Serendipity ○ All 14

7. Raven

As a Professional Russian, Raven had seen a lot of things in his life that caused shivers to run up his spine. It was in his admittedly superior opinion that it was not a bad thing. Fear was good. Fear was healthy.

It meant you had good self-preservation instincts.

He hadn't felt that much wariness in his life until he seen the look of calculation and resolve mixed with mischief flash in Addie's eyes.

Bejeezus. Raven tested out the new curse word he'd never heard of before and decided he liked it.

Whatever she was thinking, she never said it out loud. Raven was man enough to admit he was looking foward to hearing an answer to his question. He knew she was checking him out, and he called her out on it for that reason.

What surprised him was the lack of greediness in her gaze.

She didn't look at him like he was a prize to be won.

Raven scoffed because he was reminded of Kayli who looked at him that way. He was lucky he had Corey who looked at him with warmth instead of indifference. He truly had no clue why his team decided to stay with her. He was ready to cut ties.

When he looked over at the gate that he broke, he found himself feeling thankful that he had an excuse to leave their new home. Everyone was drowning in tension. It wouldn't take long for their resentment to burst. He hoped no one got hurt in the crossfire.

"So you're the one who built the gate? I was expecting someone..." Raven trailed off.

Addie raised her brow, daring him to continue.

"Uglier," he finished with an amused smile. His tongue flicked out to fiddle with his lip ring, drawing her eyes to his mouth.

After a moment, she looked away, a slight blush tinted her cheeks. "Nice save."

"I live to please," he flirted shamelessly, then had to remind himself he had an on again, off again girlfriend at home.

Technically, after Kayli had punched him, they were 'broken up', but it wouldn't feel right to flirt until he broke it off for real. He also wanted to make sure that Corey was okay with it first. They made their decisions together.

Addie shook her head and started to haul her tools to where the gate was. West had told him to help her, but she looked like she had a handle on things just fine on her own.

Imagining the lecture he'd get when his friends got back, he sighed in defeat and went to help her. It was the gentlemanly thing to do, but Raven had never claimed to be anything of the sort.

He did want to help set up the new gate, though. He was never one to shuck responsibility. He broke it, so he'd fix it. Paying for his own fuck ups was something he did regularly.

Addie started to use her pliers to get the trespassing signs off the gate, grunting with the effort. The way she handled the tools told him that she used them often.

"What are you doing?" Raven asked her as he kneeled by her side.

"My grandmother would kill me if I didn't put these signs on the new gate."

"Why?" he questioned. "Won't they scare off the green beans?"

Addie stared at him blankly for a moment, trying to figure out what he had said. "Greenies," she corrected with furrowed brows. "We call them greenies."

"Same."

She smirked amusingly. "I'll have to remember that one. Greta will have a hoot."

"I've said it once and I'll say it again. You Americans are weird."