A Thief's Honor [Book 2]

Ch.22 Painful Apologies

A\N: The following chapter contains mature content. For those uncomfortable, please skip to the next chapter. Everyone else, please proceed, but read at your own discretion.
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Knock knock knock...

Everyone perked up when they heard soft knocking at the door. There was a long pause, no one even daring to make a sound, until Sly swallowed hard and slowly got up, cautiously approaching the door. He carefully slid the door open, but was surprised when no one was there, until he glanced down. There, right at his feet, was Bentley's laptop, a small note right on top.

"What is it, Sly?" Bentley then asked.

He reached down and picked up the laptop before turning toward everyone. "Your laptop." The raccoon replied. "But...no Rae."

"Sly...go out and find her, please." The turtle then said.

"Bentley, you know I can't--"

"Just do it!" He suddenly barked, everyone all surprised at this sudden outburst.

It was then Bentley had to swipe the tears that slid down his face as he spoke again. "Sly, go find her, now. I'm not asking you, I'm telling you, because right now...she needs you."

"No, she's doesn--"

"Don't argue with me, darn it!" Bentley snapped again. "I know she was trying to hide it, but I could hear it in her voice... I could hear just how truly petrified she was. Tsao did something to her, so it doesn't take a genius to know that something is clearly wrong with her, and you're the only one who can help her. Please, Sly...I just can't bare to watch this anymore... I can't bare to watch two people I care about fall apart like this..."

Sly nearly fell to pieces as he listened to Bentley's breaking voice, setting the laptop down on the table along with the note. The raccoon then grabbed his cane and dashed out of the hideout into the chilly night of China. Rae... Where are you? It was then a thought struck him, glancing back. The hotel...?

The raccoon turned and dashed away toward the Chinese hotel Bentley had gotten for them. It was basically guess work, but his true tell to figure out where the fox had gone was an open window, the curtains blowing in the night breeze. Sly swallowed hard before beginning his ascent up to the fourth floor window. Once up to the open window, Sly pushed the curtain back a bit and peered inside, and all he saw was the fox herself seated on the bed, her arms wrapped around herself as she quietly sobbed.

"Damn him... Damn him to hell...!" She cursed, gripping onto herself tighter. "That bastard...! He'll pay for this...! I swear it! I swear that I'll--" Rae suddenly gasped when she heard a low creak, quickly glancing over only to see Sly climbing in through the open window. "Y-you..."

Sly averted his gaze from hers. "Bentley...told me to come find you, and I figured that you might've come here." He said, pushing the window closed. "Look, Rae, I know you don't wanna see me, but--" Sly cut himself off when out of the blue, Rae got up from the bed and threw herself into him. She gripped his shirt, holding onto him for dear life as she began to sob again. "Hey, Rae, are you--"

"I'm sorry...!" She clutched onto Sly. "I didn't mean it, I didn't mean what I said, any of it! I'm so sorry! I-I was just so angry...! Please...I didn't mean it..." Rae's voice was beginning to break as the fox sobbed.

Sly stood there for a moment, completely stunned, before he finally wrapped his arms around the fox tightly, but was shocked when he could feel her violent trembling. "Rae, just...what happened?"

She drew back from the raccoon, lifting her head to show her tear-soaked face. "Ts-Tsao, h-he..."

"He...what? Rae, what did he do to you?"