The secret Brayshaw returns, not by accident, but intentionally. Give one to save the other.
The boys start back for the car and with each step taken, their feet drag a little longer, shoulders lose a little height, and heads hang a little further.
This kills them.
And as if this sight alone wasn’t fucked up enough, the front door is tugged open and a tear-streaked face and messy blonde curls bounds out.
She cries, calling after her daddy and the three-stop dead in their tracks.
Captain whips around, dropping to his knees right as Zoey reaches him, her little arms wrapping around his neck, cutting my air off.
My eyes move to Maddoc, but he doesn’t look at the little girl desperate to keep her dad with her. His eyes are on the SUV, temples taut, lips smashed in a firm line.
His hand lifts to his face, and he runs his fingers across his jaw, pausing once his entire mouth is covered. He squeezes his jaw, his eyes falling.
I lay across the seat, staring at the ceiling.
I’m pretty sure this trip backfired. We came out here so Cap could share his world with us, to hold him and them over until they could make it out here next. To convince them this was the right move, trying to keep us both, delaying.
There’s always a sacrifice to be made.
A few minutes pass and the three finally slide in the vehicle, a heaviness with them, threatening to crush me whole, but anger is enough to keep me together.
The car ride home is a silent one.
Once we get to the house, the four of us climb from the SUV and head straight up the stairs. Royce and Captain disappear into their own rooms and Maddoc pauses by mine.
He grips my chin, his eyes bouncing between mine, suspicious. Knowing. “We’re sleeping in my room tonight,” he says, leaving me to follow.
He turns on his shower, so I start stripping from my clothes, tossing them to the floor, and make my way to him.
We step inside, and he moves me into the spray with a soft grip to my shoulders. He smooths his hands over my hair as the water soaks it, running his fingers down my spine until he reaches the curve of my ass. He trails to my hips and turns me away from him.
His head dips into my neck, and he kisses there a moment before a small sting from his teeth pierces my skin. His lips hit my ear, but his words never come.
I spin in his arms, stepping backward until my shoulder blades hit the cool tile, bringing him against me.
He falls into me, his eyes hitting mine and I know.
He knows.
This is it.
The broody rich boy was never supposed to fall for the project problem child anyway, and the problem child never should have allowed herself to believe her world could be more than settling and survival.
I run my tongue along my teeth, lifting my chin to grip his bottom lip between them. I clamp down until he growls lightly.
“My baby.” His eyes close. “She doesn’t bare her teeth in vain,” he whispers, running his tongue along the wound. “She bites.”
His lips hit mine and he kisses me rough, demanding, but then it shifts. His muscles fall, his hands sliding into my hair with a gentleness he’s fighting to control. He savors every swipe of his tongue, every move of his mouth against mine.
He takes his time knowing we have no more.
Tomorrow, it all changes.Captain steps from his room around four in the morning, pausing in his tracks when he spots me sitting against the wall of mine.
He walks over, eyeing me carefully.
I nod my chin, and he drops down opposite of me. He taps his knuckle twice against the wall behind him and not five seconds later Royce steps out, half asleep.
He frowns at the sight of us, but slowly drops beside Cap.
I look from Captain to Royce.
“She knows.”
Royce looks to my door. “What does this mean?”
My stare meets his, and realization hits him.
He closes his eyes, dropping his head against the wall. “We take her or she runs on her own.”
Captain’s chest rises with a deep inhale, and he looks down the hall.
“Captain.”
He licks his lips, like words are lodged there and need help out. “I have an idea.” He lets out a tortured chuckle. “I have no fucking clue if it’ll work, but I do know you’ll hate it.”
“Fuck, man,” Royce rasps, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Does it keep her from them?”
“Sort of.” Captain’s eyes hit mine. “But not only them.”
My vision blurs, so I close my eyes. My airway starts to close, so I swallow past the grating in my throat and force out the only fucking thing I’m one hundred percent sure of at this moment.
“I trust you.”“Do you have questions for me?” Rolland asks quietly.