I click it back in place, and right when I flick my wrist, sending the blade flying forward again, my door quietly opens.

Maddoc looks from it to me, then locks the door behind him.

He makes his way over and when he reaches the edge, he holds out his hand, asking me to give him my safety net.

I close the knife and slip it behind me instead.

He eyes me a moment before pulling his shirt over his head. He looks to the spot he laid in last night, waiting for me to make room and I breathe a sigh of relief I shouldn’t. He pulls me against him, just as he did before, and I close my eyes, welcoming his warmed skin.

“Don’t say it,” I tell him, knowing damn well he planned to. “I don’t want to hear what you think but don’t know. She could be right, but only time will tell.”

“I don’t need time to know you’re nothing like her.”

“You hardly know me, Maddoc.”

“I need time to figure you out. Give it to me.”

“You don’t want to know me,” I whisper. “You want to understand me so you can decide if I’m a threat to you or not.”

He doesn’t deny it, and I’m almost glad for that.

Almost.

“She lives with us now.”

My jaw drops as I spin to Royce.

“What?”

“What the hell?!” I hiss. One look around confirms it’s useless to try and cover it. There may only be a handful in ear’s distance, but phones are already out and I’m officially a sister wife. Or maybe they’re brother husbands. Wait. No.

Not the point here.

Fuck this shit.

I storm off, but only get five whole feet before Captain falls in line with me.

“You on babysitting duty for Mondays?”

“You didn’t come down last night, and we were running late this morning. Didn’t get to ask how it went with your mom.”

“Don’t play like you didn’t get the rundown from your brother.” I pull my locker open, cursing to myself when I remember I didn’t do any classwork or homework Friday because I didn’t expect to be back here.

“’Course I did, but I wanna know how you felt about it.”

“Warm and fucking fuzzy, Captain.”

He drops a shoulder against the locker beside mine. “Do you always get this defensive when someone asks you about your feelings?”

“I don’t know, Cap, do you always have to be the fucking meddler just to make yourself feel needed?” I slam my locker closed, gaining attention around me. “Not everyone is fixable or wants to be taken care of. Back off.”

I purposely hit his shoulder as I pass by. I know how fucked up my words were. The fact that I’m bothered by what I said only irritates me more.

“I’m going to bathroom,” I snap and round the corner.

It works to get him off my ass and I move for first period.

It’s still early so there’s only a student or two inside and both have their faces buried in a book.

Captain’s voice floats throw the door in the same moment and I pause there to listen.

“What do you want, Tisha?”

“Just wondering what’s going on with you and Raven?”

I snort quietly.

“Nothing that concerns you.”

“She doesn’t concern me. What I’m really asking is if you want to get together later?”

“Can’t.” His dismiss is instant.

A beat of silence follows and then, “Why not?”

“Busy.”

“Well maybe—”

She’s cut off when Royce interjects himself into their conversation. “Do you not know how to take a hint, Tisha? Pretty sure he said no, and yet here you are, making a fool of yourself and looking desperate. See, I’d have told ya I don’t waste time on loose goose, but Cap is more subtle. Clearly subtle don’t work on you, so lemme help him out. None of us want you, nor will we ever.”

“Whatever, keep wasting your time on trash like her.”

“Like ... who?” he baits her.

“Who else?”

The menacing laugh that leaves Royce has me standing taller against the door. “Let me tell you something, Tisha, Raven is more than you’ll ever be. She’s with us and she didn’t even try to use what’s between her legs to get there, but you just did, didn’t you? Got dissed and still tried. No conversation, no lead up, just an open legged offer for a ticket to the top.” He laughs again. “You’re the only trash I’ve seen today, and I’ve been with Raven all morning. Consider this? You running your mouth, your marker. You’re done. Find a fucking normal and stay twenty feet from us. Always.”

Confusion draws my brows together and I drag myself to my seat.

He just defended me. Having no idea I was listening, Royce had my back.

Why did he do that?

I don’t like this, they’re confusing me now and I don’t know who or how to trust. I never wanted to be a part of a team.

And then I met them.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel the shift, but to hear him with my own ears hold me up instead of throw me down makes it more real. More genuine and ... possible. I don’t know what to do with that.

My mind is trying to deny the risk, so why do my shoulders lift higher as if weight’s been removed?

Perhaps some now sits on three new sets of shoulders ...

No.

No.

Royce pops in, all smiles and smirks, bobbing his head to whatever it is that’s blaring in his earbuds. He drops in the seat beside me.

I wait for him to tell me all about how he told off that girl and put some stupid order on her, but he doesn’t say anything. Doesn’t gloat or make it funny liked I’d expect from him. He only winks at me and pulls out his school shit.

Halfway through class he passes me a note and I roll my eyes but grab it.

Are you mad at me for telling you’re staying with us? Say yes, if you never wanna taste my lasagna. Say NO, if you want to taste it tonight. I’ll even take you for ice cream after.

I can’t help but smile a little. I peek at him, but his eyes are on the legs of the brunette a seat forward and to the left of him.

I write “no” in bold letters, underlining his offer of ice cream.

“Ms. Carver, you’re wanted in the principal’s office.”

My head jerks forward and Royce sits to attention.

“For what?” I ask the teacher who only narrows her pointy eyes.

“Guess you’ll find out when you get there, won’t you?”

I offer a bitchy grin and snag my backpack off the floor. When I stand, Royce stands with me.

“Sit down, Mr. Brayshaw. He called for Raven only.”

“Heard you. Don’t care, and while we’re talking ... let me remind you to watch your tongue, teach. Don’t get comfortable behind that mahogany desk.”

I look from Royce to the teacher.

Her face is beat red as she steps back pretending she’s okay by moving on with her lecture – she knows who writes her checks so to speak.

We walk out and down the hall ... where we’re flanked by the other two.

“Do we know what he wants?” Captain asks Royce and my eyes bounce between them, each holding their phones in their hands.