Quietly, I move into Zoey’s room, kissing her on the forehead, and then make my way downstairs.
Victoria’s eyes lock onto mine the second I’m in view.
She’s propped against the wall by the door, her long blonde hair laying over her shoulder in the messy way it always does, not quite curly, more a windblown wave. Brown eyes blinding and bare, she stares at me with what I’m betting she thinks is a show of indifference.
It’s not.
Small creases frame her eyes, lips are pinched tight, and her thumb repeatedly flicks at the black nail polish on her ring finger.
She’s anxious, as she should be, as most liars are.
Whatever the hell that was Friday night, my body’s reaction to her, I have to fight it.
I can’t afford to ignore the risk she brings, not when I have Zoey to think about.
What I didn’t say to my brothers, but they understand all the same, is it’s more than wanting to trust Victoria, I get the sick sense I’m supposed to.
I’ve always been a good judge of character, able to see what others couldn’t, it’s part of my role in this family, but my vision of her is blurred, and I’m not sure what to make of it.
Royce hits me on the shoulder as he walks by, swinging the front door open. “Back to Brayshaw High today, assholes and assettes. Three months ‘til graduation and shit’s about to get even more interesting.”
Victoria pushes off the wall. “Too bad none of you will be graduating without summer school,” she says before disappearing onto the porch.
“Ah shit,” Royce says, loud and mocking. “She is capable of speaking some truth.” He follows after her. “Hey, VicVee, you’re ridin’ bitch.”
My dad and Maybell step inside right as the others disappear from sight.
Maybell nods. “You ready, boy?”
The three of us quickly go over everything for Zoey even though we’ve done this a solid dozen times in the last week, and then I’m sliding into the driver’s seat of my SUV.
We stop at the donut shop on our way to school, getting right back to our regular routine.
“Two chocolate sprinkle donuts for me, large hot choc,” Royce says, his face in his phone.
“Coffee, lots of creamer,” Raven tells me.
I look to Maddoc who eyes me.
He told me last night to swap her out for decaf if she asked—she’ll kick his ass if she finds out, and he’ll gladly take it.
“Black,” Maddoc says. “And grab her a maple bar.”
“I don’t want one today.” Raven shakes her head.
“You will the second you smell Royce’s.”
“No, I won’t—”
“Get the damn donut, Cap.”
I fight a grin, and turn to Victoria, but she doesn’t bother looking my way, keeping her head dropped against the seat, eyes pointed out the window, so I slam my door and head inside to get everyone’s orders.
Not ten minutes later we’re turning into the parking lot of the school, and just like that, head after head snaps our way, conversations dying on people’s lips as they turn, unable to control their stares as they normally would when they spot the familiar SUV.
It’s been almost two months since we’ve been here and a lot of shit’s changed.
Thankfully our boy, Mac, helped keep things in line best he could in our absence, still though, people pulled their shit.
Perfect example, were the assholes at the promenade, the Graven Prep dicks who are looking for an in they won’t get. We would never trust someone who flip-flopped so fast, and all because the head of their little world will never be allowed back here. That’s not how loyalty works.
Mac did good, held down what he could and well, but no matter how you look at it, the perfect little world the students of Brayshaw High felt they lived in has been shaken and stirred and they have no clue what to do with that.
They don’t know how to function without order and rules and expectations. They were born into it, into this town ran by power and respect, so when it was disrupted, they panicked.
This is Brayshaw, and it’s the head of our name they need to feel safe, that they want to look to.
Me, my brothers, Raven—the queen they were promised.
Rumors spread like wildfire when we first allowed Collins Graven, the next in line for the Graven empire and our family enemies, into our school this past winter, and they only got worse when he and Donley Graven disappeared not long after his estate was burnt to the ground.
Mac told us dozens of kids flipped out and stopped showing at school, so we had to give them something, let them know we weren’t hiding, but building our strength.
They know now the town is ours without question and the Gravens no longer have a leg to try and challenge this.
They know Raven is both Brayshaw and Graven blood, and holds more clout here than anyone before her, and that she married my brother to fulfill a decades’ old contract made by men before our time. Not that she wouldn’t have on her own later, the contract just sped the timeline up a bit.