Page 89 of Be My Brayshaw (Brayshaw High 4)

“Goddamn, VicVee,” Royce grinds out, his glare coming back. “You think something’s up. That’s what this is about.”

I shrug.

“You should have fuckin’ said somethin’,” he barks.

Meaning when trouble is or could be involved, his brothers should be too.

The rest of the drive is filled with music, and pulling over once so Raven can throw up the ice cream she ate on the way. When we get to the long country road leading to the home Zoey spent her first few years of life in, a chill runs down my spine.

Royce turns into the driveway, drives through the sky-high bush line, and then we reach the iron gate. He presses hard on his brakes, bringing us to a screeching halt.

The sudden stop sends dust into the air, the small gust of wind stirring up the ash and creating a scorning black rain.

“Holy shit.” Raven leans forward in her seat.

I reach for the handle, and then the doors lock, and my eyes fly to Royce.

He glares at Raven.

“Keep that ass in this car, I fuckin’ mean it, RaeRae. Move and I will tape you to the seat, I don’t give a shit. Got it?” He tips his chin, but it’s in fear and love for the girl who broke through his heart.

Surprising us both, she nods “okay” and sits back. “But you only get five minutes.”

Royce gives a curt nod, and the lock sounds. The both of us step out into the yard.

I reach for the fencing, but Royce’s hand flies out to stop mine.

“Hold up, we need to make sure the electricity is off.”

“It is,” I tell him, glancing where the little red light normally blinks.

I push and it begins to slide along its track.

We walk down the driveway, toward the pile of burnt wood and black powder, and then I see it, the garden on the side, the perfect curve and bright purple flowers, untouched and soaking in all the sun has to offer.

But it’s the new piece to the property behind it that has my airway closing.

A wall, built strong and tall and wide, from one end of the flowers to the next, a heavy ivy draped thick and full from top to bottom identical to my once was prison.

My chin unexpectedly wobbles, so I bite into my bottom lip. “For eighteen years she hid away, all to get caught in the crossfire in the end,” I breathe.

Royce’s head snaps my way, his eyes widening as trickles of red spill down my chin.

His shoulders square and he glances across the acreages, coming to his own conclusion. “Graven.”

Before I can blink again, Royce is dragging me to the SUV, shoving me in through his door and climbing in behind.

“Call Maddoc,” Royce tells Raven as he peels out, flying down the road.

“He’s on the court.” She shakes her head. “His phone has to be on the bench.”

A few seconds later she curses, shaking her head. “Cap’s not answering either.”

“He’s home, he should.”

“He was getting in the pool with Zoey, his phone must not be on him either. Talk.”

“The house is ash, burnt it down,” Royce says.

“Eye for an eye?” Raven wonders.

Of course, that would make sense considering it was on her word that one of the other counsel families came in and burnt Donley’s place, my once was home, the Graven Estate, to ash.

After he betrayed the system built over hundreds of years ago with his lies and greed, he was cast out by the head of all five families, a mutual decision among them all.

But that’s if you look at this at eye level.

This isn’t about the fire or revenge, or a home for a home.

This is about the beautiful, familiar wall built in its place, and the memories it’s meant to trigger, the promises made alongside it.

“I promise you. It’ll be you and me forever one day, no matter what.”

The only person this was meant to speak to, is me.

Message received.

“We’re going to Maddoc,” Royce announces as if there was any question.

I sit back, closing my eyes the rest of the drive, knowing one thing for sure.

He’s watching.

“You good, RaeRae?” Royce asks a few minutes later as the last time Raven came down this road she was crashed into by a Bray hating psychopath. “Baby’s good?”

He reaches back, and Raven grabs his hand, giving it a light squeeze.

“Yeah, Ponyboy. We’re good. Let’s get to Maddoc.”

“Couple more minutes.”

Once we’re a couple of streets from the park, I unbuckle my seatbelt. “Let me out, I’ll walk home.”

Royce’s head snaps my way. “Fuck no.”

“Come on, I need some air.”

“You’re ‘bout to get some fuckin’ air when we get out at the park.”

“You pass the street on the way to the courts anyway.”

He says nothing.

“Let me out or I’ll just walk away the second we stop.”

“Then walk the fuck away when we stop,” he growls. “I’m not pulling over.”