“For what it’s worth,” I tell her after a moment. “I am sorry, but not for what I did or why I did it. Only for disrespecting you when you’ve done nothing to deserve that from me.”

She stares and slowly a smile stretches across her freckled face.

She looks over my shoulder. “Perfect timing, boy.”

Maddoc squeezes past me, kisses Maybell on the head then picks up my two lowly bags, leaving my backpack to me, spins on his heels and walks out, not once looking my way.

I look to Maybell who laughs lightly.

“Go on now.”

“Thanks for uh...” I look around the room. “For having a safe place like this for girls to be. Even the ones who don’t act like it, appreciate this.”

Her eyes grow glossy, so I quickly try for an exit, but she stops me with a gentle hand to my arm.

“You, Raven Carver, are more than you let on too, you know. Believe that and share it with them.”

“With who?”

“Go child,” she whispers and pushes me out of the room, but I slip into the bathroom, waiting for her to pass and then dart back in.

I quickly pull the binder I stole from its hiding space and stuff it in my backpack then rush back out.

Out front, I find Royce standing with the passenger door open, Maddoc in the driver’s seat and Captain hanging out the passenger window.

“Shouldn’t you be at practice or something?”

“No practice today, and we had to make sure you were taken care of first. Kind of our fault you went all Ronda Rousey on the blonde.”

“It was my own fault.”

“Okay, fine,” he laughs lightly. “It was your fault. Just get in, RaeRae.”

“I’m supposed to be waiting for my social worker.”

“We’ll drop you.”

I glance back at Maybell leaning against the frame.

She nods.

I look back to the three.

Fine.

I make my way over and slide in, Royce moving to sit beside me.

And then Maddoc puts the car in drive when it should be in reverse.

“What ... where are you going?”

They ignore me, the SUV slowly rolling down the little dirt road between the trees.

I don’t say anything else, because they won’t answer me anyway, so I sit there like an obedient child and wait.

The truck curves around another set of trees then stops ... in front of a house big enough to rival the President’s.

Literally.

It’s ginormous. Stark white and sitting in the center of a bed of trees, it’s a two-tier home that stretches as wide a solid dozen of these SUVs.

“What are we doing?” I finally ask, but I get no response. My words seem to kick the boys into gear, and they climb out, expecting me to follow.

I step out as well because what the hell else would I do?

But when the boys hit the top step of the wrap-around porch, they all seem to hesitate, unease taking over each one in a different way.

Captain frowns at his feet, Royce rubs at the back of his head as he stares down the path we came, and Maddoc’s pinched gaze is locked on me, his lips pressed firmly together.

“What?”

“We live here.”

“Yeah...” I look between the three, thoroughly confused on this whole situation. “I know.”

“You’ve been back here?” Royce accuses more than asks.

“I said I know, as in I knew you lived back here. One of the girls filled me in, but it’s not like it’s not obvious once you pay attention.”

I look between them again. “What are we doing?”

“Come inside,” Maddoc orders, but not one of them moves.

A laugh bubbles out of me. “Is someone gonna unlock it?”

Captain slowly drags his keys from his pocket and moves forward, but I stop him with a hand to his chest.

“Look, if you don’t want me to go in, I get it. Just take me back to the house or to the county office already. I really don’t care, but stop acting all ... weak and weird. It doesn’t suit you guys at all.”

“Open the door,” comes from Maddoc.

Finally, Captain turns the lock, but I don’t go in. I wait for Captain to go first, then Royce slides past.

I step inside and glance around.

The place is wide open, a huge entryway with some shoes lined up in front of a floor to ceiling mirror that spans along the entire wall. To the left looks like a den and maybe a room or something down the short hallway, pool table and dart board and to the right is the living room. It’s a giant square that opens into a kitchen I can’t quite see other than a couple of bar stools.

There are a couple black leather couches and a coffee table with nothing on it, a giant TV on the wall and a bookshelf with what looks like school books and binders on it.

Tucked in the far back corner of the living room, opposite of the couches is a set of stairs against the wall. They curve around, disappearing about halfway up to where I’m assuming the bedrooms are.

It’s nice, clean for three young guys.

I turn back to the boys, all of whom are staring my way, frowns marring their pretty little faces.

“What?”

Royce looks around then back to me. “Seriously?”

Now I frown.

“Just a nod. Nothing to say about the house?”

“It’s ... big.” I glance up. “Kinda dark for having so many of those.” I point to all the ugly ass, stupid expensive light fixtures that seem out of pace for the sleek look the guys have going on here.

“Big and dark,” Royce repeats.

“You don’t like it,” Captain states.

“What’s not to like?” I shrug, sticking my hands in my sweat’s pockets. “It’s huge, expensive. But it’s, I don’t know ... kinda boring on the inside compared to the out.”

I look to the three and they stare a minute before all three start laughing. A deep, good, hearty laugh that has me taking a deep breath.

Royce’s smile is huge. “I was waiting for a real girly squeal and a ‘this place is amazing, you must be so rich. I always dreamed of such a castle to call home’ or something.”

I laugh lightly. “I don’t squeal and—” I cut myself off. “Wait. What’d you just say?”

“Home sweet home, RaeRae.” Royce crosses his arms over his chest.

“Ha! No.” I back up a step, glancing between the three. “Hell no.”

Maddoc steps closer. “Yes.”

“I’m not—”

“Yeah, you are.”

“I can’t—”

“You can and will.”

“They won’t just let—”

“It’s done.”

I growl and step toward Maddoc. “Interrupt me one more time, big man, and you’ll be sleeping with an ice pack on your jock.”

He gets in my face. “And you’ll be right down the hall in case I need you to massage it for me.”

“You are out of your ever-loving mind if—”

“Just save it, RaeRae, and come on.” Royce grabs my hand and pulls. “So much more to show ya.”

My shoes skid across the hardwood, but he yanks, making me fly forward.

With a growl, I let him drag me along like a dog on a leash.