She’s not lying. I did almost throw away all I want to be ... for three boys I was never supposed to know, but was purposely placed in front of, dangled like bait he knew the wolves couldn’t resist. But for him to know this, he also had to know me.

She eyes me. “Did you really think you ended up there by accident? That boys – men, from what I saw – like them, rich and powerful and destined to rule over people like us, would actually fall for someone like you? Trash with a mediocre face and figure. They could never want a girl like you. They tricked you, they’re just as much bastards as the man that paid for you. Rich punks who care about no one and nothing but money and power while they wait for their time to reign—”

I dart forward, gripping her weak neck in my hands and she lets her head fall back, grinning through her gasp.

She smells like grease and stale smoke.

I squeeze her tight, the screaming pulse in her neck almost calming against my palm as I force her trachea to narrow at my hand, cutting the blood flow to her brain in half.

“You know nothing about them. Stay far the fuck away, don’t even speak of them, do you understand me?” I growl in her face. “You touch one, even for a second, I will destroy the only thing you care about, mother.” I let my knife slip from my left hand and flip the blade over.

She jerks in my grip, her eyes widening as they grow even more bloodshot.

I bring the cool metal up to her cheek and slide it across, never once taking my eyes off hers.

“I will leave you looking like the Joker went easy on you, and then I’ll drop you on your busiest corner for all your men to see. What was it you always said to me, your seven, eight, nine-year-old daughter?” I give her the tiniest of pricks, aside her chin – just enough to draw blood, and her nostrils flare, but she doesn’t flinch. “A girl is useless without a pretty face for all the boys to love...”

I shove her back, forcing her head to hit against the wall and move for the door.

A deep shriek leaves her, and a beer can slams against the trailer door, inches from my head, the tail end and ashes from inside splashing on me and everything else in reach.

I jerk around, not missing the footsteps hitting the broken pavement outside.

“It’ll happen eventually,” she shouts. “Especially when your final day comes and you’re nothing but a trophy, traded to adorn someone else’s shelf!”

“You’re not making any sense!”

“Just wait, Raven!” my mom screams. “Using what God gave you to get what you want is all you know. It’s all you’ve seen! You’ll sell your soul just the same!”

“I’d never sell my child’s.” My voice comes out scratchier than I would have liked.

She drops her voice to a deathly whisper. “Good thing you can’t have any then, huh?”

“You’re a vile woman.”

“Mmm.” She grins, hatefully. “True. Now go away, daughter, and hang the boa up on your way out.”

I will never be back in a place like this.

Right as I push out, the door is yanked back, and I jump.

Three Brayshaws stand before me in one strong, solid unit.

Deep frowns cover their faces, but dare I say fear lines their eyes.

“Move, Raven,” Maddoc growls, but I pull the door closed behind me and step more in his face.

He growls and goes to shove me out of the way, but I shift before he can.

I know them, and I know how thin these walls are – far too well for my liking – they heard every word spoken, but the can hitting the door is what got their feet moving.

Maddoc’s eyelids twitch. “I will pick you up and fucking move you if you don’t get out of the way.”

I squeeze past him and while his glare jerks inside the trailer, he groans and follows, like I knew he would.

I spin around, walking backward with my hands thrown up. “Go on, Big Man, do your thing. Walk up in there, threaten the whore for telling your little secret.” I stop at the back corner of the SUV where we’re blocked from others to see and far enough away now she won’t hear.

His head draws back a second before a murderous glint slides over his eyes and he moves closer. “You seriously think for a fucking second I knew, that any of us knew?” He gapes at me.

“Are you seriously gonna stand here and pretend that you didn’t?!” I shout right back. “Are you really claiming mister ‘I have to know every-fucking-thing about every-fucking-one and some’ didn’t know the name of the person responsible for putting his dad in prison?!”

He gets in my face, speaking through clenched teeth. “A Graven put him away, that’s what I know. If it weren’t for that piece of shit coming in and playing lawyer, he never would have been convicted. And just so you know, no. We didn’t fucking know. Those files mysteriously disappeared from public fucking record, Raven, at his own hand!” He flicks his eyes across my face. “This isn’t some playground, this is real fucking business, real life shit, and every Graven will pay for that one’s mistake. Crossing a Brayshaw the way he did was over the limit. Seems your ma was the easy target they pulled in to start the process.”

“Why would your dad want the daughter of the woman who helped nail down his coffin?”

“I have no fucking idea.”

My nostrils flare, frustration and uncertainty threatening to boil over inside me. “Why the hell should I believe you?”

“Because I’m telling you to,” Maddoc growls, and pushes closer. “Because I want you to. Because I fucking want you with me.”

“Yeah, RaeRae—”

“Shut up, Royce,” I cut him off, eyes on Maddoc. “Want me here so Daddy doesn’t get mad at you for losing a handle on his ticket home, or should I call myself his possession?” I spit. “Maybe I’m meant to be his little plaything—”

“Watch it,” he warns, his eyes growing more fiery by the second. “And that’s not what I meant, and you know it.” He inches closer.

Royce pipes up again. “You saw how we acted when you weren’t with us. Bunch of little boys throwing tantrums. We need you here.”

“People do stupid shit for good reasons, Royce.” My eyes slide between Maddoc’s.

“Maddoc,” Captain warns and Maddoc’s nostrils flare. “Tell her, man.”

“Fuck. Fine! Were we expecting you?” Maddoc raises a brow. “Yes. Were you picked from a crop of misfits? Yes. Were we specifically asked to watch you? Yes, like we are all of them, but that’s the point of having these houses, not out of the kindness of his fucking heart like was said yesterday. Do we offer them better lives? Yes, but there’s a purpose. We find assholes like us, but who come from real life nothing, that value respect and loyalty because they know that’s the only way people like them can survive and bring them into our fold. The ones who get here and don’t fit, are none the fucking wiser. We leave them where they are until they age out or fuck it up on their own and are gone. We’ve been doing this on our own the last two years, and we’ve built a fucking fantastic team. When we’re done, we’ll be the strongest this town has ever seen, and no fucking Graven will be able to get in the way.”