She must think I did all that to show her how little she meant when that’s so far from the truth.
I did it to keep as much of myself as I could, as long as I could, because I knew if I wasn’t careful, everything inside me would quickly be hers, and I wasn’t ready for it.
I was fucking terrified of it.
Of her.
Of us.
Not anymore.
Never again.
I have to show her.
I lower until our bodies are flush against each other, pelvis to pelvis, heart to fucking heart, and her bottom lip starts to tremble, but she pulls it between her teeth to try and hide it.
She thinks this is goodbye.
She’s so wrong.
Any barrier I may have used against her falls from my eyes, leaving them as open and honest as ever before and locked with hers.
I gently press my forehead to hers.
Slowly, with sweaty palms and a shaky grip, I place my nose beside hers, gently gliding it back and forth.
Every single muscle in her body locks as her eyes flutter, flying between mine.
Instant, hot tears build and she lets out a broken breath.
“Yes, baby,” I rasp, swallowing.
It’s you.
“But you… you’re here.” Her tears spill over, soaking the hair above her ear as she shakes her head. “You were about to…”
“It’s not what you think, I promise,” I whisper, pushing her hair back. “I saw you and all I wanted was to be, to do, whatever it was you needed or wanted, but I can’t. I’m sorry, but I can’t. Not like this, baby. You deserve so fucking much more.”
Her tears roll onto the pillow behind her and she shakes her head. “I don’t want this.” She both soothes and shocks me. “I just wanted you, no matter how it had to happen.”
My heart breaks looking at her.
“Why are you here if you didn’t know I would be?” she whispers.
“We know about Mike, about everything.” I slide my hand along her cheek. “I came to set him up, catch him trying to catch me acting shitty to make you think I didn’t care, make you want to leave, give up on me, and then suddenly you were here and...” My brows lift and I shake my head, lowering my voice when something clinks in the other room. “My brothers are outside waiting for him to show—”
She flies into a sitting position, shoving me back in the process, her stare bouncing around the room frantically. “Everything I could want to be happy...” Sheer panic-stricken eyes fly to mine. “Zoey.”
“What—”
“Oh my god! Go!” She scrambles from the bed, grabbing her pants off the ground as she runs for the door, but I grip her elbow.
“What?!”
“Go! He knew!” she cries. “He knew what you’d do, knew they’d follow!”
It takes a half a second and then it clicks. “No...”
My phone is in my hand in the next second and right as Mallory comes around the corner.
Her eyes widen. “What’s going—”
In one quick motion, Victoria, still naked from the waist down, grips her by the neck, kicking her feet from under her, and slams her to the floor with a hard thud.
The glasses in her hands shatter on the floor as she cries out as I rush right past, fastening my jeans. I yank my shirt from the floor, throwing it on as I run for the door.
“You psychotic bitch! Did you know?!” Victoria screams at Mallory behind me.
I’ve already dialed Royce, and I’m throwing the door open right as he answers.
I don’t let him get a word in, shouting, “Get home! He’s coming for Zoey.”
I dash outside, briefly glancing behind right as Victoria screams, a vase full of white roses in her hand. She slams it down, shattering it into a million pieces directly beside Mallory’s head.
I’m halfway in my truck when she breathlessly reaches the door, tugging her jeans up her thighs. “Hurry!” she shouts as I’m already reversing from the driveway and racing home.
I dial my dad, but he doesn’t answer, so I try Raven next and it goes straight to voicemail.
“Fuck!” I scream, punching the steering wheel.
Maybe Maddoc was calling her?
Maybe he reached her?
Maybe Royce talked to Dad.
I growl, trying one more person.
He answers on the first ring. “Captain?”
“Are you still at my house?”
“I left ten minutes ago. What’s wrong?”
“Fuck,” I swallow. “Perkins, he’s coming for Zoey.”
Time ticks in slow seconds and then the line goes dead.
I scream, throwing the phone across the car. “You useless piece of shit!”
I bite into my cheek as my vision clouds, and my chest fucking knots until I can’t breathe.
Please.
Please no.
Please. Let me get there in time.
I’m coming, Zoey.
Daddy’s coming.
Chapter 36
Victoria
I get my pants over my ass, quickly buttoning them and spin on my heels as Mallory pushes up into a sitting position, her hand going to the back of her head.
She gasps, shaking when she feels the blood there. “Oh my god.”
Her eyes fly to mine, tears big and bright. “What the hell is the matter with you—”
“Shut up,” I shout, grabbing her purse from the table and pouring it out. “Where are your keys?”
“Victoria, what’s going on?”
“Where the fuck are your keys, Mallory?!” I scream, rubbing at my temples as the ache there doubles.
“You didn’t know,” she rasps.
My head snaps up to hers.
“He said you knew.” She shakes her head frantically. “That the three of us were leaving together.” She points to the corner and my eyes zone in on a set of suitcases, tucked away in the corner. “Mike said he had a few things to do before we could go, and that he’d drop you off with me today so we could talk once he was gone, but he didn’t go until just before Captain got here. Victoria, I met with Captain yesterday, asked him to come today, but not for me. For you. I wanted to give you the goodbye I stole.”
My jaw flexes. “Keys.”
She points to the fireplace and I dash across the room.
“He set us up,” I tell her, grabbing the keys. “He’s going after Zoey.”
“Why set me up? We wanted the same thing. Why go after her?”
My glare swings her way. “Because he knows I love her, and that I would never leave her,” I all but growl, rushing for the exit. “And he knows you’re a psychotic bitch who manifested some sort of relationship in your head when there never was one, which meant you’d be easy to control, and even easier to toss out in the end.”
“Victoria!” she shouts as I step out the entryway. “Did you ever care about me?”
I freeze a moment.
She doesn’t deserve my answer, not after all the shit she’s pulled, yet still I find myself looking into her eyes for what I hope will be the last time.
“No.” I slam the door shut, jump into her car, and head home.
Captain
As the mansion comes into view, I spot my brothers jumping from their SUV, but as I slam on my brakes, dirt flies around, blocking my view.
I jump out, running straight ahead.
Maddoc’s feet hit the porch as Royce’s meet the side of the house, when our dad’s voice shouts out.
“Boys!”
For a split second that plays out in slow fucking motion, as if time has stopped, Maddoc’s gaze meets mine, and the panic and fear is mirrored in his. I swear to fucking God, our hearts hit the dirt as unimaginable images flash before us.
We make it around the house to find him pushing to his feet, dirt and blood covering the lower part of his dress shirt.
“Raven?!” Maddoc shouts.
“Pool house, Zoey too,” he calls with a cough. “Mike got away.�
��
Fuck!
We cut right, dashing straight there.
I reach it first, throwing the door open and we shove inside.
A large iron skillet comes swinging from the right, smashing right into my face, and I stumble into my brothers as her body swings around, a gun in her right hand and pointed directly between my eyes.
Raven’s eyes widen, blood dripping from a small cut over her left cheek.
Her body slumps as she realizes it’s us, and Maddoc flies by just in time to catch her in his arms. Tears pour from her eyes in an instant and she drops the gun, wrapping her hands around Maddoc’s neck as her eyes fly to mine. “In the closet,” she cries.
I snatch a throw blanket off the armchair and wipe the blood from my nose and lip with it as I fly down the hall and into the room.
I throw the closet door open. “Zoey...”
She doesn’t answer.
“Zoey!” I panic, pushing clothes around. “Zoey, baby girl, where are you?”
Fuck, fuck.
No, no, no...
“Zoey!” I boom, shoving shit around until I get to the back corner.
My chest caves as I push aside the last row of clothing, and I swallow, glaring at the blanket tucked back beneath them.
I grab the heavy cotton and pull.
And my body grows a thousand times heavier, too fucking heavy, my head falling to the side.
There she is, headphones covering her little ears, Raven’s phone in hand, a video playing on the screen.
I collapse, hitting my knees against the hardwood beneath them and her little head snaps up.
My baby girl.
She smiles, but it quickly falls from her face and she pushes the headphones off. She reaches out, gently placing her soft hand on my cheek and my eyes pool with tears. “You got owies, Daddy?”
I choke on my breath, clenching my teeth as tears fall before I can stop them.
I nod. “Yeah, ZoZo.”
I grab her under the arms, pulling her into my lap, and fall back against the wall. “Daddy has an owie.” I hug her to me, breathing her in as my emotions take over.
I hold her tight, blowing out long-shuddered breaths as I try to settle myself.
In the next second, Royce slams against the door, his eyes bouncing around until they land on her, and his head falls to his chest in relief the same second he’s shoved to the side, a tear-stained faced Victoria now standing in the doorway.
Her cry is loud, her hand flying to her mouth to hide it as she turns away.
Royce grabs her, pulling her into his chest, his arms wrapping around her, and her body shakes with silent sobs.
He whispers something to her and slowly turns her toward me.
Her guilt-ridden eyes fly to mine, unsure, afraid, and all I want to do is wash it away.
I hold a hand out and she rushes right for it, slipping her fingers into mine as she lowers herself to her knees beside me, beside us.
Zoey looks to her with a sad smile on her face as she tucks her head into my chest. She reaches out, and Victoria gives her her free hand.
“Did you see Daddy owie, Rora?”
Victoria inhales a choppy breath, nodding as she licks her lips. “I did, ZoZo, but he’ll be okay.”
“Can you make him better?” she asks her.
Victoria’s eyes slide to mine, waiting, hoping.
I squeeze her hand and she nods.
“Yeah, Mama.” Her eyes move to Zoey again. “I think I can,” she whispers.
As Zoey slides her headphones back on, none the wiser about what’s happened here, Victoria drops her forehead to mine.
“I’m so sorry—”
“Victoria!”
She freezes.
I freeze.
Our eyes lock.
Mike.
“Fuck.” Royce dashes from the room.
Before I can grab her, Victoria yanks herself away, flying from the floor.
I quickly set Zoey aside and jump toward her, but she slams the door, something heavy hitting it from the other side.
I shake it, banging my shoulder into it as fear grips my throat. “Victoria! Open the fucking door! Now!”
“Stop,” she rushes in a whisper. “Don’t scare her.”
My head swivels around to find a little frown marring Zoey’s forehead as she looks right at me, ears still covered.
I turn back, my palms and face pressed against the white wood.
“Vee, baby, Beauty.” My breathing speeds up. “Open the door.”
I wait, but silence is all that follows.
Fuck!
Victoria
I walk through the living room, glancing at the other three as they argue about how to approach.
Their eyes snap to mine and slowly narrow.
“VicVee...” Royce drags out, turning his body toward me.
His eyes fall to the direction I’m headed, and quickly snap up.
I dart forward as he hops over the couch, but he only manages to grab my shirt as I swipe the gun from the floor, tearing away from him, the sound of my top shredding at my back.
“Victoria!” he shouts, rushing behind me, but I don’t stop.
I walk right out the front door.
And there he stands.
Dark hair matted and twisted, blood dripping from his mouth and arms, soiled across the front of his shirt with a gun held high in his hand.
“There she is,” Mike coughs, staggering. “There’s my girl.”
My eyes fall to Rolland, flat on his back beside him, bleeding from who the hell knows where.
“Oh him?” Mike glares, turning toward him. “Yeah, he got me, but he made a mistake and left me breathing.” In one swift move, he pulls his leg back, skips forward, kicking him in the gut.
Rolland groans, spinning on his side.
“Let’s go,” he says to me, jerking his head as if to tell me to hurry.
Only then do his eyes fall to my hand, following as I lift the gun, and point it right at him, but the motherfucker smiles, proof someone got him good painting his teeth red, too.
“Come on, Garden Girl.” He chuckles, walking toward me. “You could never shoot me.”
“I have before.”
“By mistake.” He lowers his gun to his side. “I taught you how to shoot, remember?”
I pull the hammer of the gun back. “So you know I won’t miss.”
“You’d never hurt someone you love.”
“I stabbed your father in the gut with a kitchen knife.”
“After he used it on you.”
My lips smash together. “Don’t make me do this, Mike.”
His smile grows and he takes another step, closer to me, closer to Captain.
Closer to Zoey.
I pull the trigger, shooting him in the thigh.
“Fuck!” he shouts, dropping to one knee, his hands hitting the grass.
He groans, hunching over as he squeezes at the wound.
“Damn it, Vee,” he grates.
Suddenly, I’m grabbed at the elbow and thrown back, the gun flying from my hand and falling into the flowerbed as Captain, Maddoc, and Royce rush forward.
In one solid line they fly for him, but Mike is quick and just before he’s in reach, the gun is back in his hands and he’s on his feet, the barrel pointed right at Captain’s head.
They freeze where they stand, and Mike quickly shuffles backward.
“Cap...” Royce stresses.
Tension lines their backs, wrapping around their shoulders and their hands ball into fists.
Mike chuckles, spitting blood as he smirks at Captain.
“You guys.” He chuckles. “You’re all pathetic, can’t protect your women for shit.”
Maddoc takes a step forward and Mike swings the gun to him.
“I almost got yours, didn’t I, Madman?” he mocks, but his gaze narrows slightly as Maddoc keeps moving forward. “The little cut on her cheek.” He smiles. “Yeah, she got me right here, though
.” He pats at the blood patch on his shirt growing larger near his abdomen. “What kind of pregnant chick keeps a knife tucked in her jeans?” he mocks with a coughed laugh.
“You’re not leaving here alive,” Maddoc grounds out.
“I’m leaving with Victoria, or you’re burying your brother alongside me.”
The gun swings back to Captain.
I jerk forward, only to have Raven dart a hand out the door and grab me by my wrist and fling me back.
She’s shaking with anger, but dread is clear in her eyes. “They’re out there for you.”
“And the people who need them most are inside this fucking house,” I force past clenched teeth, yanking free of her hold as I quickly shift my gaze back to the scene, returning them to her just as fast.
Her eyes cave and she wraps her arms around her middle. “Don’t you get it? You’re one of them, one of us. They will die for you.”
“Don’t you get it?” I whisper, tears clouding my eyes. “I can’t let them.”
She opens her mouth, and then closes it, shaking her head frantically. She growls. “Goddamn you, why are you so stubborn?”
“Because I’m your sister.” I quickly squeeze her hand, turning away.
I walk out onto the lawn as quietly as I can, but the second Mike spots me beyond their shoulders, all heads fly my way.
Mike uses that to his advantage, darting forward to knock Captain in the head with the same part of the gun he used on me and he falls to his knees.
His brothers fly around, ready to attack, but I shout, “Wait” and they all freeze.
“Victoria, don’t.” Captain growls, pushing to his feet.
I walk out in a wide arc, so they can’t reach out and grab me, and Mike slides his feet my way, forcing them to curve the other way.
Mike’s breathing begins to settle as I grow closer.
“It’s okay, Cap,” I tell him softly, not taking my eyes from Mike’s. “He won’t hurt me.”
Mike’s lips twitch, an almost unnoticeable nod leaving him.
“I won’t let him leave, and never with you,” Captain says.
My blood pumps fiercely and I nod, and then I slide between them all, right in front of Mike, but he keeps his eyes on them, gun raised and pointed high.
His free arm comes down around my waist and he yanks me to him.
BE MY BRAYSHAW Page 33
