“They do hate each other, but the Gravens and Brayshaws were partners, in the beginning. But then the Brayshaws brought in another family.”

She holds my stare and I guess.

“Maddoc’s family?”

“Yep, none of the boys are Brayshaw by blood, but his family was the first to be pulled in. Then, over time, followed the other two boys' families, ‘course it was before any of them were born. Anyway, after adding the three, suddenly the Brayshaws had a four-tier empire. The families were pinned against each other and the town was divided, people took sides.”

“Sounds a little out there...” I trail off, unsure if she’s feeding me garbage for fun.

“You have no idea. Here’s where it gets twisted. Supposedly, they all were out on some backend job together where things went wrong, and they were shot at. One guy was killed instantly, but Maddoc’s dad was able to get Royce and Captain’s dads out before they were killed, too, only for them to die at the hospital later.”

“Damn.”

Victoria nods.

I eye her. “How do you know this?”

“Maybell has a book, a journal-like thing and some files, from Roland – that’s Maddoc’s dad’s name. He explains it all in there, some newspaper articles and stuff. He gave it to her when the last blood Brayshaw died and he took over. That’s when this property became his and he moved Maybell and the boys in. Supposedly, he was with them every day the first couple of years with her help, but I guess it was too much and his thug life won out over the daddy role. He became a sporadic parent after that. Anyway, guess he thought she might need to give them answers one day and probably didn’t expect to be alive long enough to give them himself.”

“You’ve read it?”

“No, but others who are gone now did and passed on the information. I don’t ever want to see it. If I do, I’m involved if they ever find out we snooped.”

“Do they know?”

“According to Maybell’s notes, she told them when they were twelve. Nobody talks about it. I doubt anyone outside of the few of us here know, and none of us are dumb enough to spread rumors outside these walls. It’s just something we share with the older girls here since they live on the property.”

“They live on the property?” My head pulls back.

“God, you are dumb.” She eyes me. “Behind the house, the dirt road they’re always on? That leads to their place. Soon as they hit high school, Maybell moved up here, left them back there on their own. Doubt it’s legal, but nobody here is gonna question or exploit them. This is the safest place many of us have ever been. All I know is Maybell gets a monthly check on top of all the state funding for us.”

“Why Maybell?” I ask despite myself.

“Guess she worked for Brayshaws, was Maddoc’s dad’s nanny even.”

My brows pull in. “So where’s the dad?”

“Prison.” She leans forward to whisper again. “He got caught up with some crackhead chick in a stolen car full of goods, and they took them both in. And you know the deal, she cried rape, ratted on him and went home the same night. He got fifteen years.” She sits back. “The boys were in elementary school when it happened.”

I fall back into my chair. “So, she wasn’t raped?”

“He swears no, but who knows. Men will say anything when their back’s against the wall, just like the woman did.”

“If they’re so powerful, how’d he get convicted? Money always talks.”

“A Graven talked quicker.”

“What do you mean?” I draw out slowly.

“The prosecuting lawyer was a Graven.”

I fly forward in my seat, my stomach suddenly turning. “No...”

“Yup.” She smirks. “Fucked up shit, right?”

“How the hell could that even be allowed?”

She shrugs. “Like you said, money talks. Who knows the real deal?”

Fuck, man. No wonder big man flipped his shit. The Gravens had a helping hand, in not the only hand, in taking away the boys’ only parent.

“And what about the moms, where’d they go?”

“Murdered by the maid. Guess Rolland was fucking them all not long after he moved them and the babies in and she wanted him to herself, got life instead.” She closes her book and shrugs a shoulder. “Anyway. I can only handle so much of you. I’m out.”

And she walks away, leaving me with a mess of fucking thoughts I have no business mulling over.

At school the next day, the only thing I can think about is the story Victoria told me and whether or not it’s true. I thought about asking Vienna, but I don’t wanna stir up shit if she’s clueless. And I think she might be one of those chasing the popular train. The last thing she needs, if she is, is a form of blackmail that will only backfire.

Which is exactly why I hid in the trees this morning and waited for all the girls to leave, knowing Maybell and her helper had to hit the grocery store today.

I slip in through my window and head straight for Maybell’s room, making quick work of picking the lock – she has to know half of us here could get in if we wanted, maybe the county requires it.

I check the basic hiding places like under the bed, top of the closet, bottom of the drawers, already knowing I’d come up empty, and I do. Then I move on to the drug house hiding places I’ve seen firsthand – the underside of the bathroom counter, the floor air vents and possible secret compartments under the throw rug, but I come up empty. I stand and spin around slowly, letting my eyes scan over every inch of the room. A knitting kit sitting in the corner of the desk with an old magazine and Bible perfectly on top of it catches my eye.

I pull it out and lift the lid, smirking when I find a binder inside.

I flip it open, and right there in the first clear sleeve is a hand-written letter addressed to “my boys.” I close it, place the empty box, magazine and Bible back where they were, lock her door and head back for my assigned room.

I pull out my mattress and make quick work of jamming the binder under the cheap headboard and then put everything back in place, sneak back out my window and head for school.

I don’t know what’s in there. All I know is nobody has a right to it but the guys.

I make my way to class, ignoring everyone all morning until Royce saunters over at lunch.

“What’s on your mind, RaeRae?” Royce leans forward to whisper in my ear. “You’re looking a bit tense.”

Captain drops down on the other side of me. “I can help with that.”

“We can help with that,” Royce adds and they both grin.

I roll my eyes.

Maddoc walks up right then, his face blank as he looks between us. He holds my gaze a moment before purposely letting his float across the room. When it pauses, mine decides to follow, finding his on Chloe as she leans over a cafeteria table with a smirk.

A ping that feels a lot like jealousy hits in my ribs, and I look away, but not before he catches me watching.

Maddoc goes to step away and Captain stands to join him. They both look to Royce, who hesitates, but of course he too stands and the three of them walk away, not one glancing back.

Not sure why it bothers me when I never wanted to be interrupted in the first place.