Reign of Brayshaw (Brayshaw High) - Meagan Brandy Page 0,105
it.
My eyes lock on the smoothness of the leather there, and I search for sight of her truth beneath it.
When she plants her left foot a space away from her right, my eyes drop to her shoes. Black boots, not unlike the ones she already owns, they cuff her at the ankles, the laces left untied, but they’re new and give some added height.
I must have stepped forward because when my eyes lift, they’re not far from her lips.
Full and soft as always, but colored red. A bright, vibrant red you could spot a mile away. When they part, my eyes snap to hers.
Dark, thick, black liner fans across her eyelids, making the gray shine almost silver.
The last thing I want to do right now is leave here. I need to talk to her, fight with her, something, but the fire in her eyes isn’t gonna settle. It won’t go away and it shouldn’t.
She wants to push. We’ll be the driving force behind her.
She wants to lead. Where she goes, we’ll follow.
She wants her reign. We’ll make sure she gets it.
Always.
She blinks, bringing me back to focus.
Cap steps forward and her eyes do nothing more than shift to his, but damn if a knot doesn’t form in my gut.
“It was stupid to think this could go any different,” she says, shaking her head, her eyes sliding back to mine. “I don’t want it to go any different. All bullshit aside, nothing makes sense when it’s not the four of us.”
Her eyes focus on his, mine, then Royce’s, then move back to Cap.
Bass walks around the back right then, understanding her just as much as I knew he could. He dangles the keys over her shoulders, and her hand lifts, her fingers wrapping around the cool metal without looking.
She extends her arm, letting the keychain hang from her finger.
With a slow smirk, Cap opens his hand, allowing her to drop them in his palm.
His eyes meet Royce’s who stands tall, a matching smirk in place.
Cap steps around the side and Royce slides in the passenger seat.
Raven’s eyes hit mine and she steps closer, my pulse kicking harder with every move she makes, but she doesn’t touch me like I need her to. She slips right past and into the SUV.
When she turns to me, there’s a slight tip to her lips, but it’s only my eyes and hers now, and hers are screaming so much more. Anger and apology, determination.
She sees it, my resolve slippin’, and quickly shakes her head. “Soon, Big Man.” Her words start soft but end strong. “Get in the car. Now.”
I slide in beside her.
We don’t wait to make sure the others are in and ready but get straight on the road. Royce blares some music, and everyone concentrates on their own thoughts, mine being Raven.
My eyes travel over her legs and thighs, moving up from there, pausing on her face. Her eyes are focused, laser-sharp and locked on the edge of the window. Her breathing is calm, body relaxed. She’s in her fucking zone and nothing is getting in her way.
Since she got here, we’ve constantly tried to take charge, make the final decisions and demand to be let in on her next move before it was made.
Not today.
Today, we’re her back up, her armor. Any move she makes, we’ll match ten fucking fold. We underestimated her once and quickly learned how wrong the move was. Never again.
She’s brave, bold. Beautiful. Fearless and capable. She’s the fiercest fucking thing this town has ever seen, and exactly what it needed. What we needed.
What I need.
We’re pulling up at the building too fucking quick and unease swims in my gut. The last thing I want to do is allow her to walk into fire, but Raven asks for no permission. All we can do is stand beside her, have her back.
She’s out of the car before the engine is off and we fly out with her.
She spins, her eyes on the others pulling in right behind us.
Bass, Victoria, and our dad step out.
“I thought Mac was coming?” Raven asks, suspicious.
Victoria’s eyes slide to Captain before moving back. “He’ll be here, dropping off Chloe on the way.”
Raven spins on her heels and without a word spoken, the security at the door steps aside.
She walks straight through, leading us – me at her back, Cap and Royce beside me, our dad, Bishop, and Victoria behind us.
“Donley,” she calls sweetly before our feet even hit the floor, and all heads jerk