Reign of Brayshaw (Brayshaw High #3)(61)

“Wait, stop.” I quickly slide over, blocking their escape.

They gasp, their muscles tensing. “We’re sorry, Ms. Brayshaw. We—”

“Did nothing to be sorry about.” I frown, glancing between the two.

After a moment, one of the women meets my eyes, and I’ve got to give it to her. Not once does she look to the bruising surrounding it.

“Tell me where I can find Donley.”

Curious, she tilts her head, but still answers. “He spends his evenings in the study.”

“And where is that?”

“The way you came, to the right of the entrance, then follow the hall.”

I nod, taking a few backward steps. “Get out of the house,” I tell them before turning and doing as they said.

I only make it a few feet into the hall when the sweet scent of a cigar leads me past a staircase and to a tall, wide-open archway.

The second my feet pass the threshold his head pops up, and his pen falls from his hand.

He shakes off his surprise and uncertainty with his next breath, but the extra wrinkles lining his eyes give him away.

“Raven.”

“Donley.”

“I must say, this is unexpected.”

“Yeah, you’re telling me.” I step farther into the room.

His eyes rake over my face and he frowns. “I’m afraid, if you’re here to ask to change our deal, I can not accommodate you. If the boy is handsy and you weren’t aware of this before, you’ll need to find a way to live with it. That, or give it time. You’ll learn what he will and won’t allow, how he’ll react, and you’ll mold into what he needs of you.”

A scoffed laugh leaves me before I can stop it and he glares.

“Man, you are seriously a piece of work, aren’t you?”

Donley pushes to his feet, smoothing his suit jacket down.

“Captain would never harm me in any way. Ever. You should know that, you’ve been watching them all their lives.”

“A man is different with a woman behind closed doors.”

“Was Felix?”

Donley’s eyes narrow. “Pardon?”

“Felix. Was he different with my mom behind closed doors?”

Donley fixes his tie. “How did you get in here, Raven?”

“I walked through the front door,” I tell him.

“My staff didn’t notify me of any visitors.”

“I’m no visitor.”

He leans against the shelving behind him, slowly folding his arms over his chest. “Is that so.”

“It is.” I look around. “This is my house now, remember?”

His head jerks back, brows knitting before a deep belly laugh escapes him. “Now don’t go getting ahead of yourself there, little girl. Not until after the marriage, it’s not.”

My brows snap together.

He doesn’t know? Collins found out, told the entire fucking school, but the news didn’t make it back to his stand-in grandfather?

I slowly lift my left hand, dropping all my fingers but the middle one, flipping him off, crown side up. “It fits me better here.”

Donley swiftly moves around the desk while I keep my feet planted where they are, my head held high, finger up.

“When?” he asks almost wistfully.

“Eight weeks ago.”

Donley smiles wide, but traces of a scowl line his eyes. “Yet you’re here, and with bruises. Am I right, is he rougher than you expected in bed?”

Piece of shit.

“Do you have the video I requested?”

I hold in my glare. “Not on me, but yes.”

His hands lift, coming together in one solid clap. “I must admit, I wasn’t sure I’d ever see the day.”

“You won’t see the night if you don’t get out of my house.”

He freezes where he stands. “I’m sorry?”

“In the contract, it says the Graven Estate becomes ours after the marriage. It’s after the marriage, Donley.” I step aside, holding an arm out.

He eyes me a moment before glancing at the empty doorway behind me. “Where is your new husband, Raven?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know.”

Donley gives a dark chuckle, nodding his head as he steps closer to me. “Okay, Mrs. Graven. I’ll tell you, I’m quite happy you’re so eager, but you do not call the shots, nor will you ever. That is what you have a husband for. Once I have the video, I will gladly have my things moved to another property, and not a second sooner.”

“Suit yourself.” I shrug, turning to leave.

Donley reaches out, gripping my arms between his fingers and I whip around to face him.

“What are you playing at, Raven?”

“You’re missing pieces, Donley.” I jerk free. “How’d you get the blood bags, hm? Did you draw it from her arm yourself, or did the good old doc do it for you?”

He shoots straight. “How do you know about the blood bags?”

“Are you gonna stand there and pretend you didn’t know she’d show up here? Isn’t that why you went to her, to let her know how even all these years later, Graven still wins?”

“What do you mean still wins?” His anger is starting to show. “We lost, if you remember correctly. Ravina abandoned her responsibilities and Graven was forced to pick up the pieces after she destroyed our future leader with her betrayal.”