Chapter 55
Raven
I stared at Tyler kneeling before me with his roses and chocolates, his eyes trying desperately to project sincerity. My stomach turned at the pathetic display.
"Get the fuck out of my way," I said coldly, stepping around him to leave.
The crowd erupted into whispers and exclamations as Tyler scrambled after me, still on his knees in a humiliating crab-walk that would have been comical if it weren't so pitiful.
"Wait, Raven! Please!" he called out, desperation making his voice crack. "I really do like you! Are you worried about Maddie? I already broke up with that stupid girl. You have to know I've always loved you!"
I stopped and turned slowly, fixing him with an icy stare that had once made hardened criminals confess their sins.
"Really?" I replied, every syllable dripping with contempt. "Somehow I don't think you're any smarter than Maddie." I stepped closer, watching him flinch. "What makes you think you're worthy of me?"
The crowd collectively sucked in their breath, phones raised to capture his humiliation. Tyler's face flushed crimson as he knelt there, struggling to form a response.
"I... I can change," he finally stammered. "I'll work hard to be worthy of you, I promise!" He thrust the flowers toward me again, hands trembling slightly.
With a casual flick of my wrist, I knocked the bouquet from his grasp. Petals scattered across the pavement, some crushed beneath my boots as I stepped forward.
"Okay, okay!" Tyler's voice cracked with panic as he held up his hands defensively. "Maybe not dating then. Can we just... be friends? Please?"
I laughed—a cold, brittle sound that made several onlookers take an involuntary step back.
"Friends?" I repeated, circling him like a predator. "How interesting that you want to be my friend right after Maddie's public humiliation." I leaned down, my face inches from his. "You're not looking for friendship, Tyler. You're looking for protection."
His eyes widened with fear—the truth hitting its mark.
"I see it now," I continued, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Every time Maddie gets humiliated, you cut her off like gangrenous tissue. You think being close to me will keep you safe." I straightened up, smiling without warmth. "Smart strategy. Pity it won't work."
"N-no, that's not—" he began, but I cut him off.
"Run back to Maddie," I said, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Tell her I said hi. You two should really put your heads together and figure out how to deal with me." I leaned closer, so only he could hear my next words. "Because if you don't, I can't guarantee you'll both survive this semester."
The blood drained from his face. "Are you... threatening me?"
"Threatening you?" I repeated innocently, then lowered my voice. "I don't make threats, Tyler. I make promises."
I stepped back, watching terror bloom in his eyes. In my former life, men like Tyler were the ones I'd make suffer the longest. Not out of cruelty, but because their lack of principle offended my professional sensibilities. The way they'd abandon all dignity, all conviction, at the first sign of danger... it disgusted me.
"Spineless," I spat, loud enough for the crowd to hear.
I walked away without another glance, satisfaction warming my chest as whispers erupted behind me. The former king of Westside Prep remained kneeling amid crushed flowers and shattered pride, his face a mask of pure fear.
---
"Maddie's back," Leo whispered as I took my seat in the classroom.
I arranged my notebooks with precision, not bothering to look up. "Good for her."
"No, you don't understand," Leo insisted, leaning closer. "I mean she's back with a plan. Her family has serious connections – not just at school. They know people... dangerous people. The kind who kill without blinking an eye."
A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. "Kill without blinking?" I repeated, amused by the irony.
"I'm serious," Leo continued, his voice dropping even lower. "You need allies in this fight, Raven. Everyone needs someone watching their back."
That last sentence struck a chord. Allies. Backup. In my previous life, I'd never operated completely alone.
The thought of Scarlet suddenly filled my mind. It had been too long since we'd connected, and with Nash Wilder unexpectedly in my life, I needed to reestablish contact with my former network anyway.
I pulled out my phone, already typing in the complex sequence that would grant me access to the dark web.
"Oh, trust me," I murmured with a predatory smirk, "my allies don't just kill without blinking—they make it look like art."
Leo shook his head, clearly frustrated by my nonchalance. "I'm serious, Raven. Be careful."
As Mr. Peters began the math lesson, I navigated through multiple security layers, finally accessing a darknet server where only the elite of the criminal underworld could enter. I connected to a private channel and entered the passphrase.
A familiar handle appeared: [Scarlet].
[Scarlet]: Fuck! Where have you been all this time?
[Phantom]: Missed me?
[Scarlet]: I was worried you died without telling me! You should at least let me know if you're dead.
[Phantom]: You were worried about me?
[Scarlet]: Well, I was worried your cryptocurrency would go to waste if you died. That's a concern too.
I suppressed a smile. Even in text form, Scarlet's personality shone through – practical to a fault, with genuine concern hidden beneath layers of sarcasm.
[Phantom]: You know what? Nash Wilder is at my house.
There was a long pause before Scarlet's reply.
[Scarlet]: Your house? You don't even have parents. When did you get a house?
I bit my lip, realizing my mistake.
[Phantom]: I mean I'm renting a place. He's my tenant.
Another pause, longer this time.
[Scarlet]: Are you telling me you're LIVING with the leader of Ares Legion?!