I stare at her, knowing I can’t have her roaming the halls of this house as my little girl freely will. Spring break began on Friday for Brayshaw High, so she has no place to be over the next seven days until the five of us return to BHS.
I’m not okay with that.
So, when she walks past me, I let her, waiting for her foot to hit the first step, letting her think our conversation is over, and then add, “Don’t come out of your room this week unless it’s to leave before we wake. There should be no sign you exist.”
She hesitates a second before slowly climbing the stairs and disappearing from sight.
Not until I’m sure she’s gone do I blow out a long breath, turning to the others.
Raven grins, while my brothers fight laughs.
They know I bull faced fucking lied, but she needs to sweat, and I need a sign she gives a damn. A real move, not one wrapped in an agenda or dipped in fear.
The problem is, in our world, it’s hard to tell the two apart. The truth always comes at the worst possible moment… like right after I forced myself to push aside the betrayal from the last female I let in and reopened a part of me I swore I never would.
Mallory messed me up good.
It’s fucked up, but Victoria’s betrayal, it should have been expected.
My brothers and I, we know the drill.
With truth comes trouble.
It’s why we exist in the first place.
We were born with purpose, warriors from the womb, leaders at birth, adopted into this family by a man that cared for our real parents who weren’t lucky enough to live and watch what we’d become.
Unstoppable, unbreakable.
Brayshaw.
“So, uh, anyone interested in seeing the pic I got of Tracy Parks’ tit job tonight?” Royce asks, easing the tension and earning a laugh from each of us.
Twenty minutes later I’m showered and lifting my baby girl from her bed, carrying her across the hall into my room, and lying her down beside me in mine.
She doesn’t so much as flutter a lash, hugging her little stuffed train as tight as ever. I tuck her blanket around her, laying mine on top, and stare at the most perfect little face.
I will love you with all I am and protect you with all my might, my little Zoey.
No matter what.Chapter 4VictoriaThere should be no sign you exist.
I’d have begged for such an ‘order’ not long ago when the last thing I wanted was to look a Brayshaw in the eye and risk them seeing the truths in mine.
Now, it’s annoying and everything I used to strive for but no longer want, at least not when it comes to them—invisibility.
Oh the irony.
Over the next four days, I do as asked, leaving early and returning late. When they do see me they don’t speak, giving only side glances and blank stares I’m left to decipher, but I don’t care.
I do as instructed without so much as a frown, head held high and all.
I’m still sleeping under their roof, aren’t I?
Besides, I’m almost positive they’re having me followed. I’ve been going to the same park in the mornings, hanging out and keeping myself busy by picking the weeds from the planter boxes around there, and today when I went back, there was a pair of new gloves sitting right on top of the next in line to be worked on, tags still on and all.
“Heads up, Brayshaws coming in hot,” Nira, who happened to be walking the same way I was this morning, whispers into her cup as she leans back in the chair.
I turn to look and there they are, rolling up in a black Denali, one of three in this town.
I always thought it was odd all three brothers drove identical vehicles, but it makes sense now. You see one, you know a Brayshaw is coming, and each is as important as the other. It doesn’t matter which is inside, Brayshaw is Brayshaw.
Further proving my suspicion, Royce needs not a moment to roam the area, his smirk instantly landing on me as he hops from the passenger seat, Captain moving a bit slower to exit the driver’s side.
He saunters over, way too much confidence for his own good, not that he doesn’t deserve it—he’s hot and he knows it.
He flips one of the extra chairs around, straddling it, and reaches out to snag a fry from my tray, stuffing it in his mouth.
“VicVee.” He grins and then looks to Nira. “Group home girl.”
She offers a tight-lipped smile but focuses on her soda.
“So what up, girl?” Royce leans forward, elbows planted on the tabletop. “Catchin’ some rays?”
“Killin’ some time.” I lift a brow and his smirk grows.
“Good girl.”
I roll my eyes, dropping back in my chair.
My gaze cuts over his shoulder as Captain approaches, but his eyes slide past mine, and he walks inside the small burger place we just came out of.