Boys of Brayshaw High (Brayshaw High 1)

She hesitates a moment, her eyes still glued on him.

I tighten my fists to keep from raging on her, and shift my body, effectively blocking Maddoc from view.

Her eyes snap to mine, narrowing in the same second. She tries to read me, but she never has been able to understand me. “Raven, don’t be a fool. Don’t fall at their feet.”

“Keep your eyes off him, don’t speak. Go. You’re the one not welcome.”

Her head pulls back slightly, and an unbelieving laugh escapes her.

Silence stretches between us, and anxiousness grows, but then a wide chest hits my back and everything settles.

I hadn’t even heard him step out.

“This is Brayshaw and you don’t belong. Leave.”

“Bravo, Brayshaw,” my mother laughs lightly, and I frown.

She shakes her head, gets in the car and takes off.

Anger swims in my stomach to the point my muscles actually start to ache, and my chest tightens.

With a lick of my lips, I slip back into the SUV.

After a few moments, we’re headed back to yet another home that isn’t mine but holds my things.

One day I’ll understand why I exist in a world I’m not needed in.

One day.I flip my knife open over and over, every few minutes stopping to read the inscription on the side: family runs deeper than blood.

I click it back in place, and right when I flick my wrist, sending the blade flying forward again, my door quietly opens.

Maddoc looks from it to me, then locks the door behind him.

He makes his way over and when he reaches the edge, he holds out his hand, asking me to give him my safety net.

I close the knife and slip it behind me instead.

He eyes me a moment before pulling his shirt over his head. He looks to the spot he laid in last night, waiting for me to make room and I breathe a sigh of relief I shouldn’t. He pulls me against him, just as he did before, and I close my eyes, welcoming his warmed skin.

“Don’t say it,” I tell him, knowing damn well he planned to. “I don’t want to hear what you think but don’t know. She could be right, but only time will tell.”

“I don’t need time to know you’re nothing like her.”

“You hardly know me, Maddoc.”

“I need time to figure you out. Give it to me.”

“You don’t want to know me,” I whisper. “You want to understand me so you can decide if I’m a threat to you or not.”

He doesn’t deny it, and I’m almost glad for that.

Almost.“She lives with us now.”

My jaw drops as I spin to Royce.

“What?”

“What the hell?!” I hiss. One look around confirms it’s useless to try and cover it. There may only be a handful in ear’s distance, but phones are already out and I’m officially a sister wife. Or maybe they’re brother husbands. Wait. No.

Not the point here.

Fuck this shit.

I storm off, but only get five whole feet before Captain falls in line with me.

“You on babysitting duty for Mondays?”

“You didn’t come down last night, and we were running late this morning. Didn’t get to ask how it went with your mom.”

“Don’t play like you didn’t get the rundown from your brother.” I pull my locker open, cursing to myself when I remember I didn’t do any classwork or homework Friday because I didn’t expect to be back here.

“’Course I did, but I wanna know how you felt about it.”

“Warm and fucking fuzzy, Captain.”

He drops a shoulder against the locker beside mine. “Do you always get this defensive when someone asks you about your feelings?”

“I don’t know, Cap, do you always have to be the fucking meddler just to make yourself feel needed?” I slam my locker closed, gaining attention around me. “Not everyone is fixable or wants to be taken care of. Back off.”

I purposely hit his shoulder as I pass by. I know how fucked up my words were. The fact that I’m bothered by what I said only irritates me more.

“I’m going to bathroom,” I snap and round the corner.

It works to get him off my ass and I move for first period.

It’s still early so there’s only a student or two inside and both have their faces buried in a book.

Captain’s voice floats throw the door in the same moment and I pause there to listen.

“What do you want, Tisha?”

“Just wondering what’s going on with you and Raven?”

I snort quietly.

“Nothing that concerns you.”

“She doesn’t concern me. What I’m really asking is if you want to get together later?”

“Can’t.” His dismiss is instant.

A beat of silence follows and then, “Why not?”

“Busy.”

“Well maybe—”

She’s cut off when Royce interjects himself into their conversation. “Do you not know how to take a hint, Tisha? Pretty sure he said no, and yet here you are, making a fool of yourself and looking desperate. See, I’d have told ya I don’t waste time on loose goose, but Cap is more subtle. Clearly subtle don’t work on you, so lemme help him out. None of us want you, nor will we ever.”