Shadows (Black Raven Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

she bent to help her sister stand.
    “I’m sorry,” Sebastian said, finally finding his voice. “We came close, but we didn’t hit her. She seems to have gotten over the scare.” To Spring, he said, “Are you hurt?”
    Ragno had said mentally challenged. To Sebastian, with her large, denim-blue eyes, and long black hair that, like her sister’s, hung loose and mid-way down her back, Spring just looked like a pretty teenager. The sweet look in her eyes made her seem young for her age. They were both tall, but Skye was taller. The top of Skye’s head was almost shoulder height to him, which put her at about five feet eight.
    Skye was all woman, sensual and vibrant, yet reserved. Spring was almost a mirror image, but girlish. They were dressed in matching cream-colored wrap sweaters and skinny jeans, off-white leather belts with large silver buckles, and off-white suede cowboy boots. Ragno had said that Skye wore a phone tucked inside her waistband. It wasn’t there now. The wide leather belt hit right above her hipbones and accentuated her small waist. Spring’s winter-white jeans had grass stains and a tear in one of the knees.
    Skye’s attention was also on her sister. In a soft, calm voice, one that could guide anyone through any hell, Skye said, “Colbie, take a few steps and test that ankle.”
    Spring didn’t move. Instead, she gave Sebastian a shy smile and extended her arms outwards, for the dog. Sebastian glanced at Skye, uncertain whether to give the animal to the girl. In the photographs, Skye had been a beautiful blonde. Darker hair, though, made her stunning. The inky blackness of her hair, which hung loose and free to a few inches past her shoulders, contrasted with clear, ivory skin. Her cheeks were flushed. She seemed to be holding her breath, gauging her sister’s reaction. Skye glanced at him and gave him a slow nod. Sebastian stepped forward.
    “Are you sure you’re not hurt? She’s heavy. I could just put her on the ground.”
    “She’s mine.” There was that shy, wide-eyed smile, again, and this time it was accompanied with a firm headshake. “Of course I can handle her.”
    Not exactly a logical response, but Sebastian placed the wriggling dog into Spring’s arms anyway. Spring giggled as the dog licked her face and, over Skye’s shoulder, Sebastian watched the older couple retreat back into the coffee shop. When Skye leveled her gaze on Sebastian, he wished he could get that damn topless-bikini picture out of his mind. Her gaze was direct, but there was nothing forthcoming about it. Unlike in the partying shots he had looked at earlier, her eyes were guarded. Her full smile—the one that had been his focal point in the photographs—was absent, yet her lips naturally turned up at the corners, giving her face an inviting expression. “Thank you for returning Candy to us.”
    “He’s a really nice guy, Chloe,” Spring said, “He saved Candy.”
    “I know,” Skye gave her sister a solid gaze. “Now you’re fine, and so is Candy, so we can just go back inside and make our delivery, right?”
    Spring shook her head. “I have to change. My jeans are ripped.”
    “How is your ankle?” Skye asked.
    Spring took a tentative step. She gave her sister a thumbs up that was almost concealed by dog hair. “Doesn’t hurt much.”
    Skye drew a deep breath. “Well, we have to hurry. We promised the bank that the cake would be there early.”
    “At nine,” Spring said.
    “I told you. They called and want it for eight.”
    “Well, they can’t have it at eight. I need to double check my work.”
    “You did that last night,” Skye said, with a trace of impatience that anyone less observant than Sebastian would have missed.
    “It doesn’t matter. It’s my first really big cake here and it has to be perfect. You said I could double check each petal.”
    “Well,” Skye glanced at her watch, “make it fast. Go inside now, don’t let Candy run away from you, get changed, and do