The Drowning Girl

five

Marc

I didn't want someone new, a girl we were forced to take care of. Yeah, we needed the favors, but Kayli had ripped us a new one. I mean, I was happy for her sure. She was in love, but apparently not with us. And man, did it hurt.

But I wasn't expecting her. I wasn't expecting Rowena, with the weird ass name. With being able to tell Brandon and Corey apart so damn easily, with how guarded and off out she was by everyone. And fucking hell, I wasn't expecting those, those cuts.

I stared at Axel as I watched him pour himself coffee, the very coffee I had just made not five minutes ago. My fingers played with the skin under my bracelets as I stared at him, the raised lines practically burning and screaming at me to help her. He knew, he knew of my past and yet he was going to let her go so easily?

"What is it Marc?" He asked me without even turning around, the bastard.

"You're letting her go? Like that?!" I practically shouted at him, forcing my voice to stay at a whisper as much as possible. I watched his shoulder tense before slumping down, his body turning to face me. "Did you know?"

I studied his face, noting the lines around his mouth as his jaw clenched and the dark circles under his eyes. "Somewhat, I knew somewhat."

I shake my head as my ears pick up on footsteps, my eyes flickering to the dark hall where I watch as Raven steps through, completely naked. I groan as I roll my eyes, turning my back to ignore him. Axel was smart enough to keep himself covered while we have a guest in the house, I guess Raven was not.

"Raven, why the hell don't you have clothes on?" Axel groaned out in frustration as he spoke to him, Ravens eyebrows raising as he peered down at his naked body. He shrugged as he looked back up, stretched his toned stomach as he walked to the fridge.

"Didn't feel like I needed clothes." He said, taking the milk out and taking a swig straight from the jug. I grimaced, shaking my head as I rubbed my temple.

"Go put some clothes on, we can go to Brandon and Corey's apartment to cook breakfast. I know Kevin needed to drop by and talk about his wedding coming up." I spoke up, Ravens eyes rolling as he put the milk back.

"He is brother, but I still don't like that, Барби," (Barbie.) Raven grumbled as I watched him walk back down the hall, his giant bear tattoo staring at me until he was no longer in sight.

"You need to tell him to tone it down about Mindy." I said to Axel, his coffee raised to his lips as he nodded. "And you need to tell them about Rowena."

He stared at me for a few moments before sighing, setting his coffee down and running his hands through his hair. "I don't know, wouldn't that be breaking her trust?"

I huffed as I started grabbing a few things I knew they didn't have in the other apartment, like the coffee beans I loved and my special grinder. "Maybe, but that's something we need to know Axel."

"Need to know what?" I jumped slightly at Ravens voice, turning with a scowl to the giant Russian. For someone so big he sure moved quietly.

"About Ro, we'll talk about it at Brandon and Coreys." Raven furrowed his eyebrows as he shrugged, his black t shirt tightening around his shoulders. I rolled my eyes at him, he knew how those shirts made Corey feel. Corey loved them, but none of us loved what it did to him.

And in the public too.

I followed behind the two as we walked to the other apartment, punching in the code and not bothering to knock as we stepped through. Corey stood in the kitchen getting breakfast items out, while Brandon sat slumped over at the bar. The corner of my lip quirked as I walked past him, his snores quieted down by his arms around his face.