Trouble at Brayshaw High (Brayshaw High 2)

My head fucking swims, making no sense of what I’m seeing.

“Ravina Brayshaw?” Royce says, then cuts his disbelieving eyes to mine. “Ravina fucking Brayshaw? Does that ... so is...”

“Raven Brayshaw,” I think I say out loud.

“Holy shit.” Cap runs a hand over his face, looking at me. “Something’s happening.”

My phone rings and I pull it out, seeing Bishop’s name flash.

I don’t even get a word in before he says, “Get here. Now.”

“Raven?” I guess, meeting my brothers’ frowns.

“Hurry.”

The line goes dead.

“She’s not at fucking home,” Royce growls and right as he says it there’s laughter behind us.

We spin, finding the group of girls coming out behind us, Vienna in the middle. She freezes when she spots us, then slowly starts walking again.

“Uh, hey. Still here?” She smiles tightly.

Without a word, Royce moves for her.

Her eyes widen and instantly tears form as she shakes her head, but Royce pulls a bandana from his back pocket, gagging her with it.

The girls at her side yelp and scream, running off as Cap pulls his hoodie off and over her head backward, tying the strings loose enough so she can still breathe but tight enough to keep it from falling off her head.

We toss her in the bed of the SUV and head straight for the fucking warehouses, ignoring her kicks and muffled screams.

Cap makes it in record time.

It’s funny to think we were worried about being seen out here only weeks ago, knowing word would get back to our dad or worse, Zoey’s social worker. It was a bitch to slip in unseen just to pull Raven’s ass out that night.

Now here we are again, coming after my girl who doesn’t know how to fucking listen, but now we don’t hide. We won’t handle this quietly and behind closed doors.

Everyone gets to see who the fuck we are, like they did the night I made a statement out of Leo.

Freedom to do as we please, it’s the worst kind of addiction. A poison that wraps around every bone. A sickness that fuels our every step.

“Leave the girl?” Cap asks, reaching for the door handle.

“For now.”

We step out, and people turn, glancing our way and nodding before turning back to the games holding their attention.

We face forward, moving past everyone and following the sound of roaring onlookers.

Bass spots us and runs, literally, to our sides.

His eyes are wide. “I couldn’t fucking stop her. And you took too long.”

“What are you talking about?” I growl getting in his face.

“Maddoc!” Royce shouts, running forward.

I shift to see, spotting Raven in the center of the fucking ring, with a dude.

I grip Bishop’s shirt and push into his face, but Captain jerks me away.

“Her first, him next,” Captain yells.

“You’re fucking dead.”

“You think I want her in there?” he shouts, keeping up with me. “I work for the Brayshaw name! And apparently, that’s her. I had no fucking choice.”

I stop glaring at him.

“How—”

He slams a paper into my chest, and I glance at it. My eyes snap to Bishop’s. “She had this?”

He nods, eyeing me.

Son of a fucking bitch! Donley knew she already knew!

Did he get to her first?

“Maddoc,” Cap bites out.

With a growl, I stuff the paper in my pocket and charge forward. I shove through the few people in my way and yank her off him by the waist.

Her head flies back, nailing me in the fucking nose and I growl, “Stop.”

She tenses in my arms, her eyes flying over her shoulder.

As soon as they hit mine, her body loses all its fight.

She spits on the guy as we step over his bloodied frame.

I set her down and spin her to face me, frowning when I find a blankness to her I haven’t seen in a long time.

“Who is he?” I demand.

“Random asshole. Grabbed my ass my first night here. Without permission,” she says numbly, and glances at Captain.

“RaeRae.” Royce steps closer, reaching out to touch her arm and she flinches.

What the hell?

“I need to shower,” she tells us. “Now.”

I lick my lips and look to Royce, jerking my chin at the SUV.

He nods and jogs off.

She flexes her knuckles, inspecting the blood there, but before she can wipe it away, I stop her hand.

Her eyes lift to mine, then she hears her. The mumbles, followed by shrieks, then clear begging straight from Vienna’s mouth.

Raven’s grin is slow as she turns, locking eyes with Vienna.

Vienna’s widen and instantly she starts to cry. “Please, I’m sorry. I had no choice! Please!” she wails, and my brows pull in.

Raven calmly walks over to her and Vienna’s mouth clamps shut, her nostrils flaring with each labored breath.

Raven reaches out, chuckling when the girl balks as she runs her knuckles across her jaw, rubbing someone else’s blood across her face. She pulls back and taps her cheek lightly, shaking her head.

Right when Vienna’s shoulders relax some, Raven takes her by surprise, pushing on her head, until it slams into the crate at her side, just missing her temple.