Reign of Brayshaw (Brayshaw High #3)(72)

“You want me to keep a secret for you?”

“Please.” Her eyes fly between mine. “I don’t deserve anything from you, but please.”

“You’re right.” My jaw locks tight as I shake my head. “You don’t deserve anything from me, Maria.”

With that, I spin on my heels and rush for the car. I slide in the front seat, closing my eyes.

It makes sense now why Rolland said he’d only trust Maria with Zoey, because Maria loved her father like a son. He knew she’d love his daughter just as much.

When Bass sighs a few minutes down the road, I open my eyes.

He looks at me suspiciously.

“What?” I snap.

He runs his tongue across his lips, squinting as he looks away. “I’m trying to figure out what just happened.”

“Don’t.”

“Fine,” he huffs. “But you know as well as I do, the last thing this town needs is more secrets—”

“Bass, look out!” I scream, but it’s too late.

A car slams into the side of us, and everything goes black.



The blare of a never-ending horn has my eyes peeling open.

The road is still dark, but lights shine from somewhere.

I start coughing, but the jolt causes an ache in my side, so I clamp my teeth together, clearing my throat the best I can.

“Bass,” I rasp, reaching to the side to feel for him, but I can’t turn my head.

My hand makes contact with his shoulder, so I shake him lightly.

“Bishop, wake up,” I say louder this time, shaking him harder, and finally he groans.

“Wha... fuck, Raven,” he hisses, shifting around in his seat. “My fucking seatbelt’s stuck. You okay?”

“My side and my ribs.” I squeeze my eyes shut.

After a moment, he says, “Not seeing any blood, that’s good.”

The crunch of glass against pavement has both of us going silent.

“Raven,” he whispers. “Can you open the glove box?”

I reach forward, under the airbag, feeling for a handle and tug but it doesn’t open.

“Shit,” Bass hisses, the footsteps growing closer. “Your knife?”

I hold in a groan as I slap my hand against my left pocket.

Bass reaches over, tugging on my jeans until the knife slides up. “Got it,” he says. “Close your eyes.”

My heart is pounding in my chest as I do as he asked, and not a second later, a shadow blocks the light that was creeping through my window, another set of footsteps joining.

“She alive?”

“She’s breathing.”

“Get her out.”

My muscles lock.

Are they fucking kidding me?

I keep my eyes closed, allowing them to pull open my door, push aside the airbag and cut through my seatbelt.

The second my ass and back are laid against the ground, I jerk my head up, nailing him in the forehead.

Leo groans, stumbling back.

Vienna darts in, wrapping her hands around my throat as she straddles me, but she was always a weak bitch.

I lift my knee, hitting her in the ass as she jerks forward, releasing me to catch herself before she flies over me.

Her wide eyes hit mine as her hands slam against the glass-covered road.

I jab her in the lungs and she gasps, falling over.

I shove her off right as Leo rushes back in but he’s laid on his ass when suddenly Bass is out of the car and putting him in a headlock, my knife pressed against his cheek.

I push my foot into Vienna’s chest.

“Please!” she shouts. “I’m sorry.”

“Sounding like a broken record, Vienna.” I use my weight to apply pressure as my strength is suddenly gone again. “I told you to get the fuck out of here.”

“I was leaving, I swear, but Leo found me at the bus station.” Her eyes fly to his.

He jerks in Bass’ hold.

“He said if we helped Graven, that we’d be taken care of.” She starts to cry.

“Did Donley ask you to do this?”

“Leo said if we got to you and took you to them, we’d be rewarded.” Her eyes fly between mine. “You kicked me out with nothing. I... I needed the money.”

I look to Leo who glares at me. I shake my head, and spots cloud my vision, but I ignore it, speaking to Vienna while staring at him. “He lied to you, Vienna. I already gave myself over to Graven, married the new head of their household. What’s theirs is now mine.” I drop my eyes to her wide ones. “What do you think will happen to you now?”

Tears pour from her eyes as she shakes her head. She says nothing.

I walk toward Leo, each step causing my vision to blur more. “I don’t understand you. Why? What do you gain here? I took nothing from you, like I took nothing from Mac. He understood things for what they were when I got here. Why’d you turn your back on them?”

Leo’s nostrils flare but he refuses to speak.

I nod, but when I go to open my mouth, nothing comes out. I grow dizzy and have to catch myself on the hood of the smashed-up car. “Bass...” I rasp, my eyes refusing to stay open any longer, fighting to meet his only for everything to grow dark. “Something’s wrong.”

I slip, my hip slamming against the side, causing the ache that had begun to dull to come back with a vengeance. “Mmm,” I cry out, my hand slipping against the sleek vehicle.