Raven's Game
by Marley Quinn
Copyright Information
Raven’s Game
by Marley Quinn
© 2026 Marley Quinn
All rights reserved.
Author: Marley Quinn
Email: marleyquinn.reformist760@passinbox.com
Twitter/X: marleyquinn2000
Book cover, illustration: Marley Quinn
Editing, proofreading: Marley Quinn
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Table of Contents
Bad Choices
Porter brought the SUV to a stop in the unloading zone and then immediately sprang out to run over to the passenger side.
“Thank you,” said Kate with a smile as he helped her out of the vehicle.
“My pleasure,” said Porter, opening the hatch and getting out her suitcase and extending the handle.
“Listen, I’ll call you as soon as I land, okay?” said Kate, taking the suitcase from him.
“Sure thing,” said Porter. “Don’t worry, honey. I just know they’re going to love your presentation.”
“Yeah, I hope so, too,” said Kate with a little sigh. “Are you sure you’re going to be all right without me?”
“Aww, come on,” said Porter with a grin. “I may not be Gordon Ramsay, but I think I can keep everyone alive until you return.”
“Yeah, I’m not worried about you starving,” said Kate, giving him an affectionate pat on his belly. “I'm talking about Raven.”
“She’ll be fine,” said Porter with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Come on. Teenagers act up all the time. That’s what they do.”
“You don’t think I went too far?” said Kate, a worried look on her face. “I feel like taking her phone away for a week might’ve been too harsh.”
“No way,” said Porter with a chuckle. “I mean, we both grew up without cell phones, and we’re fine, aren’t we? Anyway, she’s got to learn her lesson, Kate. Running around wild is going to get her in big trouble in the long run. You did the right thing.”
“I hope so,” said Kate.
“I know so,” said Porter, wrapping his arms around her and giving her a comforting squeeze. “Now go. I don’t want you missing that flight.”
“You’ll call me if anything comes up?” said Kate.
“Relax. It’s all under control,” said Porter. “You just worry about knocking the clients dead with your presentation, okay?”
“Okay,” said Kate, a shy smile plying on her lips.
“I love you,” said Porter, leaning in for a kiss.
“I love you, too,” said Kate, returning his kiss.
Afterward, the two of them stood there for a long moment, not saying anything, the expressions on their faces doing all the talking that was necessary.
Kate then brushed the corner of her eye with the back of her hand and turned around, marching into the airport without ever casting a glance back at where Porter stood watching her intently.
When she was out of sight, Porter reluctantly went back to the vehicle and got in. For a second, he considered running after her, begging her not to go, but then he chided himself for such foolishness and instead put the car in gear and drove home.
“Raven? Are you here?” said Porter after hanging up the keys next to the sideboard.
But there was no answer. Even though he could guess what had happened, Porter still had to make sure, so he did a quick tour of the house, including peeking his head inside her bedroom.
Sure enough, she was gone despite the fact that her mother had made it explicitly clear that she was grounded. Clearly, she’d waited for them to leave for the airport and then made a run for it.
Porter shook his head, unable to understand where such defiance came from. His niece Jill, who was the same age as Raven, had always been so good-natured and compliant. About the craziest thing she’d ever done was the time she’d accidentally broken a lamp while playing with the dog when she was 5 or 6 years old and then lied about it until her mother had confronted her, and then she’d broken into tears and confessed everything right away.
Raven, on the other hand, seemed to have been born a rebel. From everything Kate had told him, Raven had been acting up since she was a toddler, throwing tantrums if she didn’t get her way and screaming every night before taking a bath. Frankly, it sounded exhausting, but Porter understood that Kate and Raven had been through some tough times after Raven’s father had been sent off to prison.
But all that was over now because he was here to bring some much-needed stability to both of them. Kate, at least, had the good sense to be grateful for his help, but it was clear that Raven was going to do everything in her power to push his buttons. Nonetheless, Porter was looking forward to spending some time alone with her so that he could set down some boundaries.
Of course, that could only begin when Raven was physically in the house, so Porter went about his usual business as he waited for her to return. He logged into some private Discourse channels, had a few chats with some of his contacts in the industry, and then took a break to put a load of clothes in the machine and make some food.
Afternoon soon became evening. For dinner, Porter tried a brand-new recipe one of his friends had suggested, a chicken and rice dish with Afghan flavors. As far as he was concerned, it turned out pretty good, although it was spicier than the kind of food Kate preferred. But even as the hour grew late, there was still no sign of Raven, and since her phone was locked up in his desk, he had no way of calling her.
When Kate called to let him know she’d landed safely and then gushed over all the luxury amenities in her hotel, he intentionally never mentioned that Raven was missing. He made a comment about the spicy chicken and rice dish, implying that Raven had been there for dinner and didn’t like it, and they both had a chuckle.
About an hour after that phone call, Porter was starting to get sleepy, but he wanted to catch Raven when she finally slunk home, so he went into the kitchen and brewed himself a pot of coffee. He then sat down and watched an old movie, but even after the credits rolled, there was still no sign of her.
Had she finally gone through with her threat to run away? If so, it would mean he would have to call the police, and Porter really didn’t want to do that, especially because he knew Kate would probably break off her all-important business trip to return home. So he waited. And then he waited some more, until it was well after 2:00 a.m. and he could barely keep his eyes open.
Just as he was about to throw in the towel, Porter heard a noise outside. He sprang to the window, but all he saw was a furtive shape moving toward the bushes. Cocking his head, he then heard a sound upstairs. His adrenaline kicking in, Porter raced up to Raven’s room and caught her just as she was making her way through the window.
“Ah, there you are,” said Porter, his pulse racing.
“Hey,” said Raven, tossing aside her bag, her casual attitude infuriating him further.
“Do you know what time it is?” said Porter. “It’s almost three in the morning!”
“Why are you in my room?” said Raven with a scowl. “You some kind of pervert or something?”
“Raven, this is totally unacceptable,” said Porter, folding his arms over his chest. “Your mother grounded you.”
“Yeah, well, she isn’t here, is she?” retorted Raven, stinking of cigarettes and cheap booze.
“No, she isn’t. But I’m in charge now,” said Porter. “And you are not to leave this house again until your mother returns.”
“Ha! You can’t tell me what to do,” said Raven, giving him a defiant stare.
“Yes, I can,” said Porter. “You may not believe me, but this is for your own good. I know sneaking out and hanging out with those degenerates you call your friends might seem like fun now, but they’re going to lead you down a bad road.”
“Whatever,” said Raven, trying to brush past him, but he moved to block her with his body. “What the fuck, dude?”
“I mean it,” said Porter. “For the next week, it’s just going to be me and you, and I’m going to watch you like a hawk.”
“You gonna watch me when I go pee?” said Raven with a sarcastic chuckle. “Because I gotta piss like a race horse, so please move so I can go to the bathroom.”
“Fine,” said Porter, stepping aside to let her pass. “But don’t push me, Raven. I’m serious.”
“Whatever,” said Raven with a mocking laugh as she made her way down the hallway.
The moment she was out of sight, Porter walked over and picked up her bag and started going through it. Beside the usual assortment of female crap like make-up, hair bands, and gum, he found a half-empty pack of cigarettes, which he immediately confiscated. He also removed the three lighters he found and a small clear baggie containing some pills.
“What the fuck? Hey, you can’t go through my stuff!” said Raven when she returned, swiping her bag out of his hands.
“I can and I will,” said Porter.
“You’re nothing. Do you know that?” said Raven, her eyes flashing as she turned to face him. “Sooner or later, my mother is going to dump your unemployed ass, and then you’ll be gone. Might as well start packing your bags now, dude.”
“Maybe,” said Porter, refusing to be intimidated. “But right now, it’s just you and me in this house, and I am the law.”
“Do you know how many guys I’ve seen like you come and go?” said Raven, poking him hard in the chest with her finger. “More than I can count. And at least most of them had jobs. You’re a ghost in the wind, dude.”
“You can insult me as much as you want to,” said Porter with a low chuckle. “But I meant exactly what I said. Your mother wants you grounded, so you’re going to be grounded.”
“Ha! As if a pathetic loser like you can stop me,” said Raven, jutting out her lower lip.
“Well, as you pointed out, I’m in between jobs right now,” said Porter, giving her a triumphant grin. “So that means I’ve got all the time in the world to make sure you stay home this week.”
“Why don’t you just crawl off to whatever cave you came from and leave me the fuck alone?” snarled Raven. “I don’t need you telling me what to do.”
“Oh, but I think you do,” said Porter with a grin. “Or have you already forgotten about being suspended from school after getting caught smoking behind the bleachers? You’ve got a bright future ahead of you, Raven, but only if you don’t ruin it by making bad choices now.”
“Whatever,” muttered Raven. “You just want an excuse to watch me.”
“Huh? What is that supposed to mean?” said Porter.
“You really think you’re gonna step in and be my new daddy? Huh?” said Raven. “You’re pathetic. You’re just a pervert who can’t keep his eyes off an underage girl.”
Breast Exam
“Well, someone’s got to teach you how to straighten up and fly right, so I’m not going to apologize for that,” said Porter. “As for the rest, you’re being ridiculous.”
“Am I?” said Raven with a sneering chuckle. “Because you’re the one standing in my bedroom staring at my tits at three in the morning, you sicko.”
“I am not doing anything of the kind,” said Porter, keeping his gaze locked on her face.
“Really? Are you sure?” said Raven, lifting up the hem of her T-shirt until she had nearly uncovered her breasts.
“Stop that!” said Porter, reaching out to prevent her from exposing herself.
“Aww, what’s wrong, daddy?” said Raven in a mocking tone. “That’s what you wanted, isn’t it? You just couldn't wait for my mom to be gone so you could live out your nasty fantasies, could you?”
“Raven, it’s late, and I don’t have time for any more of your ridiculousness,” said Porter. “Now go to sleep and I will see you in the morning.”
“Just admit it,” said Raven, hooking her fingers inside the waistband of her skirt and slowly starting to pull it down. “I know this is what you want. It’s what all guys want.”
“Goodnight, Raven!” said Porter, turning and exiting her room before she could indulge in more of her shenanigans.
Once the door was safely closed behind him, he could hear Raven chuckling to herself. Porter forced himself to take several deep breaths in order to steady his nerves. He had known this week was going to be a challenge, but now he saw that he was going to have his hands full, indeed, taking care of this girl.
A tiny part of him ...