My eyes roam around the room, taking in the white walls and the mural painted across them. Purple flowers, different shapes and sizes.

My stare slices to Raven’s hair, and the fresh purple stripes she had put in while we were away.

Cap steps in the room which causes Zoey’s head to snap our way, her little curls bouncing forward and hitting against her cheek.

She pushes to her feet and slowly walks toward us, pausing when she reaches Cap’s leg and wrapping her little hand around it.

Our dad stands behind them.

“Can you say hi, Zoey.”

Zoey hides one eye behind his pant leg, lifting her hand to wave, but then she spots Raven and her eyes light up. She runs to the door, stopping right in front of her.

“Hi!”

Raven swallows. “Hi,” she breathes.

“I waited fuh you.” Zoey smiles.

Raven’s brows drop, but she smiles. “You did?” she asks quietly.

Zoey nods, spins on her heels and runs back in her room. She grabs something from the little desk, hiding it behind her and runs back.

Raven looks to Captain with a small frown but slowly lowers to her knees, sitting back on her feet in front of Zoey.

Zoey smiles wide and brings a small crown from around her back, placing it on Raven’s head.

It starts to slip, so Raven quickly catches it, holding it there. She smiles at Zoey.

Zoey reaches out and touches the purple of Raven’s hair and Raven pulls her lips in.

“You know,” Zoey says. “I like puple.”

A small laugh leaves Raven. “Yeah.” She nods. “I did know that, Zoey.”

Zoey smiles and runs back to Captain, who lifts her when she puts her arms up, and the two move farther in her room, Royce right behind them.

Raven, still on the floor, brings her eyes to me.

The crown slides down a little more but stays rooted in her hair.

I bend at the knees, running my fingers over the same strand of hair Zoey did.

She smirks, shrugging a shoulder. “A crooked crown is still a crown, right?”

A laugh flies from me and she stands, pulling me with her.

“Get in there. Play with your niece and your brothers,” she whispers against my lips.

“What will you be doing?”

“Handling some business, then waiting for you in my new bed downstairs.”

“Our bed.”

She laughs and pushes me into the room. “Go.”

I go with ease.

I make my way down the stairs and out the front door.

Victoria had said she wasn’t comfortable officially moving in here without me, even though I’d secretly asked Rolland to also get a room ready for her, so she decided to stay at the girls’ Bray house until I got back. I called as we were pulling in, but Maybell said she was in the shower, and she’d let her know to head this way when she got out.

I can’t wait to do absolutely nothing other than kick back with everyone tonight, but first things first.

I smirk as Bass pulls up in the old school muscle car he scored after Leo smashed his other one in. “You thinking ‘bout souping that baby up?”

“Eventually, yeah.” He grins, leans against his car, and crosses one foot over the other.

I hold out an envelope, and slowly he takes it and tears it open.

His eyes fly to mine. “Fuck you doin’, Rae?”

“You don’t belong here, Bass.”

He smacks the paper against his thigh.

“You’re not a hands man, or security, or anything else that you could be here. You can never lead this place, but you don’t belong behind anyone either.”

“You banishing me, Mrs. Brayshaw?” he teases, but he can’t hide the unease in his tone.

“If I have to get you to go, yeah.”

He licks his lips, looks to the check again, then back to me. “This is a lot of money.”

“It’s every single cent of Donley Graven’s money.”

His brows jump.

“I talked to Victoria about it weeks ago, she wants none of it. Left it in my hands, and I want it in yours,” I tell him. “Take it, Bishop. Go, head over to Southern Cali, find a kingdom in need of a king, and become one. You’ve got it in you.”

He looks out across the orchard, and after a moment, blows out a long hard breath. His eyes come back to mine and a slow smirk stretches across his lips.

“I think I know just the place.”

“It’s the rich bitch who only dates rich boys, right?”

He busts up laughing but doesn’t answer, moving forward for a hug instead.

He pulls back just as quick, eyeing me. “Thank you, Raven.”

“Get out of my town, Bishop,” I tease, adding, “But come back if you ever need a Brayshaw at your back.”

“How ‘bout at my side?”

I wink, making him laugh.

He walks backward to his door, not taking his eyes off me. He smirks. “Later, Raven Carver.”

“See ya, Bass Bishop.”

With one more deep breath and one more look at the check, he slides in, backs out and then he’s gone, and so is the weight of the blood money he took with him.

A heavy sigh leaves me and not a second later, Maddoc’s chest hits my back. I smile, leaning my head against it.

“Couldn’t stay away, Big Man?”

“Never.”

I laugh, turning my head so he can meet my lips.

Heavy footsteps and loud laughter float from the door, and we turn just in time to see Royce run down the steps. Rolland walks out behind him, Zoey in his arms but he quickly puts her on her feet.

She runs to the edge of the porch, jumping into Royce’s open arms. He sets her down and she turns toward Cap who softly tosses her a little basketball.

She catches it and off she runs.

Maddoc swiftly kisses my cheek, then jogs for his brothers.

Royce jumps on Cap’s back playfully, making the other two laugh as he slips off, falling onto his ass, but jumps up just as quick.

They smile at each other, tethering their arms around one another’s shoulders and off they go, following the little blonde who has no idea how deep they love her, and how far they’ll go to protect her.

Rolland looks my way, a smile I’ve never seen from him taking over every inch of his face, and a heavy exhale leaves me as he turns and heads back in the house.

The crunch of gravel sounds behind me and I spin to find Maybell walking up, an ease on her face she doesn’t usually show.

“You made it home.”

I look to the house, nodding as I move my eyes back to hers. “I did.”

She steps up, and her eyes grow thoughtful. She pulls a small journal from behind her, holding it close to her chest.

I look from it to her with a frown.

She holds it out, and slowly I take it.

“Your mother’s,” she whispers.

My chest grows tight with uncertainty.

“The last entry was the day she found out she was pregnant with you. I thought you might like to read it. Maybe the rest too,” she whispers. “Get to know the real her.”

“There’s no such thing as the real someone, Maybell,” I breathe. “There’s only who we were and what we become.”

“That’s true, child. No matter.” She nods her head at the notebook. “It belongs in your hands, not mine. You don’t have to read it, but maybe one day you’ll want to.”