Reign of Brayshaw (Brayshaw High 3)

“A female is of no use to me.” Her eyes slide over the landscape. “That’s what Donley told a young maid as he fired her, the day her sonogram came back.”

“I...” My hands fly to my hair, trying to make sense of it when the fire shoots across the yard in a perfect line, hitting the right end of the house.

“Raven!” My eyes fly to the slider door. “We gotta go, now!”

I nod, then reach for Estella but she shrugs away from me.

“Come on, we have to get out of here.”

“Go.”

“I’m blowing this fucking place to the ground.”

She smiles sadly at the tulips, reaching out to run her fingers across the soft petals. She drops to her knees in front of them.

“I died in this home long ago,” she whispers. “It’s only right my body goes with it.”

“Estella—”

“Raven, now!” Gio shouts again and suddenly Bass is behind him.

I glare at Estella, dropping beside her. “You’ll leave him with no one,” I growl.

She reaches out, placing her calloused hands on my face. “The fact that you care enough to say those words, after all he’s done to you, tells me he’ll be just fine,” she breathes, her heart breaking for what must be the dozenth time right in front of me. “He’s a good boy, you’d have liked him.”

I clench my jaw, admitting for the first time, “I don’t hate him, just the things he’s done.”

Her tears roll through her smile. “I know. I could tell.”

Tears fill my eyes despite myself. “I have to go.”

“Go.”

Bass is there gripping my arm, but I hold my feet firm. “I’m sorry,” I rush out. “I’m sorry Felix didn’t love you enough.”

“I’m not.”

“Bishop, fucking now!” Alec and Gio both rush for us.

“Everything happens for a reason, and I think the reason was you. This town needs you. I was simply a casualty in the war that had to happen.”

“I can protect you.”

“Go, Raven.”

The boys lift me off the floor, and I kick against them.

“Grab her, make her leave!” I shout.

“We can’t force her,” Gio says quietly.

A thought hits me and I scream. “Wait! Wait!” I kick as hard as I can, jerking my elbows around. It’s enough to get them to pause a second. “You said the woman’s sonogram, she was pregnant. Are you saying Donley has a daughter?”

Her eyes jerk to mine, a desolate smile on her lips. “I’m saying he has two.”I turn in my seat, my eyes traveling from one end of the Graven Estate to the other. The flames shoot straight up the walls in perfect sync with the ones surrounding it. The pool house is already gone, the stables too, but the house is still standing, but not for long.

I jerk when simultaneously, every window in sight blows, the fire rolling over into the second and third story of the mansion.

The Graven Estate is incinerated, and Estella Graven goes with it.

I spin in my seat, facing forward.

Collins will need to be told of her decision, but not today.

I close my eyes, not opening them until we reach the hospital. I blindly climb from the car and silently, the three of us, plus Gio step into the elevator. I don’t speak to anyone, only hug Royce when he flies from his seat and meets me in the entryway.

He holds me tight, breathing me in. “You’re back. Thank fuck.”

I lean closer, squeezing his biceps, and his arms around me tighten even more. “He woke up, asked about Zoey. He remembered talking to the doc, so that was good.”

“How long was he awake?”

“’Bout an hour,” he tells me, excitedly. “We didn’t get to talk ‘cause the nurse came in and did her nurse thing, but he did have a couple crackers, some water, and then went right back under.”

I nod, a deep exhale leaving me and Royce steps back. “Longer and longer every time, that’s good.”

He gives a small smile, gently pushing me toward Cap.

I ignore Rolland’s presence and make my way to Captain’s bedside, dropping in the seat beside him.

Gio, Bass, and Victoria quietly step inside a few minutes later, each finding a chair around the room.

We sit there without a word, without a damn sound other than the steady beeping of the machines. The nurse comes in twice, but still, no one speaks.

Eventually the sun rises, and when the nurse comes back for her morning round, the others finally drag themselves to their feet. They stretch where they stand and instantly, the weight of every eye lands on me but I don’t look.

I have no strength, no drive.

I feel sick to my stomach, but I don’t show it. My head is pounding, but I ignore it. My world fucked, my mind mush, my thoughts muddled.

I can’t figure out what I’m supposed to do. The right move versus the wrong.

My eyes lift to Captain again.