BE MY BRAYSHAW

by Brandy, Meagan

I push to my feet, and his smirk slowly grows, but then the crowd goes wild, the last opening act stepping off the stage, having just announced it’s time to get the party rolling.

  It’s like nothing I’ve ever heard before.

  My eyes fly around the arena. Thousands upon thousands of people are on their feet, screaming and cheering. The lights go off, and it only gets louder, and then a single light above the stage kicks on, smoke following and there he is.

  G-Eazy takes the stage and when he does Raven practically leaps from her seat.

  Maddoc rolls his eyes, but he can’t hide the grin—anything to make her happy.

  “He make you think about that punk bitch, RaeRae?” Royce shouts over the crazy of the crowd’s shouts behind us.

  Raven’s head snaps his way. “Bass Bishop was no punk, Ponyboy.” She turns to him, but her eyes soften as she reaches out and Royce tethers his in hers. “He was good to me, but never as good as you.” She winks.

  He holds her gaze a long moment, nodding slightly as he lets her go.

  Bass is the guy who used to run things at the warehouses, he helped her out, breaking his loyalty to the boys in the process.

  It pissed the boys off, but in the end, he saved Raven, and Maddoc was grateful, Royce not so much.

  He felt like Bass came in and tried to take a place he hadn’t earned.

  The joke is Bishop, with the sleek black hair he had, swept back or messy, leather jacket and torn up jeans, looked like G-Eazy. That mix of hood and rockabilly.

  “Love you, RaeRae!” Royce shouts with a grin, and she yells it right back.

  Maddoc slides behind her right then, whispering who knows what in her ear, and she giggles, her hand coming up to wrap around his neck, and the two-start grinding to the beat.

  Suddenly, Captain is at my back.

  “Red’s your color, Beauty,” he says into my ear as his fingers run along my ribs, stopping where the stretchy shirt disappears into my high-waisted black jeans. His eyes fall on my lips, painted a heavy red, five shades darker than my natural color and the same exact shade as my top.

  He licks his own. “But I knew that already.”

  His gaze comes back to mine, softening as he stares. His hand comes up to grip the side of my face, a sadness suddenly clouding his.

  “Victoria,” he whispers, and my lips pull in, a heavy crease forming above his brows. “The shit I said about Maria... that was fucked up. I didn’t mean it.”

  I nod. “I know.”

  He shifts, bringing us closer, and my heart rate spikes. “I’m—”

  “Victoria!”

  Captain’s hand falls and my glare flies to Chloe.

  “I need to find the ladies’ room. Come with me?” Her smile is bright and annoying, and I’m ready to tell her to go the hell away, but the longer I look at her, the more I see.

  Her eyes are pleading.

  Her secret slaps me in the face and even though I don’t want to walk away right now, she might just need me to, so I nod, slipping away from Captain, but he quickly grabs my arm.

  “You’re not going to the bathrooms by yourself,” he snaps.

  Mac knocks his elbow with Captain’s and points up a long set of stairs, where massive body after massive body lines every three to four steps and leads to a glass hallway, a private bathroom just at the top.

  “Maddoc picked this box for that reason,” he tells him.

  “And you think he’d let Raven go alone?” Captain questions.

  Mac laughs, shoving at Captain playfully. “Fuck no. If my girl were pregnant, I wouldn’t either.”

  My eyes snap to Chloe’s and she frowns.

  “Ready?” I ask her and she nods, leading the way.

  As soon as we’re inside the glass building, she moves to the side, staring down at the others below, dancing and laughing, Mac and Captain staring right at us.

  “Don’t judge me,” she says.

  “I’m not.”

  She whips around, angry glare but heavy moisture in her eyes. “I went to the doctor. I’m only six weeks along. The threesome with Royce was well before that. It’s Mac’s.”

  My lips pucker as I almost speak, but quickly pause. “Okay... so why are you crying?”

  “Because now it’s real.” She laughs nervously, shoving open the door into the bathroom, me right behind her. “I’m pregnant, and my dad is probably going to have him murdered.”

  “Doubtful.”

  She disappears into the stall. “You don’t know my dad!”

  I roll my eyes, leaning against the frame, waiting for her to come out.

  The door shoves open and her four-inch heels carry her to the sink to wash her hands. She runs her fingers through her hair and turns to the side to inspect her figure.

  “Why haven’t you told Mac?” I ask her.

  She sighs. “Because once we’re finally done with school, he wants to take over as head of Brayshaw security. He says all the time how dangerous it is. Add a kid into that and he’ll give up what he’s been working toward. It’s all he wants.” She looks my way, her lipstick in her hand. “Mac comes from nothing, earned everything he has, and he’s worked so hard to earn their trust, to get to where he is—a place where he’ll have a chance. I can’t take that away.”

  “Who says you’re taking anything away?”

  She laughs as if I’m the most naïve person on the planet, and her words confirm the thought. “You have so much to learn.”

  I shake my head. “Did you ever stop to think that maybe he wants those things so bad because they’ll make him feel worthy of you?”

  Her eyes fly to mine, and slowly she puts her makeup back in her purse.

  “Your own dad was head of security, Chloe, and now your boyfriend is going for that spot, wants it, as you say, more than anything.” I shrug, pushing out of the bathroom door. “Sounds like in his mind, the key to keeping you is to become one of them.”

  We stand there, inside the closed-off glass, staring down at the guys staring up at us.

  “I don’t love him because he’s Brayshaw.”

  “Does he know that?”

  “He better,” she says. “I can’t believe this, but you’re so right, Vee.”

  “Let’s keep it at Victoria. We’re not even friends yet.”

  She laughs. “Yet. Nice.”

  Together we head back for our seats, but just before we get there, her hand grips my arm, holding me back.

  Fear lines her eyes, so I spin around and grip her shoulders.

  “You’re Chloe Carpo. You’re strong and determined, and honestly kind of a bitch, but...”

  She laughs, tension rolling off of her. “You suck at a pep talk, but thanks.” Her eyes slide by mine, and she whispers, “I’m telling him. Now.”

  My brows jump. “Now.”

  “Right now.”

  “Baby?”

  I look over my shoulder to find Mac standing there, his hand extended for Chloe to take, so I slowly squeeze by, giving them the whole two feet of privacy this place allows.

  As I look around, though, I notice Captain is gone, Maddoc and Raven, too.

  I turn to Royce right as he grips me by the wrist and yanks me from the suite with angry, jerky movements.

  “What the hell—”

  “Come on,” he hisses, his steps urgent.

  “Royce, what’s wrong?”

  “We gotta get over there, you need to put this bitch in her place.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  We come around the corner and I skid to a stop.

  Mallory stands there, laughing and drinking with a group that must be her friends.

  “Fuck,” Royce seethes, dropping my arm as he darts forward, and it all happens so fast.

  Raven is suddenly in front of her, swinging full force and hitting Mallory square in the nose, sending her stumbling onto her ass.

  Maddoc has Raven in the same second, keeping her back with his chest, hands holding her wrists to keep her from
falling.

  He’s furious.

  Mallory adjusts her crop top. “You’re pregnant, you psychopath!”

  Raven tries to haul herself at her again. “Oh, you care?! The girl who gave away—”

  Maddoc’s hand swiftly wraps around Raven’s mouth, the look in his eyes enough to get her to completely give in. Her forehead caves, her eyes falling to the ground.

  Mallory stands, moving over in an attempt to shield herself at Captain’s side, and that’s when I realize I was moving closer, when her eyes lift, locking with mine.

  She drops her arm instantly, and his head slices my way.

  “You’re a piece of fucking work, you know that?” I keep toward her and she frantically looks across the room.

  But before I can get any closer, security is there, Brayshaw security.

  Maddoc slips in front of me, glaring. “Not the fucking place.”

  He’s right, it’s not.

  This is some serious Brayshaw dirt. Zoey is still a secret to their world.

  “Let’s get the fuck out of here. Now,” Maddoc shouts.

  We turn to follow the men down the hall, and through a private one that leads to the back parking where we were allowed to park.

  It’s not until we’re outside, under the dark night sky that I realize Mallory followed.

  “Captain, wait. Please!” she yells, and I jerk to a stop, swiveling around to look at her.

  She eyes me, and tension lines her brows, but she forces her gaze away, quickly looking to Captain.

  He continues to ignore her, his face a blank slate as he quickly keeps walking, but she runs after him, high heels, tiny skirt and all.

  When she realizes she can’t keep up, her eyes fly to mine. She opens her mouth only to close it a second later.

  Captain happens to choose that moment to reach for my hand and Mallory begins to nibble at her lip.

  And then her eyes close, and she shouts, “She told me not to go!”

  Everyone stops.

  Captain stops.

  Time fucking stops.

  But I rush her, and she’s right within reach, my fingertips an inch from gripping her by the shirt and tearing her to me, mine’s tugged from behind and I’m held still, Royce at my back.

  “Let go,” I force past clenched teeth, but he continues to pull me back, farther away.

  The crunch of gravel beneath Captain’s shoes echoes in my ear as he turns to face her. “What are you talking about, Mallory?”

  Captain’s voice is low and lethal, leaving no room for lies. Demanding the truth.

  “She did this.” Mallory moves a few slow steps back, rushing out, “All of it.”

  Oh my god.

  I jerk forward again, but just as I do, Royce is there, blocking me.

  Giving her the motherfucking floor.

  “She came to me, the other day, and… and before. She’s the one that told me to leave, that it wasn’t safe here for me.”

  The vessels around my heart tug and pull, tangling around until I’m sure no blood can flow through, and I’ll fall to the ground any moment.

  It wasn’t safe, but she was the least of my concerns.

  “She said that you couldn’t protect me, Captain. She took your daughter—”

  “Are you fucking kidding me!” I shriek, managing to make it around Royce, but he has my hands behind my back in the same second, and in the same move, Mallory has slid behind Captain.

  “It’s true,” she shouts, tears in her eyes.

  “Mallory—”

  “You did this!” she shouts again.

  “I was—”

  “You—”

  “Shut up!” Captain barks, spinning out of her grasp and glaring down at her. “Shut the fuck up. Why would I believe you?”

  “Why would you believe her?” she counters, and goddamn it, if those weren’t the perfect words for her to choose.

  Slowly, his head swivels around to mine.

  “Is it true?” he asks. “Did you tell her to leave, are you the reason I lost Zoey, lost them both?”

  My gut twists, tighter and tighter like a Boa forcing the life from its prey as I stare at the pain in his eyes, but that’s not the hardest part.

  Somehow, despite everything, he still has hope she’s good, maybe even needs her to be, if not for himself for his daughter.

  For their daughter.

  It almost kills me where I stand.

  He’s in my face so fast, I can’t brace for it, stumbling back until my hands meet the rocky ground. Small pebbles cut into my palms as Captain’s always quick hands let me drop.

  I push to my feet.

  “Yes or no,” he growls, and I don’t miss the small crack in his voice. “Are you the reason she left?”

  I’d swear in this moment, it’s possible for bones to break from emotional pain. My ribs ache as if snapped, my chest caves as if my lungs have been punctured as I stare, the moonlight playing as a vicious painter, sharpening his features and darkening his eyes.

  The lost boy in front of me, so desperate for answers he doesn’t understand as the girl at his back left him with none.

  Am I the reason she left?

  The simplest answer...

  “Yes,” I whisper.

  The cords in his neck stretch to their brink, his throat sinking in as if he’s swallowed molten metal and the burn is too fucking strong, too much.

  I don’t even recognize the voice that follows. “Leave. Now.”

  I attempt to swallow but my body denies the request, so I nod, and turn away, but he’s not done.

  “You take nothing,” he seethes. “Leave with the clothes on your back, never look back. Be invisible or I will make you disappear.”

  “Captain...” Raven trails.

  My eyes slide to hers, watching the array of emotions as they flash across her face.

  She takes a step toward me, but with my arms still at my side, I lift my fingers where only she can see.

  It’s okay. Stand with them, they need you most.

  I can’t possibly glance toward him, but slowly her features smooth, her hands slipping into both Maddoc’s and Royce’s as she slowly licks her lips, an almost unnoticeable nod following.

  My stomach twists.

  Cross one, cross all.

  “Victoria, wait!” Mallory frantically cries. “Don’t leave! Please, I—”

  I stop but don’t look her way, and as I expected, nobody follows.

  My feet can’t carry me fast enough. I cut through the cars in the parking lot, walking as quickly as I can until I’m far enough away they could never see. I drop my back against the nearest car, my hands coming up to cover my face as I try to catch my breath.

  “Finally.”

  The air gets lodged in my throat as a shiver runs down my spine.

  Slowly, my hands fall from my face, and there he stands, black hoodie and jeans. Gloves and a pistol.

  My body sags, and I shake my head. “I expected you sooner.”

  His eyes fall, but his smile is the last thing I see before everything goes black.

  Chapter 32

  Captain

  Numb.

  I’m fuckin’ numb. From the roots of my hair to the souls of my fuckin’ feet, I feel nothing, have felt nothing for three days now.

  The only time anything breaks through is when I look at my daughter, and even then it’s the most fucked up, off-putting emotion that consumes me, and on top of that, the least expected.

  Deep, bottom of the pit betrayal.

  She has no clue I sent her friend away, yet still, in her eyes my mistake stares back, but I’m not so sure I made one.

  Victoria brought this on herself. My daughter only knew her because Victoria manipulated her way into her world, stole something a little girl should never lose—her mother. She tried to take Mallory’s place.

  Victoria said she wanted to be Brayshaw, and in the grand scheme of things, she was well on her way, gave herself two options—as mine or as a selfl
ess hero. She covered both bases.

  She fucked with my head, over and over, and each time I proved to be weaker than the last. Blind to her.

  Why her?

  “Captain, did you hear me?”

  I push off the bench, shaking my head. “I can’t do this right now.”

  As soon as my hand wraps around the handle of my SUV, she calls my name, and it takes everything I’ve got to turn and face her.

  “Why are you leaving?” she measures me. “What’s wrong?”

  I was five minutes from happy, and then you showed up and ruined it all.

  I lift my hands, letting them fall back to my sides.

  Her skin flushes, eyes narrowing the slightest bit. “You’re in love with her.”

  Victoria.

  She’s none of her fucking business, but I’m not looking to argue, and a response like that will only bring more questions.

  I keep my face blank. “She lied to me.”

  Her body rocks the slightest bit, a small frown written across her forehead. “So did I, yet here you are.”

  “I gotta go.” Yanking the door open, I slide in.

  “Captain!”

  I hold in a groan, glancing at her through the closed window.

  She gnaws at her bottom lip. “I’ll see you tomorrow, right? You’re coming?”

  I give a curt nod and get the fuck out of there.

  I head straight for home, but something has me pulling around the side of the Bray house and parking. I climb out, dropping onto the old swing behind it.

  I grab my brass knuckles from my pocket, slip them on, and make a fist.

  A perfect fucking fit.

  My Brayshaw token.

  Strong and solid, unbreakable and whole. Threat without words, fear without movement.

  I pull them close, reading the words scrolled beside them.

  Family runs deeper than blood.

  Proof of these words are my brothers, my father. Raven.

  My family, none by birth.

  My fist tightens.

  We all serve a purpose.

  Maddoc is the lead, he holds the key, but never steps ahead.

  Royce is the warrior, he bares the crest but never tries to rule.

  I am the anchor, I hold the brass knuckles, the loops signifying the fusion of our family—full circles, never one stronger than the other, a reminder we are equals. Always.