Reign of Brayshaw (Brayshaw High) - Meagan Brandy Page 0,41
for my... investment.” His eyes drop to our hands, and a gleam fills them. His smirk grows into a smile and he nods. “Safe to assume Collins isn’t causing too much trouble?”
“We’d handle it how we wanted if he was,” Royce spits.
“The surveillance,” Perkins attempts to get them back on track.
“Ah, yes.” Donley claps. “Perhaps you were left in the dark, where you belong, Connor, but your blood has agreed to become mine.”
Perkins’ eyes move to Captain, but Donley keeps speaking.
“He will take the name you were offered with your brother but couldn’t honor. Captain will become Graven, and Raven will be his bride.”
Perkins’ eyes slice to mine, then Maddoc’s and back to Captain. “Why would you agree to this? Everything was handled, your life wouldn’t have been affected.”
“What do you care about my life?”
“I’ve spent eighteen years protecting it!”
“You didn’t protect shit. You got in the way, stepped in where you were never and will never be wanted.” Captain steps toward his biological father. “You thought you could tip them off that Raven existed, they’d take her, Zoey’d come home and everything would go away?”
“It should have been that simple, yes.”
“Except you weren’t bold enough to get the job done, and we grew close to Raven while you sat back and waited for someone else to do the dirty work. You may know no loyalty, but we do, and she has ours. Always.” Captain gestures in his face. “Just so you know, I didn’t agree to anything, I asked for this, and I’d have begged for her, on my hands and fucking knees if I had to because that’s what she deserves.”
My eyes zero in on the tight fists at Maddoc’s sides.
When I look to him though, you’d never know he was staring at me, his glasses are directed at Donley, but I feel him.
Tortured, angry, ready to burst.
Me too, Big Man.
“Right, well, I have places to be.” Donley smooths his blazer down. “Perkins, if you will, email me the links and passwords to the cameras.”
“No.”
All eyes fly to me when I speak.
“No?” Donley tilts his head. “I’m afraid that isn’t your call, little girl.”
“I’m afraid this isn’t your school, Donley.” I push forward. “It’s ours, as will be this town in a matter of days. Get used to it.”
I wanted him to get angry, but the bastard smiles, seemingly proud. “Oh, I am more than ready for you to hold the Graven name, until then I need to make sure the bargain is being held. Call it a protection plan.”
“She said no.” Captain steps forward. “Terms were set when we left, this wasn’t in it. These are our people, we handle what needs handling. That’s not changing.”
Donley eyes him and after a few moments a deep, satisfied sigh leaves him. He turns to Rolland who wears no expression at all and pats his back. “This is the start of a beautiful thing, I can feel it in my bones.” With that, he walks away.
With a strange frown, Perkins follows after him.
Rolland steps up to Maddoc, but Maddoc says nothing, shouldering past him, past us all and takes off down the hall.
I bite my tongue to stop myself from screaming, dig my toes into my shoes to keep from running, and glance at Cap, whose face grows tighter with Maddoc’s every step taken.
Royce steps up, his tone angry but his eyes soft. He whispers, “the girl was dad’s idea. She’s nothing, RaeRae.”
I nod, swallow, and plug my earbuds in as an excuse to ignore everyone around me, but the music isn’t enough.
Nothing will ever be enough.
I have no fucking clue how I ended up here, or how I got in for that matter, but I’m standing just inside the entryway, my back against the door.
I glance around, making sure no one is near, then push off the wall.
I’m sloppy on my feet – a half dozen shots will do that to you – so I stumble a few times, catching myself on the back of the sofa as I pass it.
My eyes cut across the darkened room, finding no one coming to check out the sound.
The staff must be off duty, guards who the hell knows where.
Not here.
I keep down the hall, gripping my bat tighter when the smell of a fresh cut Cuban hits my nostrils.
I blink hard, pulling in my focus as much as possible and straighten to my full height.
My footsteps are silent, my pulse screaming in my ears as I enter Donley’s office.