Reign of Brayshaw (Brayshaw High 3)

Royce laughs then steps to me for a hug.

“Any chance you’re gonna tell us why you took a quick trip out of town?”

“Told you. I got a heart to break, gotta get even. Had to set some things in motion.” He grins, waggling his eyebrows. “Besides, I was only gone for a week. How much damage could I have possibly done?”

I smirk, shaking my head as he quickly moves back to the door. “Right.”

Royce smiles wide. “Come on.”

With tight eyes, we follow behind him.

Raven grows more and more apprehensive with each step taken, and my muscles begin to constrict.

When we reach the top of the stairs, she jolts to a complete stop.

But then Cap steps from the room across from his, his face lighting up. His eyes are clear, his body relaxed. There’s a weightlessness to him I’ve never witnessed and it all clicks.

He comes to me first, and I nod, giving him a hug before moving aside.

He turns to Raven.

“Cap...”

He smiles, grabs her hand and nods his head, dragging her along, but when she reaches the door, she pulls away, slipping to the opposite side, facing me now.

I take a step forward so I can peek inside and a smile breaks free.

Blonde curls perfectly placed on the top of her head, little Zoey sits on the floor, a small, stuffed train in one hand, sippy cup in the other. Our dad sitting across from her with a stuffed animal of his own in his hand, and damn if it doesn’t settle something inside me even more than my time away with Raven did.

My eyes roam around the room, taking in the white walls and the mural painted across them. Purple flowers, different shapes and sizes.

My stare slices to Raven’s hair, and the fresh purple stripes she had put in while we were away.

Cap steps in the room which causes Zoey’s head to snap our way, her little curls bouncing forward and hitting against her cheek.

She pushes to her feet and slowly walks toward us, pausing when she reaches Cap’s leg and wrapping her little hand around it.

Our dad stands behind them.

“Can you say hi, Zoey.”

Zoey hides one eye behind his pant leg, lifting her hand to wave, but then she spots Raven and her eyes light up. She runs to the door, stopping right in front of her.

“Hi!”

Raven swallows. “Hi,” she breathes.

“I waited fuh you.” Zoey smiles.

Raven’s brows drop, but she smiles. “You did?” she asks quietly.

Zoey nods, spins on her heels and runs back in her room. She grabs something from the little desk, hiding it behind her and runs back.

Raven looks to Captain with a small frown but slowly lowers to her knees, sitting back on her feet in front of Zoey.

Zoey smiles wide and brings a small crown from around her back, placing it on Raven’s head.

It starts to slip, so Raven quickly catches it, holding it there. She smiles at Zoey.

Zoey reaches out and touches the purple of Raven’s hair and Raven pulls her lips in.

“You know,” Zoey says. “I like puple.”

A small laugh leaves Raven. “Yeah.” She nods. “I did know that, Zoey.”

Zoey smiles and runs back to Captain, who lifts her when she puts her arms up, and the two move farther in her room, Royce right behind them.

Raven, still on the floor, brings her eyes to me.

The crown slides down a little more but stays rooted in her hair.

I bend at the knees, running my fingers over the same strand of hair Zoey did.

She smirks, shrugging a shoulder. “A crooked crown is still a crown, right?”

A laugh flies from me and she stands, pulling me with her.

“Get in there. Play with your niece and your brothers,” she whispers against my lips.

“What will you be doing?”

“Handling some business, then waiting for you in my new bed downstairs.”

“Our bed.”

She laughs and pushes me into the room. “Go.”

I go with ease.I make my way down the stairs and out the front door.

Victoria had said she wasn’t comfortable officially moving in here without me, even though I’d secretly asked Rolland to also get a room ready for her, so she decided to stay at the girls’ Bray house until I got back. I called as we were pulling in, but Maybell said she was in the shower, and she’d let her know to head this way when she got out.

I can’t wait to do absolutely nothing other than kick back with everyone tonight, but first things first.

I smirk as Bass pulls up in the old school muscle car he scored after Leo smashed his other one in. “You thinking ‘bout souping that baby up?”

“Eventually, yeah.” He grins, leans against his car, and crosses one foot over the other.

I hold out an envelope, and slowly he takes it and tears it open.

His eyes fly to mine. “Fuck you doin’, Rae?”