Page 47 of Boys of Brayshaw High (Brayshaw High 1)

It takes a good fifteen minutes after the final bell before Maddoc finally rolls in, in no kind of hurry. His face is a perfect mask, hair mused and collar stretched.

The sight has my mind racing. Thoughts of what, or who, sexed him up making me grind my teeth.

He licks his lips, those eyes of his, darker than normal, scanning my face as he moves past me for his seat at my back.

My leg starts bouncing as I fight not to turn around and inspect him closer, my need to know far too strong for my own liking.

Then Bass storms in with his shirt torn at the bottom, eye damn near as black as his hair, lip fat and swollen against the silver ring.

He doesn’t look my way and my muscles grow stiff.

Son of a bitch.

I drop back against the seat, annoyed with my own damn self when a sense of relief floods knowing he wasn’t held up at the hand of a female. I feel especially shitty about knowing Bass got the shit end of the stick, or rather, Maddoc’s fist.

Maddoc’s voice hits my ear in the next second, and I force myself still. “You asked me before if I’d tell you to stay away from him. I didn’t do it, but I thought the answer you got was clear. This is what’ll happen every time you don’t listen.” The hairs on my neck stand to attention, goose bumps rising on my arms beneath my long sleeve. “You ... are mine, Raven.”

Because I have zero self-control at the moment, I turn to him.

‘Course he’s not sitting in his chair, like the rest of us. No, big man is braced against his desk. Like a true king, or dominant male making a point, he’s raised taller than the rest of us, his chest strong and straight.

His expression doesn’t change, his eyebrows hold stern, chin lifted so he can look down at me more. He’s daring me to fight him on this, likely wishing I would so he can go caveman again.

Boy’s got so much to learn.

I look from his eyes to his tight set mouth, and back.

And instead of arguing or pushing or anything else he clearly expected ... I wink, then face forward.

If it were possible, I’d swear I heard him smirk.“We’re going to the grove.”

“Good for you.” I drop my paper in the basket and shuffle out of class, Royce right behind me.

“Oh, sorry,” he chuckles. “Guess that did sound a lot like a comment, huh?”

With a glare, I spin to face him, and he grins wide.

“Let me try that again. We are going to the grove. Meaning so are you.”

“Right.”

“Damn right.” He flings an arm over my shoulder.

“Okay, I’ll bite.” I shift my grin to Royce while shrugging his arm off. “What the hell is ‘the grove?’”

“Circle of cabins surrounding a man-made lake ‘bout three hours north. Tons of sex, lotta alcohol, and more fun.”

“Sounds like a blast.”

“Fuck yeah it is. We go several times a year, party, get fucked up. It’s a three-day weekend. Tradition.”

“Because I’m privileged like you and yours and can take off for three days,” I mock.

He glares and I pop a shoulder. It’s true.

“Look, a three-day weekend with you guys isn’t worth the trouble that being labeled a runaway would bring, and I’m not looking to trade the bed I’ve got for a cot worse than what I sleep on at home.”

“Like that’s... wait.” Royce frowns. “What do you sleep on at home?”

“This isn’t Q and A time!”

“Right.” He nods. “What were we talking about again?”

“You guys leaving, me staying.” I stop next to the girl’s bathroom and he steps beside me.

“Nah, you’re going. Let us worry about Maybell.”

A laugh bubbles out of me. “Yeah, no. No way is that happening. Don’t cause unnecessary issues.”

“Don’t worry, RaeRae.”

I walk into the bathroom with an eye-roll. When I stop inside the door to pull off my backpack, Royce stumbles against me.

The girls in the bathroom shriek and I turn to glare at him.

“Royce. Go away.”

“Nope.” He crosses his arms, widening his stance. “Not ‘til you agree.”

I shake my head with a sigh. “You’re gonna do whatever you want as it is. I don’t know why I even talk or why you’re pretending to care what I said.”

“Aww,” he coos, and I’d swear it’s genuine, damn child. “You’re catching on.”

“And you’re pissing me off.” I cross my arms to match his. “Get out.”

“Hey, Royce,” comes from behind me and I turn to glare and the girl who just came out of the stall.

“Seriously? In the bathroom?”

The girl at least has the dignity to blush.

Idiot.

“Just do your business. I’ll wait.”

My fingers find my temple and I blow out a deep breath. “For fuck’s sake, forget it.”

I push past him, back out the door and he follows, but my feet slow when I spot Maddoc and Captain standing not three feet away, talking with each other.