I meet Cap’s eyes and he nods. Royce tips his chin.
And then I tense, wondering if they’ll spot him behind me, but when I turn around and face forward, being the first to walk out and first to reach my seat, I see he isn’t there, but another inmate instead.
I tip my head back to look down the line as discreetly as possible.
He’s not there.
My brows meet at the center and I face forward.
In the next second, the judge is announced, and she jumps straight to it.
She picks up the first file and flips it open.
Her eyes pop up instantly, a quick shift of her features as her face pulls tight.
Guess I’m up first.
I can’t hold still, and spin in my chair and meet Captain’s, then Royce’s stare and their brows snap in.
Raven shifts in her chair, turning to whisper something at Royce.
“Forward, now.” The guard walks over to give his demands and I clench my teeth, forcing myself to listen to this prick.
Bet he’s tight with my dad but has to act all fucking bad out here, like he’s the boss. Like what he says goes.
He’s got on a pair of twenty-five-hundred-dollar Valentino boots, and a fucking Shinola watch ... with a sixty-dollar mandated uniform.
He’s on someone’s payroll.
And this isn’t me judging. This is Brayshaw.
“First case this morning: Maddoc Brayshaw. Charged with assault and breaking and entering.”
I stand, making way the few feet forward to stand behind the desk as instructed.
Her hands shake slightly as she reads over whatever is in front of her, her shoulders visibly relaxing in the next second.
“Your case has been dismissed and no charges filed. Please, sir, wait for your paperwork and move back to your seat.” She dismisses me and before I can even turn around, she’s picking up the next file.
I glance at my family as I make my way to the clerk stamping some shit on my paperwork and they smile at me, but my brows pull in when I see a guard slipping into the row behind them, dropping to whisper in their ear.
Cap’s brows furrow and Royce’s stare slices back to mine in question.
I give a tense nod.
This has to be about Dad.
I’m pushed through the side door right as they stand and shimmy past the others seated beside them.
The door clicks and I turn, coming face to face with my dad.
I don’t often get to stand near him, the few times he allowed us to visit, he’s usually already sitting at the table once we’re cleared to come in, and contact isn’t allowed so there’s no hugging and shit. Not that he’s a hugger.
Hell, he could be, I’m not really sure, it’s been so long.
Standing with him now, it’s strange.
We’re almost the same height, but he’s got me beat by an inch. His build is the same as mine, though. Solid muscle without the fullness like Captain’s or the trim cuts Royce has. We’re more tapered around the edges.
Same green eyes, same dark hair only his is lined with silver edgings.
The door we entered through slammed again and I snap back to reality.
“Son,” he nods, looking me over just the same as I did him.
He nods to the guard in the room who quickly comes over and uncuffs me.
“I had your paperwork processed early, that was more for formality and to get your brothers here. It’s happening right now, they’re bringing them to the hearing room down the hall as we speak.”
The bag with my clothes in it is handed to me.
We’re about to be forced to listen to our dad, innocent or guilty, talk about why he, a convicted rapist, should be set free.
Raven has to hear this.
Suddenly I wish I could warn them, not that they’d go if I did.
“It’s fucked up, you’re making us watch this,” I speak my mind.
His eyes slope around the edges. “I know what I’m doing, son. You’re going to have to trust me.”
“That’s not easy for me right now,” I tell him honestly.
“I know, son. I know.” He nods. “Change, exit that door and enter the first room on the left.”
The guard opens the door to a back hallway, and he walks that way.
“Maddoc,” he calls, and I look back to him. “Don’t do anything stupid.”
And he walks out.
I make quick work of changing and splash some water from the fountain on my face, then rush to where he directed me.
When I enter, I find my brothers and Raven already inside, a wary look on all three of their faces.
The door I came through is on the opposite side and I try to move toward them, but a guard tells me to sit and a line of people walk through the door.
My shoulders grow heavy, but I sit.
“Let’s move into this quickly as this wasn’t on the schedule,” a new judge states as he sits.
The side door opens and out walks our father, but he faces away from us.
I look to Royce and Captain and they slowly sit forward, bracing their hands on their knees.
I can’t say for sure if they recognize him or if they’re curious as to what the hell is about to happen and why they were sent this way.
“Today, we’re here on a motion for parole, Stockton, San Juaquin County verses,” – the man swallows – “Rolland Brayshaw.”
“The fuck...” can be heard from Royce and again I jerk around to look at them, Royce is trying to stand, but Captain reaches across a stunned Raven and pulls him back down.
Both move to grip the seats in front of them.
And Raven. Her face is lined with tension as she stares toward my dad.
I spin back around.
He faces dead forward, his eyes locked on the judge.
I can’t see him fully, but the man can, and his fear shows it. He pauses a moment to lick his lips and discreetly slides his eyes to the guard. “Mr. Brayshaw, you were arrested and charged on one account of rape and grand theft auto and attempting to traffic cocaine, where you were found guilty, and sentenced to fifteen years. Served eleven. Mr. Brayshaw, step forward please.”
He does.
“Mr. Brayshaw, I have here, three letters of support from your local community. It seems you’ve made some positive changes, organized some outreach programs from your position.”
He pulls his lips between his teeth, and my stomach muscles tighten.