Be My Brayshaw (Brayshaw High #4)(111)

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.