“Stop,” I whisper, reaching up to wipe it away.

He grips my hand, squeezing, unease taking over his eyes more and more by the second. “Are you okay?”

I nod, dropping mine to his chest.

With a heavy sigh, he slides from the bed, quietly disappearing into the bathroom.

And the first tear falls, followed by another, and before I know it, I’m covering my face with a pillow to muffle my own cries.

Pathetic.

My tears are pointless, if I didn’t hear myself and if the heat from each one falling didn’t warm my cheeks, I wouldn’t even know I was crying. I feel nothing, felt nothing last night. Not even regret, which might be the worst part.

A heaviness forms against my chest and I gasp, searching for air I can’t find. I rush over to the little sink, quickly splashing water on my face, and rubbing it across my neck.

I tie my hair back, pausing to stare at myself a moment.

Of course, Captain steps from the bathroom right then, frowning when he sees me.

After a moment he walks toward the bed and grabs my sleep shorts from the floor, bringing them to me.

He spins around so I can slip them on under my long shirt, then turns back reaching for my hand. I allow him to lead me to the balcony, but we don’t step out, instead sitting on the edge of a little chair.

“Raven—”

“Don’t, Cap. I’m fine, I promise.” I pull myself to my feet, turning to look him in the eyes.

He holds mine a minute before dropping his to the carpet at our feet.

With a heavy exhale, I tug his hand so he’s standing and move us into the sunlight more. I step into him, and he wraps his arms around me in a hug.

“We need to get dressed so we aren’t late.” Cap pulls back, tipping my chin up to look at him. “Or we can ditch?”

With a deep breath, I shake my head. “There’s no point. We only have a few months left. Finish strong, right?”

He gives a light chuckle, but it falls off. “All right, come on.”

We’re dressed and heading out the door within twenty minutes, and not ten after that, we’re pulling into the Brayshaw High parking lot.

“Is that your dad’s town car?”

Cap leans over to look. “Yeah.”

“Did he tell you he’d be here today?” I frown.

“Nope.” Cap’s expression mirrors mine.

I’m about to ask what he thinks it means when I spot Chloe perched against her car chatting with a few of her friends, so I tell Cap to stop.

“When I first got here, Chloe said she could make me go away with one phone call. What did she mean by that?” I turn to him.

His eyes narrow. “Her dad is our head of security, has been since we were kids. She thought she could get him to send you packing for fucking with her. She was wrong. He didn’t tell her who you were right away, that’s why she acted the way she did with you. She never would have dared had she known beforehand.”

“You trust this man, her dad?”

“We do. He checks in on Zoey every day, calls me every night. We get daily reports of everything going on in this town. He’s a good man, strong and always dependable.”

“Yet his daughter is a bullying bitch, treats people weaker than her as just that.” I shake my head. “She should be the opposite of what she is. She should be standing up for the quiet girls in the hall who get pushed around, not doing the pushing.”

“Only a true leader stands for, with, and against others when they sense it’s needed.”

“Like you guys do.”

“Like you did before you even knew us.”

I look back to Captain, and after a minute I push my door open.

“You’re getting out here?” He raises a brow.

“Yeah.” I sigh, looking to Chloe. “I need a minute with her. Meet me in the middle, and we’ll wait for the others, then find Rolland together?”

He frowns but agrees, so I hop out.

Her eyes are already on me as I do and she pushes to her full height, dismissing her fan club.

She crosses her arms, tilting her head like an asshole. “Rae.”

“The boys trust your dad.” I get straight to the point.

That has her shifting on her feet, her head lifting some. “More than their own dad, I would guess.”

“You might think it sucks, not having influence over him, but it’s actually a really good thing. It means he’s honorable, dedicated to them and what they stand for.”

“What do you want, Raven?” She eyes me.

“You’ve steered clear of Leo since he got back. Why?”

“Why do you care?” she snaps.

“It’s because he showed his true colors, isn’t it?”

She rolls her eyes, but shrugs. “He may look pretty, but loyalty can’t be shifted around here.”

“That’s what I thought.” I nod. “Look, I don’t trust you, but I know you’re aware of what’s going on on the inside of things. You’re at least sneaky if not purposely informed.”

“If you’re referring to how you change guys as often as I change handbags, news flash, Rae, you’ve made it disgustingly obvious so no snooping would be necessary,” she sasses, but when I only stare, she rolls her eyes and looks away. “I found out about the contract the day you and Captain signed it. I didn’t know about the Captain and Principal Perkins thing though. Sucks for you I guess,” she says and damn if it’s not half sincere. “You really going through with it?” She studies me, an expression I can’t quite read, but has me wondering if she knows even more than she should.

I ignore her question. “I need your help.”

Her eyes narrow. “With what?”

“I need you to be what you should already. Stand up for people, show them they can trust those who trust Brayshaw. There’s been too many shifts in the last few months, you have power. Use it.”

“This is about that Graven Prep bitch being on Maddoc’s jock, isn’t it?” she crosses her arms.

“No,” I tell her honestly. “It’s not, but it is about Graven. We can’t let them come in and think they can take over where they don’t belong. This is still Brayshaw grounds, and they need to remember it.” I get in her face. “You considered this your school before I got here, right?”

She glares but can tell I’m not being a pompous ass about it.

“I don’t need the school, Chloe. I have the town. You can have a part in it, too, if you can prove it’s your people you care about more than yourself. Keep the fear you, no doubt, worked hard to create but direct it toward the right people.”

“Why are you standing here saying this shit?” She studies me.

“Because, before I got here, your entire world was different. In your eyes, I came in and took from you. All you wanted was one of them on your arm. I know what it’s like to have someone take what you think belongs to you from right under your fingers and not being able to stop it. It’s fucked up.”

Her eyes fall to the blacktop but raise back to mine just as quick.

“What the girls here don’t seem to realize?” My brows lift, and I give a slow shake of my head. “You don’t need a Brayshaw... to become one. All you have to do is earn it.”