Oh my god, I knew it. I fucking knew it!
I’ve been thinking since the second I stepped out of that damn courthouse. Stockton California, a rape and cocaine. Knowing the man as my mom’s client, and hearing those details, I fucking knew. It all screamed my mother.
“He gave up his life, in exchange for the ownership of yours. A life ... for a life. He got you to fall and he wasn’t even here to make it happen. Roped you from a hundred miles away, watched from other’s eyes, and now he’ll come home. He controls those boys, has their trust and loyalty from a prison cell. They do what he asks, follows his orders, trusts his judgment without his presence – just his voice and they’re desperate need to please him. You think it would take more than a simple seed planted for them to stand beside him looking down at you? You’re nothing but a means to an end.”
My throat tries to close at her words, but I won’t show her the panic she’s caused. “Don’t pretend you’d care either way.”
“Don’t fuck with my money.”
“I hope you rot in hell.”
“Oh honey, you’ll be right there with me. Don’t be mistaken. The poison that runs through me, runs through you. You’re your mother’s daughter, through and through.”
“I’ll never be like you.”
A smile lines her eyes. “I heard you almost did...”
My head draws back. “What do you mean you—”
“It might not have happened this time, but look what you were prepared to do, and for what? A couple hard bodies who make you feel wanted?”
“You talked to Collins Graven?” I growl.
She shrugs. “He may have made a small visit before that night.”
“What the hell did he want?”
“To know how to get to you, I told him to play at your pride.” She winks. “He called to let me know it worked and wired me some quick cash. He’s a good lookin’ boy, pays well, too.”
I swallow, anxiousness climbing up my throat, threatening to close off my airway.
She’s not lying. I did almost throw away all I want to be ... for three boys I was never supposed to know, but was purposely placed in front of, dangled like bait he knew the wolves couldn’t resist. But for him to know this, he also had to know me.
She eyes me. “Did you really think you ended up there by accident? That boys – men, from what I saw – like them, rich and powerful and destined to rule over people like us, would actually fall for someone like you? Trash with a mediocre face and figure. They could never want a girl like you. They tricked you, they’re just as much bastards as the man that paid for you. Rich punks who care about no one and nothing but money and power while they wait for their time to reign—”
I dart forward, gripping her weak neck in my hands and she lets her head fall back, grinning through her gasp.
She smells like grease and stale smoke.
I squeeze her tight, the screaming pulse in her neck almost calming against my palm as I force her trachea to narrow at my hand, cutting the blood flow to her brain in half.
“You know nothing about them. Stay far the fuck away, don’t even speak of them, do you understand me?” I growl in her face. “You touch one, even for a second, I will destroy the only thing you care about, mother.” I let my knife slip from my left hand and flip the blade over.
She jerks in my grip, her eyes widening as they grow even more bloodshot.
I bring the cool metal up to her cheek and slide it across, never once taking my eyes off hers.
“I will leave you looking like the Joker went easy on you, and then I’ll drop you on your busiest corner for all your men to see. What was it you always said to me, your seven, eight, nine-year-old daughter?” I give her the tiniest of pricks, aside her chin – just enough to draw blood, and her nostrils flare, but she doesn’t flinch. “A girl is useless without a pretty face for all the boys to love...”
I shove her back, forcing her head to hit against the wall and move for the door.
A deep shriek leaves her, and a beer can slams against the trailer door, inches from my head, the tail end and ashes from inside splashing on me and everything else in reach.
I jerk around, not missing the footsteps hitting the broken pavement outside.
“It’ll happen eventually,” she shouts. “Especially when your final day comes and you’re nothing but a trophy, traded to adorn someone else’s shelf!”
“You’re not making any sense!”
“Just wait, Raven!” my mom screams. “Using what God gave you to get what you want is all you know. It’s all you’ve seen! You’ll sell your soul just the same!”
“I’d never sell my child’s.” My voice comes out scratchier than I would have liked.
She drops her voice to a deathly whisper. “Good thing you can’t have any then, huh?”
“You’re a vile woman.”
“Mmm.” She grins, hatefully. “True. Now go away, daughter, and hang the boa up on your way out.”
I will never be back in a place like this.
Right as I push out, the door is yanked back, and I jump.
Three Brayshaws stand before me in one strong, solid unit.
Deep frowns cover their faces, but dare I say fear lines their eyes.
“Move, Raven,” Maddoc growls, but I pull the door closed behind me and step more in his face.
He growls and goes to shove me out of the way, but I shift before he can.
I know them, and I know how thin these walls are – far too well for my liking – they heard every word spoken, but the can hitting the door is what got their feet moving.
Maddoc’s eyelids twitch. “I will pick you up and fucking move you if you don’t get out of the way.”
I squeeze past him and while his glare jerks inside the trailer, he groans and follows, like I knew he would.