Reign of Brayshaw (Brayshaw High) - Meagan Brandy Page 0,27

Raven. You must be sure for this to be accepted. They will smell your fear or hesitance.”

“Fuck you,” I whisper back, and take a deep breath. “I’m not fearful, or hesitant.”

An empty chair comes into view, and then the farther the curtain rolls, the more chairs are revealed, only these ones aren’t empty. In each one sits a different man, and behind each man is another.

“Ready?” Rolland asks and extends his elbow for me to take.

I push forward without him.

I don’t miss the twitch to the man at the end’s lips. I glare at him first.

The soft chuckle behind him has my eyes snapping over his shoulder.

Alec Daniels.

He winks, and my muscles settle slightly.

Again, my stare finds the man in the chair in front of him. Tan skin, tattoos creeping up his neck – the only one in jeans and a t-shirt.

This must be Gio’s boss – Trick Rivera, the Riverside family.

Movement to my right catches my attention and I spot security spacing out every inch of the room, one every three to five feet, none making direct eye contact, all wide-eyed and aware.

“Ah.” A grating voice wraps around my shoulder blades and I spin for the entrance right as Donley and Collins walk through with their heads held high.

Donley holds his hands up. “The princess has arrived.” He gives a nasty smile. “And so punctual.”

I look to Collins, who, much to my surprise, only nods his chin.

“Rae.”

“Collins.” I eye him as he and Donley move toward the men in their seats, shaking hands with each of them, both eyes focusing on the empty chair for a moment longer than necessary.

Mine tighten, cutting across the room once more.

Five families, five chairs, only four taken by the men before me.

My stare slides to Rolland and his pinches in warning.

A laugh leaves me before I can help it and suddenly all eyes are on me.

One of the men in a suit sits forward, his elbows on his knees.

“You look much like your mother.”

“I take offense to that,” I reply instantly.

I think I catch him off guard as he laughs lightly.

“I see you’re much more outspoken than her.”

“Let’s not with the unnecessary banter. I’m here for a reason.”

“Indeed, you are.” The man grins, his eyes moving to Rolland. “I assume she’s aware of all she needs to be?”

Rolland opens his mouth to speak but I step forward.

“You people may like to pretend women are weak and have no voices, but I’m not and I say what I want. I can speak for myself.” I stare the man right in the eye, enjoying the way his tighten in surprise.

“I see.” He sits back, looking to the others a moment before moving back to me. “Ms. Brayshaw, I’m Calvin Greyson.”

I blink at him.

He fights a grin. He can’t be more than twenty-five, if that. “We’re simply here as witnesses. Your town is your town, your issues with the Graven family are your issues. That being said, a town divided cannot sit on the council with us. That is the purpose of the union that was promised before your time. In order for us to be a strong unit, we need to be just that, a unit. A town divided is weak. It was agreed upon that should Brayshaw openly accept the marriage to Graven, the Gravens would see it as a move of good faith, and the Brayshaws would take final lead.” He turns to Donley. “This is correct, Donley?”

“It is.” He moves his eyes to mine. Nothing but victory swimming in them. “She marries in, unites our families once and for all, we no longer push for power in lead as our strength will come in time.”

“Raven.”

My eyes slide back to the tattooed guy.

He confirms who he is in his introduction. “I’m Trick Rivera. You understand what they’re saying, right?” He eyes me. “You must accept the marriage.”

Donley scoffs beside me and Trick’s eyes darken as they slide his way, a fierce expression in place.

“I promise you, I only ever do what I want,” I tell him. “Something Collins is well aware of, so maybe it’s he who should accept me, the bitch of a bride he’ll be getting.”

Small chuckles float across the room.

“In a heartbeat, Rae.” Collins pushes his chest out, not bothering to look my way.

I bite into my cheek.

“Actually,” Donley draws out, his smirk as revolting as his presence. “I threw that little clause in a long time ago, and it earned me a runaway bride. I don’t wish to extend