Ride Hard (Raven Riders 1)

Haven shook the whole train of thought away as she pulled the warm crust from the oven and poured the lemony filling into it.

It was a moot argument, of course, since there was no way Dare would think of her that way. He was older and world-wise and the leader of this club where all these people looked up to him—she saw it in how they interacted with him every day. Still, thinking about Dare was enough fun that he’d inspired a whole section of her list. After all, being inexperienced and sheltered didn’t mean she was an angel. She wanted to experience all kinds of things. She wanted to feel something good. And maybe now that she was free she could.

Finally, it was time for the third and final layer of the bars—the crumbly almond topping. She sprinkled the crumbles over the whole baking dish and slid it back in the oven one last time. The kitchen smelled sugary sweet and just a little tart. It made her mouth water.

By the time the bars were done, cooled, and ready to be cut into squares, it was close to dawn. Haven took one for herself and moaned as the creamy-and-crunchy sweetness of the bar filled her mouth. So dang good.

She enjoyed the Ravens’ kitchen so much she almost regretted that at some point she and Cora would have to leave. Hopefully that wouldn’t be for some time. Her gaze ran over the room for a moment. Number one on her list remained having an amazing kitchen of her own someday. That wouldn’t excite a lot of people and it sure as heck wouldn’t make most people’s must-do/must-have lists, but Haven would gladly forego the rest of the house to have a killer kitchen of her own.

She flicked the light switch, plunging the room into darkness.

If they were really safe, maybe she could finally start believing her dreams might come true.

BY FRIDAY MORNING, Haven felt stupid for ever contemplating kissing Dare. He’d avoided her all week, and she didn’t think she was imagining it. One day he’d come onto the back porch while she was sitting out there and promptly turned around without a word. Another time he’d come into the kitchen while she and Cora were helping Bunny with something, and he’d never acknowledged or even looked at Haven the whole time he was there. And when she’d belatedly come down to dinner the night before, Dare excused himself from the table not long after she sat down. Granted, it wasn’t like they were friends or anything, but it had seemed from the couple of interactions they’d had that he at least cared about her, so it didn’t feel like she was blowing any of this out of proportion.

Not that it mattered, she guessed. Obviously, he didn’t owe her anything. Just the opposite, in fact—she owed him and the Ravens everything.

Like the full truth about the reward?

Lying on her bed with her notebook open in front of her, Haven tapped her pen against her lips. Yeah, probably.

Just then, Cora knocked on the door and came in. “I’m here on serious business,” she said, stretching out beside Haven, who scooted over to make room.

“I’m all ears,” Haven said, folding her hands over the open pages.

“There’s gonna be a party here tonight. I really want you to come down with me.” Cora gave her a hopeful look.

Butterflies whipped through Haven’s belly, but it was time to put something on her list into action, and attending a party was definitely on there. “Okay,” she said simply.

“Wait, what? Really?” Cora’s eyes went wide.

Laughing, Haven nodded. “Really.”

“Aw, you rock,” Cora said, throwing an arm over her shoulder in a move that nearly tackled her.

“Well, let’s save the proclamations until we see if I end up freaking out.” Haven tapped the notebook. “But I’m serious about this. I don’t want to waste any more time. I feel like I’ve missed so much. I just want to live.”

“You will. You are,” Cora said. “It will all get easier when you realize not everyone’s like our dads and their goons.” She peered at Haven’s notebook with a mischievous glint in her eye. “So what else can you check off tonight?”

“Well, if it’s a party, I was thinking I could try some drinks.” At almost twenty-three, she’d never had a single glass of wine, beer, or anything else. She might hate it, but she’d never know unless she tried.

Cora tapped her finger against her lips and nodded. “Okay. I like it. We need to make sure you eat beforehand, then. What else?”

“More?” Haven asked, laughing.

“Yes, more. Live dangerously, within reason, of course.” Cora winked.

Haven scanned the first of four pages she already had filled up. Some of the items were silly and frivolous, while others were serious and big and Haven had no idea how she’d make them come true. But there was so much she’d never done or been allowed to do.