“It was my duty.”

“So was being a father to the three boys you left behind to keep a name on top and stay the strongest. You’re nothing but a power-hungry, selfish prick.” I push to my feet, looking down at him. “Make sure you tighten up your responses before your sons come looking for answers. They happen to be full of questions.”

I start to walk away, and he snaps, “I am not done speaking.”

“Well, I’m done listening.”

“Raven,” he booms. “Do not move.”

I pause and slowly spin around.

Is he fucking serious?

He stands, walking toward me so he can be the one to look down. He eyes me for a long moment, the edges of his eyes tightening with each passing second.

“Have I underestimated your hold on my boys?” he asks, and I’d swear there’s a tinge of anxiousness in his words.

Before I can stop it, my smirk grows and his eyes narrow.

“No, Rolland. You underestimated them. They’re not the boys you left behind anymore. They’re the boys with the ability to bring a grown man down with a snap of a finger.”

He inches closer. “Are you threatening me, with my own sons?”

“Do you feel threatened?”

His jaw tics. “Be careful, Raven. Your place in our world is in my hands.”

“You act like anything I do will change your plans.”

“You can’t run from your duties. If you want to blame someone, blame your mother for her inability to keep her legs closed until her wedding night.”

“Wedding night...” I trail off.

“She is debased.” The doctor’s words ring in my ears.

A virgin. My mother was supposed to be a virgin on ...

When my confused expression lands on Rolland’s, his smirk grows. A smirk that has the muscles in my stomach tightening, but I don’t show it.

“Is it starting to make sense now?” he mocks me. “I think I’ll take your advice on this and ... speak to my sons first. If you’ll excuse me.”

My eyes trail his retreating figure until he rounds the corner, but my feet don’t move.

Whatever his plan is for me, no good will come of it.

Question is, when it comes down to me versus him, who will his sons choose?

“Raven’s gonna be pissed.” Royce’s knee keeps bouncing as he glances around the labs waiting room.

Cap went back not ten minutes ago.

“She wanted to be here. She’s gonna wring our necks.” He sighs.

“Something’s going on, Royce.”

His eyes slice to mine. “What do you mean?”

“You don’t see it?” I ask him and he frowns. “First off, where the fuck is Collins? Second, Dad shows up but has been avoiding us for the most part, he lied and said he wanted to keep Donley in the dark when it turns out he knew all a-fucking-long he was home. The bastard went after Raven, on Bray grounds and managed to pull in the chick from our group home to help him. Now Cap is wigging out over Zoey and obsessing over Perkins. I get it, but all this shit feels like the timer to the bomb that’s about to drop.”

Royce considers what I say but waits for me to continue.

“Why would Donley, who never comes near us, make such a bold move?”

Royce frowns. “He wouldn’t unless he benefited from it.”

“Exactly.”

“You thinking Cap knows something we don’t?”

“He suspects.”

“But he’ll tell us.” Royce’s eyes bounce between mine. “Right?”

I nod. “Even if he doesn’t want to.”

“Why wouldn’t he want to, Madman?”

“When does he ever not tell us when something’s bothering him?”

“Fuck.” Royce runs his hands down his face, falling back against the chair. “Can’t be coincidence he chose today to make Perkins bleed either, can it?”

Nope.

The ride home is a quiet one, and when we pull up, we find Dad’s town car parked right in the middle of the driveway.

Cap turns off the engine and Royce immediately jumps out, rushing up the steps.

I reach for my handle, but Cap’s hand on my arm has me pausing.

I look to him and his eyes fall to the steering wheel.

“Cap.”

“Can I ask you something?”

I pause, tension lining my brows. “Since when would you ask?”

He lets out a small laugh. His features tighten, and my muscles follow the move. “Would you do what she did?”

When I don’t respond, he looks my way.

“Raven. Would you protect her, no matter the cost like she was ready to do for us, even if that meant losing her?”

“Why you asking me that, Cap?”

“Answer the question, brother.” A wretched expression takes over his features. “I need you to.”

“Yes. Without a second thought.”

He stares a moment before blinking and looking away. “So would I.”

“I know you would, just like I would Zoey.”

He slowly meets my eyes again, a lost look in his. “You always have my back.”

“No matter what.”

“You trust me?”

My pulse kicks at his question.

Captain doesn’t ask useless questions. “With my life.”

“Good.” He nods, looking away. “Let’s go inside.”

Together, we make our way in the front door, finding Royce coming down the stairs with Victoria.

She gives a tight grin. “She’s asleep.”

“I’ll drive you back,” I offer but she shakes her head.

“I’m good, but make sure you clear things up with my teachers, like you said.”

I pull out my wallet, but she lifts her hands, shakes her head and walks out, closing the door behind her.

Royce frowns from Cap to me. “Dad wants us in his office.”

“Fuck,” Captain hisses, then quickly shifts toward us. “Guys, look I have to tell—”

“Boys.” We turn, finding our dad standing in the hall. “Come.”

With one last look at each other, we head his way.

He steps in before us, moving to sit against the edge of his desk.

When Royce doesn’t shut the door behind us, he motions toward it.

“It’s fine,” he tells him. “The girl’s gone. It’s just us.”

“And Raven,” he corrects.

“Exactly.” Royce eyes him. “It’s fine.”

He nods, mumbling to himself, “I was afraid of this.”

“Afraid of what? What’s going on?” I ask.

With a deep breath, he meets each of our eyes. “You know she’s of Brayshaw blood.”

“Just learned,” Royce glares.

Our dad nods. “I’m sorry I wasn’t forthcoming right away and you had to hear it from someone else.”

“Why would you hide this from us to begin with?” Captain asks almost as if he’s baiting him.

My eyes tighten.

“All these years, I had a plan,” our dad says. “But it seems I may have made a wrong move somewhere, which makes things a little trickier.”