B.O.E.- Chapter 20: Isaac

 Isaac watched as Raven hooked her arm on the bedpost, her knees giving out slightly so she’d lean onto the mattress behind her. He almost moved forward, thinking she was falling, when she looked up at him again.

“You said I had nice hair,” she mumbled and he froze. “Well, you have nice eyes.”

Isaac stared, unsure of what to do. “Thank you?”

She smiled lazily at him. “You’ve been watching me since I got here. Why?”

“I was ordered to watch over you while you stayed here,” he replied, eyeing her carefully. “Are you okay?”

“Is that the only reason?”

He stared, his nerves oddly flaring. What sort of answer is she hoping for? “I volunteered,” he answered.

“Why?” she asked, her head tilting.

“I take responsibility for getting you in this mess,” he watched as she oddly looked sad.

“I guess that’s true,” she sighed.

“Why do you ask?” he watched her sway slightly.

“I don’t know. I don’t exactly date so having some guy be all protective feels weird,” she shrugged.

Isaac froze as her words rattled his mind. His Brothers had said the same thing to some extent. Crap, he cursed to himself. “Sorry,” he muttered.

“No, it’s fine,” she suddenly grinned. “It’s sort of… nice.”

He shifted his weight as a chill ran down his spine. He didn’t know how to respond.

“I don’t wanna make it awkward…” she continued quickly. “Just wanted to tell you that I appreciate it. Even if it seems like I don’t.”

Isaac glanced away from her for a second. She must be very drunk, he thought and oddly, that disappointed him. Maybe I can use this…

“So, you don’t rely on Anise?” he asked.

Her eyes blinked at him as she remembered her words. “Oh… pfft, like I could,” she let out a laugh. “She’s too… pure.”

He noted her suddenly sullen look. “Everyone’s gotta have a confidant. Your father?”

Raven rolled her eyes and leaned onto the bedpost, her arms clumsily crossing across her chest. “My father… his favorite phrase is ‘Trust no one and no one can spill your secrets; friends are a weakness.’ I only send him a letter if I’m desperate.”

Isaac stared for a second before glancing away, realizing his hands were fisted. What kind of man would raise their child like this? He had to continue this conversation before she fell asleep from being so damn drunk. Then he’d have a talk with Liam. “And your mother?”

Raven suddenly snapped her head to him, a frown on her face as she fiddled with her locket. “What about her?”

Isaac noted her unease but pressed on anyway, “Did that necklace belong to her?”

Raven bowed her head before taking a deep breath, “She gave it to me when I was four. I don’t usually take it off except to shower. It has a picture of us when I was a baby. She gave one to Anise before she…”

Isaac stared as her eyes watered suddenly and she turned away to wipe at her tear. He felt a sudden urge to move forward but froze as she turned back, her eyes still watery.

“It’s not something I’m used to talking about,” she sniffed and gave him an accusatory look.

Isaac raised his hands in peace, “I’m sorry. I imagine it’s a painful memory.”

She relaxed and resumed her original position; leaning against the bedpost. “How old are you? Like a century?”

“Four,” he corrected and watched her eyes widen.

“And your parents?” she asked.

Isaac glanced away. “We haven’t spoken to them in a long time. They prefer it that way.”

Movement made him glance back to see her begin to slump.

Racing forward, he caught her before she hit the floor.

He felt her shift and watched her turn to lean on him, pressing her face against his chest. He tensed as he felt her warmth seep through his clothes. He heard her sigh and suddenly felt very constricted in his own clothes. He froze as her body relaxed, molding to his perfectly.

Goddess on High, he grit his teeth to control a sudden urge in his gut.

“Raven,” his voice was gruff and he prayed she couldn’t hear it. He shifted enough to glance down to see her eyes had closed and noticed she was breathing deeply.

She’d fallen asleep.

He hooked his arm under her knees and picked her up to lay her at the center of her bed. He lifted the blanket and draped it over her after removing her shoes. He moved away quickly and watched her for a second, making sure she was still asleep. Her words replayed in his mind.

There is no chance this woman could wish to know me, he thought. She is a killer… a hardened warrior. Just like me.

He glared at the floor. He could still feel the warmth of her body on his. How perfectly she fit into his arms.

Glancing at her peaceful face once more, he dragged himself away to the door. He had planned to hit the gym before he found her on the stairs but now all he wanted was a shower. A long and cold shower.

Under the water, he thought over her answers. Trust no one… friends are a weakness... What kind of man would instill these lessons into their own daughter? With this kind of mentality, she would have had a lonely life. She only had to rely on her father and her sister… maybe that’s what he wanted. But why?

Isaac wondered about her father but there was no way she’d answer his questions. She hardly answered him now that she was drunk. Maybe he could get her to open up about her mother. She seemed fond of those memories despite them being painful. If she meant what she said about teaching the Brotherhood some of her technique, maybe they could get her to open up a bit.

Still, he had to give Liam, Wyatt and Ruben a piece of his mind… for fun.