Break Me (Brayshaw High #5)(104)

Maddoc smirks. “That’s right. Just making sure you realized that before you went and apologized the second she looked at you.” He glares but it’s playful. “Seems like somethin’ you’d do.”

Brielle chuckles. “I’d probably have thought about it, yeah.”

Maddoc looks to me and tips his chin.

My girl, my call.

I frown at Brielle. “What are you gonna say to her?”

Brielle pushes to her feet and gives a slow shrug. “Nothing. I’m going to sit with her, and then let her say whatever she needs to say to me.”

She reaches for the note and Captain doesn’t hesitate in handing it over to her.

“I don’t get it.”

She steps up to me and pats at my chest with a hint of tease. “You don’t have to. You just have to trust me when I say it will work.”

She tries to walk by, but I grip her wrist, yank her back to me, lift her chin. “I do.”

“I know.” She smiles, pulls herself free, and walks out.

I follow her with my eyes, and when I look back, everyone is focused on me.

“Business, huh, Royce?” Victoria teases.

I flip her off with a smirk.

Fuck business.

That’s my baby.





Brielle





As I walk up to the door Taylor is behind, I find who must be her parents standing in front of it embracing. I consider walking away and giving them more time, but the man spots me when his teary eyes open.

He loosens his hold on the woman, and they both turn to me.

“Mr. and Mrs. Simms?” I guess.

They nod.

“I’m Brielle, I go to school with Taylor.”

Her mom begins to cry. “We feel like such failures.”

I nod, placing my hand on her arm. “Some people are very good at hiding. I was.”

I don’t break down what I hid as the situation is very different, but as I hoped it would, a little light sparks in her eyes. To see me standing here gives her some sort of hope when she feels so lost.

“She won’t talk to us.” The woman clutches her husband. “She doesn’t even want us in the room.”

My lips pull to the side, and I point over my shoulder. “There’s a little coffee bar around the corner, it’s specific to this floor so you won’t run into anyone accept maybe a Brayshaw or two, and they won’t bother you.”

They understand, but fear has them clutching each other tighter.

“Please, trust me.”

After a second, her parents nod, and the way her mom grips my shoulders as she walks by is beautifully heartbreaking.

With a deep breath, I slip inside the room.

Taylor doesn’t even open her eyes. “Please, Mom. Not now,” she rasps.

“They went to get coffee.”

Her lids fly open and she frowns. “Brielle?”

I nod, walking farther into the room, and taking the seat a few feet away. “You know my name.”

“Everyone knows your name after Royce’s little claim at the school.”

“Yeah, that was—”

“Sweet where he’s concerned,” she cuts me off, her tone low and tired.

A low laugh leaves me. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

Her smile is a sad one, and she looks away. “Why are you here? I don’t even know you, and I don’t feel like talking.”

I nod, reaching for the remote, and sit back. “I know.”

I click on the TV, skip to a cooking show and turn the volume all the way down.

We sit there, silently watching as a pile of vegetables turns into an entire meal. It’s about fifteen minutes later when she sighs from her hospital bed.

“He hates me,” she whispers.

I look to her and wait.

“We were engaged, me and Enoch.” Tears build in her eyes. “We didn’t tell anyone, not even our parents because we didn’t want to worry them. They have all these visions for us, some we shared, but our main one was just... us. We already leased a house just outside Oakland, he’d train during the day, I’d go to school, and we’d have our nights together.” Her last words break off in a full cry and she turns away from me, so I focus on the TV.

Several minutes later she shares, “I ruined everything. He’s hurt, acting out. I think he slept with Giana Fritz to get back at me for...” Her eyes find mine. “We were virgins when we met and were supposed to be each other’s only. That’s what we wanted.”

I pull the paper from my front pocket and walk over to her bed, slowly lowering myself on the mattress near the foot.

She glares at it, her lips trembling. “Please tell me he didn’t see that.”

“He did,” I tell her softly. “He was worried, and he knew about your diary. He took it after the paramedics carted you away.”

“I probably seem like such a selfish bitch, making everything about myself.” Her tears fall angrily. “No one was supposed to see that.”

“But he’s not just anyone.”

“No,” she whispers. “He’s not.” She sniffles, rolling the blanket between her fingers. “I wasn’t... I mean, I didn’t try to kill myself,” she swears. “Everything just... hurt and I wanted it to go away for a little while. So stupid.” Her eyes flick to the ceiling, tears falling down her cheek. “Nobody will believe that, but it’s the truth.”