Reign of Brayshaw (Brayshaw High 3)

As soon as he exits, I let out a harsh breath, my hands flying to my temples.

“You should be careful.”

I whip around at the nurse’s soft words, my eyes narrowing.

Fuck, I’d forgotten she was in here.

“What the fuck did you say?”

Her face drains of its color.

“I wasn’t... I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to—”

“To threaten me?”

Her eyes widen. “That’s not what I was doing, I swear Mrs. Brayshaw. I only meant the anxiety. You have a lot going on, more than I’m aware of, I’m sure. High levels of stress can cause many problems.”

With a roll of my eyes, I look away, heading for the door. “Trust me, this is nothing new.”

“Raven,” she calls before I can exit fully.

I glance over my shoulder.

“This wing was built on Bray donations. This is essentially yours, as are the staff within it. We are very good with discretion.” She offers a small smile.

“It’s Rae, and I have no idea what the fuck you’re talking about, lady.”

I push past the door, spotting Victoria the second I round the corner.

She pops from her seat, meeting me halfway. “Hey.”

“He woke up again, I think he was awake for a while before I even realized.”

A sharp exhale leaves her. “That’s awesome.”

“I don’t think he’ll go in and out so much anymore. Pretty sure it was the pain meds that knocked this time.”

She eyes me, nodding lightly. “Royce said he’d be back later.”

I nod, dropping onto the sofa she was on, and she moves to sit beside me again. “He knows where Maddoc is.”

Her eyes widen. “And you’re sitting here?”

“He didn’t tell me, I guessed.”

“And still... you’re sitting here?” she draws out.

“What am I supposed to do?” My eyes slide to hers. “Go find him, beg him to come home, yell at him for lying to me and saying if I married his brother, he wouldn’t leave them only to leave the same fucking day he found out I did what he said he wanted, what he begged me to do?”

“That’s exactly what you do,” she snaps.

I shake my head, dropping it back on the couch. “Then what, Vee? He comes home and is forced to watch everything that follows?”

She’s quiet a minute before she slowly shifts on the seat, twisting her body to face me. “What do you mean, everything that follows?”

My brows pull in and I look to her.

“Raven...” She shakes her head. “You just burned the Graven Estate to the ground. You took control. You found out things you never knew, things that could change—”

“Change what, Victoria?” I glare at her. “And what things did I find out, huh? Because I haven’t shared a fucking word yet, have I?”

Victoria’s jaw ticks.

“What is it you know that you aren’t sharing?”

“I told you,” she forces past clenched teeth. “I existed to uncover the secrets of a man.”

“Yeah, and what did you find out?” I push. “Because as far as I can tell, you’re useless on the info front,” I goad her.

She jumps from the couch. “That’s not fair.”

Bass pushes off the wall, moving closer.

“Isn’t it?” I eye her. “What happened to the loose-lipped girl I sucker-punched at the Bray house?”

“Stop it,” she snaps.

“You’ve been here the longest.” I push to my feet. “You don’t like to ask, don’t wanna seem too interested because then people might have a reason to question you, and you don’t want that.”

“Shut up, Raven.”

“So, like Cap, you use your eyes and your ears. When I first met you, you tried to act like you were different. You wanted me to think you were just another gossip girl when I know now that’s the farthest damn thing from who you are.”

“That means nothing.”

“It means everything. You had a purpose.”

She shakes her head, her blonde hair falling from her messy ponytail.

“You led me to that binder. You told me about the boys’ backstory on purpose because you wanted me to take it.”

“It didn’t belong in that house where anyone could find it and—” She cuts herself off.

“And... what? Use it against them?” I nod. “’Cause I agree. You wanted it to be safe, where it belonged, and you trusted me to make it happen.”

“I didn’t trust you,” she spits, but looks away. “But I wasn’t blind either.”

“You knew I’d give it to them.”

She rubs her lips together, giving an almost unnoticeable nod. She sighs. “Everyone has said it, Raven. You’re not like the others here.” She glares, taking a second before deciding to share more. Her guilty swallow has me confused. “I knew immediately they’d want you. You got on their radar on your own, but I still nudged a little to be sure.”

“The Graven party you insisted I come to, all part of the plan, right?”

She frowns. “I didn’t do this for them. None of it was for their benefit, I was just helping push things along faster.”