Trouble at Brayshaw High - Meagan Brandy Page 0,87
her hand on his cheek. “I owe you so much.” He grips her hand, holding it in his.
“You owe me nothing.” She smiles softly. “They’re my boys, too, but if you’re in a giving mood, I could use a day or two off.”
Our dad laughs. “We’ll make that happen, Ms. Maybell.”
Holy shit.
He’s really fucking standing there, not fifteen feet away.
Ten seconds in and I stand on one side of the room while they stand on the other, their father at their side – the man who “owns” me.
I guess I didn’t really stop to think about what would actually happen once he arrived – sure as shit didn’t expect it to be this quickly.
It’s safe to say I’m a little more than unsure.
I’m ready to run.
Apparently, my feet agree, because I don’t realize I’m backing up for the door, one silent step at a time, until my foot catches a rogue basketball on the floor and I slip, falling right on my ass with a hard thud.
My hair falls into my face, but my eyes pop up, right as five sets of eyes hit me.
Fuck.
Cap rushes over, like I need help up or something, but I stand quickly before he can reach me and take a step away.
He frowns, but I keep my eyes on the man across the room.
His eyes, I should have recognized them – they’re identical to the ones I’ve been staring into for weeks now.
His casual gaze runs the length of me quickly, before settling on my face.
“You must be, Raven.”
“Don’t play that.” I shake my head, and the creases of his eyes tighten subtly. “I already told them what you supposedly failed to.”
All three of the boys’ heads jerk toward me, likely from my use of the word supposedly but I don’t look away.
“Ah.” He nods, crossing his arms. “I see.”
I tilt my head, glaring. “You were really gonna stand there and lie to their faces, hoping I would have taken your little hint to keep quiet?”
“Raven,” Maddoc warns and I cut my glare his way.
“No,” Rolland responds. “Well, yes, I suppose, but only until I had a chance to speak with you first.”
“And why would you do that?” Tension swims in my stomach at the query in his eyes. “These are your sons, I’m nobody. They deserve your honesty.”
His eyes drop to my hands and I freeze, yanking them from my hoodie pocket.
“You still have it,” he muses.
Perceptive son of a bitch.
When I say nothing, he asks, “May I see it?”
“No.”
“But I’m the one who gave it to you.”
“You also bought me from my mother, so forgive me if I’m not ready to hand over the only thing in reach to kill you with should you give me a reason to.”
His eyes widen slightly before he can stop them.
“Raven!” Captain snaps, but I ignore him.
“Seems someone has grown up a little wary —”
“Don’t pretend to know or care how I grew up,” I cut Rolland off. “And just ... stop. What are you even doing?” I glance at Cap who watches me, Royce whose brows are lined with tension, and then Maddoc, who frowns at us both.
Rolland tilts his head slightly like he doesn’t understand what I’m saying.
“Your sons have missed you. Focus on them, not me.”
“But they have you to thank for getting me here, even if you did cause some problems along the way.” He tries to smile, but when he doesn’t get one in return, he nods instead.
“Ms. Maybell, would you please step upstairs with Raven. I’d like to speak with my sons a moment.”
Maybell’s features tighten and she waves me over. “Come on, child.”
I scoff, shake my head and spin around. I yank the front door open, but I only get a step out before Maddoc is gripping my arm.
My eyes snap to his, and his jaw clenches. I yank away and step onto the porch, Maybell right behind me and the door slams.
I lean my head against the wall a second, then spin to face her.
“Can I come back to the house?”
Her forehead crinkles, but her lip twitches. “Not gonna run, huh?”
I glare, and she laughs, a sigh falling shortly after.
She reaches for my hand and slowly drops to sit, her feet dangling over the edge of the porch, laughing lightly when I pull from her grip.
She pats the space at her side, so I plant my ass beside her. She blows my damn mind when she pulls an old school metal pipe from her pocket, packed and ready