“You think I didn’t try?” He narrows his eyes. “I sent many people, but Raven trusted no one, no matter what role I tried to place them in her life.”
“’Cause she’s fucking smart,” he throws back. “Still could have had someone making sure she was fucking fed, something—”
“She had that Gio guy,” Cap interrupts. “I’m bettin’ he didn’t end up with the Riveras by accident. Why not set him up there, have him pull her in more?”
“I thought about it, though I’m not sure it would have even worked.”
“Why?” I ask.
“For one, he was her friend, yes, but she still held back. And two, kids like them don’t pin against each other when outsiders ask, not even for money. They’ll take it, then show their loyalty to each other,” he says. “I couldn’t afford curiosity from either of them. As far as where he is, no, he didn’t. I led Trick Rivera, Oakley’s father, to Gio after I saw and decided his character was pure.” Our dad looks across us. “The only person we saw Raven grow a liking to outside of him, was her last principal. He would have looked out for her but leaving her there was no longer an option. Collins learned she existed, and he was determined to find her. Our only move left was to bring her here, throw her in with the other girls and hope he didn’t figure out who she really was.”
My brothers and I share subtle looks. We’re not fucking stupid – he’s hiding something.
He had to bring her here, fine. He had to protect Zoey, good.
So, why not take her straight to Graven?
“I am not the villain here, boys. I was simply protecting my family. She was never supposed to be expendable. I was saving her for one of you, I planned to bring back the power having someone from the bloodline provided, but I had to make a rash decision and I chose my granddaughter.” He shrugs, unapologetically. “Had I explained this to you in the beginning, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. She never would have set foot in this home, and she’d be at Collins’ side already. You’d have agreed in a heartbeat.”
“This is what Collins meant when he kept telling her she didn’t belong with us. He knew she was meant to be his,” I growl.
“You put her in the Bray house to try and distract them.” Captain frowns. “How did they figure out the new girl was Raven?”
“Besides the striking resemblance?” our dad asks, his tone off, softer than normal. “People searched for Ravina, their runaway princess, for years. Many believed she was killed, others thought she was locked in a dungeon somewhere...”
“Someone saw her,” Cap offers.
I look to him then back to our dad. “She told Raven she couldn’t be in this town long. She knew people would spot her.”
He nods. “It was the first time she set foot here in eighteen years.”
“Let’s back the fuck up a minute,” Royce snaps but his shoulders fall. “Raven... what do we do? I mean we can’t...” He trails off, licks his lips and looks away.
“We can’t tell her,” Captain stresses, his eyes hitting mine.
“Cap.” I glare. “Don’t.”
“I’m serious.” He steps in front of me, pleading eyes and fucking all. “Maddoc, we can’t.”
“Cap, we can’t keep this shit from her, man.” Royce steps closer, but his tone disagrees, and his next words prove it. “I mean, can we?”
“Graven made a move on her,” I tell them, filling them in on the bit they missed when Cap went after Perkins. “Donley drugged her, and he got a girl from our fucking group home to do it. He had a doctor waiting, pulled Raven’s fucking pants off, and stuck shit inside her, checked her. They could have done worse. She needs to know.”
Captain’s temple ticks. “If you tell her, she will be gone quicker than you can fucking run.”
My head draws back, my jaw locking shut a moment. “She won’t run from me,” I growl.
He gives a slow, mocking nod, eyes widening. “I know, brother, trust me, I fucking know what she’ll do. So do you. Don’t refuse to accept it.”
“Fuck!” Royce shouts and starts pacing, dragging my attention to him. Hands folding over his head, his beaten eyes smash into mine. “She’s too fucking loyal, brother,” Royce whispers and it hits me. “Too fucking loyal to sit back and do nothing.”
My face pales, my eyes slicing to my dad’s.
He gives a rueful smile. “She didn’t grow up here, yet she embodies who we are. She is Brayshaw by blood, at heart and will. She’ll do whatever it takes to save one.”
My facial muscles constrict to the point of pain, an instant pounding in my head taking over and dulling my vision.
I swallow, dropping against my dad’s desk, fucking struck for the first time I can remember.
“Nothing we say will matter, no move will make a difference. She’ll go to them willingly.”
Royce turns to our dad. “We need time. Can you make it happen?”
Regret washes over his face, his stare quickly cutting to Cap before returning to Royce. “There is nothing you can do, son.”
“Just fucking try to delay!” he yells, his moves growing frantic. “Can you do this for us or not?!”
“It will delay Zoey’s homecoming,” he says.
We look to Captain who gives a tight, instant nod.
“Delay, not prevent,” Cap rasps, looking away. “We have to try. We owe it to Raven.”
I keep Cap’s eyes on me, masking my face as they shift, reassurance and promise now staring back at me. His eyes beg me to see what he won’t say.
What do you know, brother?
Our dad nods. “I’ll cancel the meeting I set with the other families, but we can’t avoid Donley forever. He wants to collect what his family is owed, and I can’t promise they’ll stay away. Collins knows she’s to be his and he likely won’t be quiet about it.”
“So it’s settled.” Captain makes sure to meet and hold our eyes, our dad’s too. “Raven can’t know she’s promised to Collins.”
“Wow.”
All our heads whip around to find her in the doorway, arms crossed, glare on me.
Fuck.
Promised to Collins.
What the hell?
As in, what, an arranged marriage?
What is this, the fucking stone ages?
The boys’ uncharacteristic silence has unease swimming in my gut, but I refuse to allow Rolland to see it, so I put a foot forward and walk in the room, glancing around the office I’ve never set foot in before today.
It’s everything you’d expect from a rich man’s private space, thanks to stereotypical movies and magazines.
Bourbon in the corner, textbooks from the floor to ceiling that have probably never been read, but someone takes the time to dust so it seems they aren’t for decoration. Cherry wood and leather all around, a golden cased globe at the edge of the desk and box of cigars on the other.
I could roll my eyes right now it’s so unoriginal. Nice and expensive, but unoriginal.
I drop onto the ottoman, cross my legs and lift my hands as to say lay it out for me but nobody says a damn word. They stand there frozen.