Her hand leaves my chest, sliding along my arm until it’s tethered with the one in her hair.

My fist tightens, and I press against her, but then she pulls it back, taking mine with her and cold hard dread seeps into me.

Her eyes avoid mine, seeking out the night surrounding us as she repeats in a whisper, “I lied before... I’m not okay with pretending to be her.”

Ice.

My body turns to ice, stuck, fucking frozen.

I try to pull her to me, but the hand she left on my chest plays as a barrier, pushing me away.

The dark of the night aches behind her words, coating my throat, threatening to suffocate me.

“What… no. Beauty, no—”

She shakes her head, and then the light hits just right, capturing the tear that falls from her eye, and I fly from the mattress, toppling over my own feet and almost falling to my ass.

The knob of her door stabs me in the ribs as I stumble into it, my back hitting the frame as I race backward from her room on unsteady feet.

She knows.

She fuckin’ knows.

My pulse beats out of control and I can’t breathe. I fall to the wall, sliding down it until my ass crashes to the floor.

My head buries in my hands, and then a pair of black, unlaced boots are in my vision.

I look up at my brother.

Royce shakes his head, anger in his eyes, but it’s gone in a blink.

He came home for me.

“You fucked up, brother,” he whispers.

“I did.” I nod. “And you knew.”

“I did.” He drops beside me with a sigh. “At least we know you’re as human as the rest of us now.”

I scoff and a heavy chuckle leaves him.

“Wanna know something that might make you feel even shittier?” he asks.

My eyes slide to his, but he looks away before he speaks.

“She’s okay with losing,” he says. “Or, shit, she thinks she is anyway.”

Okay with losing, as in losing me to someone else.

Raven was right, she’s serious about her place here, and she plans to take it with or without me.

“What are you gonna do, brother?” Royce asks.

“I guess it depends on what she does,” I tell him. “But probably nothing good.”

His eyes cut to mine and I shrug.

“Can’t let her lock me out, won’t let her go.” I face forward again. “Guess I’ll force her hand.”

“That’s kind of fucked.”

“Yeah.” I nod. “It is.”

Everything is.

Chapter 30

Victoria

Morning comes too quickly and with it the smell of breakfast.

Today I can’t hide from what’s been happening.

The boys gave me a small pass last night, but they’ll fill their brother in on everything with Maria today, and I’ll have to face him and what he and I are not.

I drag my ass from the bed and into the shower, but I don’t linger.

There’s no point.

I’m out and dressed within fifteen minutes. I part my hair, braiding back one side and pull it up into a messy bun on my head, tie a white bandana around it and skip the eyeliner for today.

Downstairs, Zoey sits on the couch watching cartoons with Maddoc, while Raven chats with Rolland in the kitchen.

Royce makes his way in then, and I’m a little shocked when he kisses my cheek as he passes, moving to do the same to Raven before grabbing the hot chocolate already made and waiting for him on the countertop.

“Thanks, RaeRae,” he says as he takes a sip, walking out.

Captain comes around the corner next, his feet stopping when he spots me.

“ZoZo, you replaced me with Uncle D?” Royce teases her, sitting down and scooting her into his lap. He kisses her cheek. “Cartoon time is for Uncle Bro, ‘member?”

Zoey just laughs and snuggles in to get comfortable, the little dog ears on her slippers flapping all over.

But I caught it and so did Captain—Royce called her ZoZo. Not Zo or Zoey Bear.

The corner of Captain’s mouth lifts and he keeps toward me, but then Maddoc pops from his seat.

“Captain,” he calls, and slowly Royce’s head lifts. “Outside.”

He spins in an instant, meeting his brother near the door as Royce gently moves Zoey off, whispering something in her ear before calling on Rolland. “Sit with her?”

Raven meets my eyes, coming over to lean against the counter as Rolland exits the kitchen.

He drops beside Zoey, and the three disappear out the front door.

As soon as they’re gone, Raven sets her coffee cup down and moves for the coffee machine. “You look like shit. I’m guessing you didn’t sleep?”

I sigh. “Nope. Not much anyway.”

She sets a half cup of coffee in front of me, a glass vase full of creamer beside it. “I’ll never understand why they pour it from the bottle it comes in into this heavy thing. Why choose to dirty an extra dish?”

I chuckle but frown at the cup. “You know they’ve been giving you decaf, right?”

She smirks, stepping back so she can lean on the counter without hitting her belly against it. “‘Course I know. It makes him feel like he’s ‘protecting me’ or what the fuck ever...” She shrugs, then nods her head at the mug she gave me. “That’s from the pot he made after he gave me mine.”

I pull it over and she laughs, but it’s quickly cut short when the door opens.

“Oh shit,” she hisses but full-on grins as she not so casually moves to the other side of the counter to watch.

Behind me, Rolland makes an excuse to get Zoey up and the two run off.

Suddenly Captain is in the place she just left, glaring down at me with too many emotions in his eyes to count.

“What?”

“You didn’t tell me.”

I take a slow sip, letting the warm beverage ease my dry throat.

“When exactly was I supposed to do that?”

“When you first got home.” He glares.

“And you’d have, what? Stayed?”

His frown deepens.

I lick my lips, lifting my shoulders, and give a simpler answer, “I didn’t think you’d care.”

His brows jump high, surprised, but anger quickly replaces everything else. “That’s how we’re playing things now?”

“Did we miss something?” comes from Maddoc.

We answer at the same time.

“No,” I say.

“Yes,” he booms.

Cap glares. “My room. Now.”

My head jerks back. “Kiss my ass.”

“Let’s go.”

My lips smash together, and I look to the caramel-colored liquid in my cup. “I don’t think so, Cap.”

When he doesn’t move, doesn’t speak, I force myself to meet his frown.

Guilt lines his eyes, heavy and loud, screaming at my own.

He should feel none, he promised me nothing, and he has every right to go after whatever it is he wants.

He should feel no guilt.

“Stop.”

“Stop what?” he rasps.

I shake my head, looking away, but he gets right back in my line of sight. Closer, right in fucking front of me close, my knees now against his thighs close, I can smell his aftershave too fucking close.