center of the stunned group, picked up her bag and took her hand. “Come with me,” he said, and she followed, staring at him with awe.
He opened his passenger door and dropped her bag on the floor, helping her inside before he closed the door. Before he got into the driver’s side, he pointed his finger at Bear. “I told you not to fuck with me, next time I won’t just knock you on your ass.”
Bear’s eyes widened.
CJ smiled. “No. She didn’t do that. I did,” he said and slipped into the car.
When he pulled out onto Webber Road, she cleared her throat.
“If you can do that, why did you let them beat the crap out of you?”
CJ sent a sideways glance at her and smiled. “If you noticed, I did a good deal of damage myself,” he said. “Besides, if I used my gifts, it wouldn’t be a fair fight and I’d be no better than they are.”
Silence filled the car.
“Thank you for being nice to Tom today,” he said.
She nodded. Her hand grasped the medallion around her neck and her lips moved silently. She thought he couldn’t hear her prayers and he would have left it alone, but she was praying to find the strength to forgive Tom for leaving her in the midst of those thugs.
“Don’t be mad at Tom. If it had been up to him, he would have swooped in and tried to be a hero, but my father made him get in the car. Tom didn’t have a choice.” He traded a glance with her. “He wanted to pound those guys to a pulp, but he’s only given so much time to get home. If he doesn’t, they’ll put him back in jail.”
Her wide eyes made him smile.
“Yes, I read minds too,” he said and glanced at her. “They called me to make sure you get home safely. But I think we should take a detour so Tom can see for himself.”
“You’ve never stepped in before,” she said.
Her words had an impact like Bear’s fist, and he exhaled, blowing a stream of air from his lips. She knew how to work the guilt card and he nodded without turning in her direction. He had stood by while his teammates sent out various catcalls in her direction and what was worse, he knew the damage those words were inflicting.
“I’m sorry,” he said as he approached the media filled gate to the house.
“What’s all this?” Raven asked, shrinking in the seat.
“The lovely media,” CJ said and the snark bled through his tone. He revved his engine and they scattered like a flock of seagulls, letting him drive through the opening gates. As soon as they cleared the metal, it closed on the reporters. “They seem to think we’re newsworthy,” he said and rolled his eyes, turning the car off.
He opened the passenger door and escorted her into the garage, opening the door to the house for her while silently announcing to Tom that he had a guest.
Raven stopped on the concrete floor, unwilling to step into the house. Her skin turned ashen and she backed away. Tom slid to a stop at the entrance, his eyes as wild as Raven’s and he turned to CJ.
“Tanya’s pissed,” Tom signed.
CJ’s expression hardened, and he charged inside but Tom grabbed his arm. You can’t stop her, only Dad can.
“Dad?”
Tom nodded and turned a nervous smile at Raven. “I’m sorry I left you with those assholes,” he signed.
Raven nodded and blinked, looking beyond him into the belly of the house. “Do you have any sage?”
“Why?” Both CJ and Tom asked.
“Because, it has a calming effect on spirits.”
“You really are a witch,” CJ said and Tom smacked him in the chest.
“That has nothing to do with it. I just happen to do my research after watching one of those ghost chaser shows. They always use sage to calm the more, um, spirited spirits.”
“Oh,” CJ said and his cheeks burned. “We don’t have any that I know of.”
Raven met Tom’s gaze. “Do you think it will help if I talk to her?”
Tom laughed and shook his head.
Her hands went to her waist and her face pinched in irritation.
“She tried to kill me,” Tom signed.
CJ’s gaze snapped to Tom. “You’re kidding?”
“Afraid not. She seems to have laid claim to me and I really don’t think she’s going to like Raven entering the house,” he signed.
“That’s fucking ridiculous,” CJ said and walked into the house, leaving Tom and Raven staring at each other.
* * * *
“I THINK I CAN HANDLE it, Tom,” Raven said, meeting his gaze.
Tom swallowed and shoved his hands into his pockets. He stepped down in front of her blocking the doorway. There was too much going on inside the house and he didn’t want to alienate her, or worse, have Tanya’s ghost harm her.
Raven shifted and sighed, studying Tom. “Look, I highly doubt there’s anything else that could surprise me today.”
Tom raised an eyebrow as a silent you want to bet. He pulled his hands from his pockets. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
She stepped closer and smiled. “Until today, you couldn’t have cared less. Besides, what can a ghost really do?”
Tom unbuttoned his shirt, showing her the black and blue mark over his heart.
Raven’s eyes widened, and she reached out, tracing the mark.
Her touch was like an electric therapy machine, sending tingles to his core and he wondered just what she would be like between the sheets. He inhaled, driving the inappropriate thoughts out of his head, especially with Tanya in the vicinity.
She lifted her gaze to his and placed her palm over the mark. “She tried to take your heart?”
He shrugged. “Yeah.”
When Raven’s hand left his skin, he felt the mental tug and the resulting emptiness. This feeling of connection was something he never felt with Tanya and he wondered if he even knew what love was. In all his escapades, in his pursuit for something more, this had been missing.
This calm acceptance.
This fire in his soul.
This.
Raven reached for the chain around her neck, pulling a medallion from under her shirt. He stared at the intricate silver knot holding an interwoven circle of diamonds. She kissed the metal and then slipped it over his head.
“I can’t take this,” he signed and reached for the chain.
She pressed the pendant against his skin and he glanced at her hand. The silver lay directly over his heart.
“It will protect you.”
He smiled at her simple faith and the conviction in her eyes. “Then what will protect you?”
She held up her wrist and her charm bracelet caught the light. The same Celtic knot graced her bracelet along with several other charms.
“So, are you going to let me in or not?” She waved toward the door.
Tom buttoned up his shirt and nodded. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you,” he signed and stepped aside, allowing her to enter.
Halfway through the kitchen she stopped and shaded her eyes, squinting in the direction of the family room. “What the hell do you have living here? An angel?”
CJ and Steve turned in their direction and so did Ty, his wings fluttering and his gaze landing on Tom.
“She can see me?” Ty asked.
Tom shook his head. “No, just your aura,” he signed and glanced at Raven. “Still think nothing else can surprise you?”
She laughed, and it came out higher pitched and laced with nerves. “Aye, and here I thought we were considered odd.” In her nervous state, her Irish brogue wrapped around her words, sharpening them and making Tom smile.
Steve’s lips thinned, and his cheeks bloomed, his hard glare landing on Tom.
“At least she’s not running out of the house screaming,” CJ said, breaking down the tension and bringing a smile to everyone’s face.
“So, let me get this straight. You think it’s weird that I’m a Wiccan, and yet, you see ghosts and angels,” she said to Tom and then she nodded toward CJ. “And he can read minds and has telekinetic powers?” Silence filled the room and then she burst out laughing, the same genuine laugh she had in the cafeteria.
“If you only knew the half of it,” Jennifer said. She crossed the family room and stuck her hand out. “I’m Jennifer, welcome to our home.” She offered a welcoming smile.
“Hi, I’m Raven,” she said and clasped Jennifer’s hand.
“How long have you known Tommy?” she asked.
“Today was the first time I spoke to him,” Raven answered, still squinting.
Jennifer turned to Steve. “Can you tell him to go? He’s obviously blinding the girl.”
Raven blinked and looked around, her gaze landing on Tom, and a crease appeared between her eyes.
“He’s gone,” Tom signed.
“Why don’t you come and sit down,” Jennifer said and led her into the family room.
The last thing Tom wanted was for Jennifer and Steve to grill her and he traded a glance with CJ, getting a nod in return before he walked by and grabbed her hand, leading her out the back door into the yard.
“Let him go,” CJ said, stopping Jennifer and Steve from following.
Tom didn’t stop until he got to the rock wall and then he turned, taking a seat on the frigid stones.
“So, who’s the angel?”
“My father,” Tom signed.
“I thought humans couldn’t become angels,” she said and glanced over his shoulder at the water, pressing her lips together. “How can he be an angel?”
He didn’t have a logical answer for her, so he kept his hands still and remained patient, waiting for her gaze to come back. After a few excruciating minutes, she turned and took a seat next to him. Silence prevailed, and she studied the house.
“Did Tanya know about any of this?” She waved toward the house.
The question struck him and he laughed. “Are you kidding me?”
She met his gaze and he continued to chuckle.
“Tanya would have high tailed it out of here in a blink and then made sure everyone under the sun knew we were freaks.”
Dimples appeared in her cheeks and she pressed her lips against the smile forming. “What about your best friend, Bear?” she asked.
“Same deal. I think the only reason he stayed my friend after Georgia was some misplaced sense of loyalty. Either that or he knows we’re filthy rich and figured he’d get something out of it,” he said. “You asked me why I hung out with those guys, well, nothing has been normal for me since Georgia and being involved in sports helped me feel less like a freak.”
“What happened in Georgia?”
He glanced at her and sighed. “I was carved up by a madman.”
Her eyes slowly widened, and her gaze shot from his hands to his face.
“I ue o be orma,” he said. “But that bastard took half my tongue,” he signed. A sudden mist clouded his vision and he looked at the sky, blinking the unwanted tears away. “And he killed my mother, too. Propped her head up at the end of the surgical table where I was chained. So, I’m about as damaged as they come.”
She reached over and took his hand, gave it a squeeze and brought it to her lips.
“If it wasn’t for Steve, I would have died down there.”
“So why trust me with all this?”
Tom dropped his gaze to hers. A single tear rolled down her cheek and he wiped it away with the back of his finger. “I need a friend,” he signed and swallowed the lump that formed in his throat.
“But how do you know I won’t go blabbing to everyone about what a mess you really are?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know,” he signed and then pulled the medallion from under his shirt. “Perhaps it was this?”
Her gaze dropped to the ground but he tilted her chin back, so she was looking at him.
“I’m sorry I ever ignored you at school,” he signed and tucked a stray hair behind her ear.
Her eyes glazed with tears and he pulled her into his arms, hugging her tight.
“You’re the first person who wanted to be my friend,” she whispered in his ear. “And it’s only because you’re alone,” she said and pulled out of his grasp, swiping at the tears on her face like they were annoying gnats.
“That’s not true,” he signed.
“You mean to tell me if none of this had ever happened, you would have noticed me?”
He started to argue and then closed his mouth, meeting her gaze. She was right. He would have gone on, being one of the elite star players and walking around like he was hot shit, never giving her a second glance. The revelation brought on a hot flare of shame and he looked at the ground.
“Everything happens for a reason,” he signed, and her scoff brought his gaze back to hers.
The sound of the slider drew his attention and he glanced toward the house. Steve crossed the lawn. “I think I should take Raven home now,” he said, leveling a stare at Tom.
Tom glanced at Raven. “Thank you for everything,” he said.
She just nodded and followed Steve into the house.
Tom sat in the cold for a few minutes, mulling over the conversation and the sudden emptiness blanketing him. It was like waking to find that everything you believed was a sham and there was no grain of truth to cling to. He stood and turned toward the ocean, shoving his hands in his pockets, trying to gain a little perspective. Her words ate at him, burrowing under his skin and sending chills of despair down his spine.