You Kept Your Promise

Chapter 25

Anastasia woke and instantly tensed feeling someone behind her with their arm around her stomach softly breathing on the back of her neck. Trying to calm her racing heart she thought back to before she fell asleep and bit her lip as memories came rushing back. She needed to clear her head and sort everything out. She couldn't think as she laid in his arms. She needed some space to figure things out.

She slipped out of Raven's grasp and stepped over the sleeping men on the floor as she headed to the bathroom. She started a shower then once the water warmed up she stepped in. She stood under the running water and silently let everything she was holding in out. She was glad she had learned to how master crying silently over the years. She didn't want to try and figure out what she would do if Raven was to hear her crying. Actually, she knew what he would do. He would break down the door and hold her until she calmed down then demand she tell him what was wrong. But that was the problem how could she talk to him about her problems when he was part of the problem itself?

Once the water started to turn cold she turned it off and got out. She wiped the mirror and frowned at her reflection. She looked as broken as she felt. Her eyes held pain and sorrow. Her dark hair made her skin pale, the glow in her was gone. Her ribs were starting to show, making it to where she could count each one. While her bruises had faded over time, she could still spot all her scars. She didn't like who she was becoming. Follow your heart her mom's words popped into her head. She sighed she knew what she had to do, it would be hard, but she had to.

She got dressed and opened the door. There stood Raven nervously holding out his hoodie since he knew how cold she always felt after a shower. She use to always instantly put it on and he was hoping she would again. She smiled softly and nodded letting him slip it on her. She wrapped her arms around his waist and clung to him.

He smiled and squeezed her to him even more. "I so sorry Kitten," His voice cracked.

"No more secrets Ravenstahl," She growled. "Mean it heart no take no more secrets lies."

"Swear," he fell to his knees and looked up at her. "Swear."

"Last chance," She pointed her finger at him and he nodded. She sighed and rolled her eyes, "be glad need best friend so much."

"Won't regret Kitten," He stood and pulled her to him, "Swear it." He ran his fingers through her hair and frowned as his fingers got caught in some tangles. "Kitten?"

She shrugged, "Miss Gabe spoiling."

"Thank the fuck," Gabe sighed and beamed, "Come here Trouble, we need some much needed spa time together. Give me a couple of days and I can get rid of this black hair also if you want."

"Please," She smiled softly as she went and sat in front of him. She hummed in appreciation as Gabe started working on untangling her hair. Once he was done brushing it, he French braided her hair then hugged her from behind.

"I have missed this so fucking much," Gabe mumbled into her neck.

"So no marry?" She asked looking at Raven confused. "Husbands?"

"We consider ourselves married to one another," Owen explained, "but we haven't had a legal wedding or binding ceremony or anything like that. You can say it is like we committed ourselves to one another but didn't have a ceremony."

"Common marriage?" She asked and Raven nodded.

"Da, common marriage."

"Why?" She asked confused.

"Tell you," Raven said kneeling in front of her and took her hands in his. "Wait for you."

"When Raven came into our family permanently, we thought we were complete," Corey said placing his hand on Raven's shoulder. "But he was honest from the start that while he does love us, he also had someone else very important to him in his heart. You."

"He told us that he couldn't marry us until he could marry you as well," Marc nodded. "We understood and came to the agreement that after we met you we would come to a decision together as a family. He was honest about the fact that you didn't know how he truly felt. He wanted to tell you but then all that stuff happened."

"Oh," She said softly. "So comments you meant no joke."

"Da," Raven nodded.

"Need time," She whispered. "Confused."

"Okay Kitten," Raven nodded and kissed her forehead. "Best friends first."

"Thank you," She smiled softly.

"Now will you please eat something?" North asked.