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“Yeah,” Captain rasps, stepping forward again. His eyes move to mine, then Raven’s. “About that.”Captain’s sheepish look has me holding my breath.
What the fuck else is—
My thought stops when Mac walks through the door, the reverend from mine and Captain’s midnight wedding right behind them.
“James?” Rolland worries, stepping forward. “What happened?”
“Mr. Carpo?” someone says from behind me.
He holds his hands up, a sympathetic smile pointed at me.
Carpo.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I push to my feet.
“This isn’t a place to bring your town problems,” Mr. Henshaw says.
“Their arrival holds purpose,” Captain tells them, but his tension-filled eyes hold mine. “Raven.”
I look back to James, allowing myself to be a judgmental bitch as I take in the tattoos that cover his arms – the ones his black fucking robe covered the night I met him – and the slight ruffle at his belt and boot, a tell-tale sign of his weapons.
I scoff, looking to Captain.
Captain’s shoulders sag, his eyes sloped around the edges.
“Your just in case?”
He nods, giving a half smile.
“What’s goin’ on?” Royce asks, glancing around.
“She’s mine.” Maddoc glares. “He made sure she stayed that way.”
“So you’re not married?” Royce’s eyes widen.
“No, man,” Cap clears it up. “We’re not.”
My chest tightens, and I lick my lips. “You’re Chloe’s dad?” I look to James.
“I am.” He answers as if he was waiting for this moment, almost as if he needs it.
“So you’re head of Brayshaw security?”
“Yes.”
“And you lied.” I frown, shaking my head. “Straight to the face of one?”
“I did,” he admits with zero hesitation but complete sadness. “Which is why I will be leaving my position.”
Captain and Rolland both jolt forward. “James, no.”
But he holds his hands up again, focused on me.
“Serving Brayshaw has been a true honor, and the things they have done for my family will never be forgotten, but the Bray in me is telling me it’s time I become a member of our community rather than the monitor of it.”
I flex the muscles of my jaw, glancing to Rolland briefly.
“This is my doing,” Captain interrupts. “You were helping us. You helped protect the granddaughter of the man who first brought your family in.”
James shakes his head. “The very moment I even paused to hear you out, Captain, I knew it was my time to step back.” He turns to me. “At the same time, I also knew I had to do it, for you, and in the name of Brayshaw. You deserved more than what you were getting, you deserved to love freely, something they stole from your mother, and I had to do all I could to try and help.
“However, loyalty is loyalty, and trust ...”
“Must be earned.”
He nods. “We met on a lie, Ms. Brayshaw. In my line of work, there is no coming back from that, and I cannot be what is needed without it.”
I bite into my cheek, staring at the stranger in front of me. I don’t know why, but want to tell him we could try, to ask him to stay and remind him of all the trust he does have here, but the resolve in his eyes begs me not to say a word. This is hard for him, but he’s confident in his decision.
I nod, and he grins, reaching out his hand as if to ask for mine.
I allow it.
“Thank you for accepting,” he says, a deep breath leaving him.
“James,” Rolland starts. “You’re sure?”
He reaches out, gripping Rolland’s shoulder. “When I took over for my father, he told me one decision is all it took for him to know it was time to pass it over. It’s time, Rolland.”
“Your dad was head security?” I ask.
“He was.”
“And it went to you?”
James inhales deeply. “It did.”
“Chloe won’t be gaining your position.”
A chuckle leaves him, and his eyes widen. “Trust me, I know. Maybe, in time, you’ll come to believe in her,” he says, hopefully. “She’s got a lot of work to do before then.”
Rolland motions for the door. “We should step out, they have more to discuss before they can leave.”
The three of them walk out, leaving the five of us in here.
“Raven,” Greyson says slowly. “I understand a lot has happened here, and I am truly sorry for everything Donley put you and your family, your people through, however...” He trails off.
I square my shoulders, shifting to face him better. “I don’t need lead up. Say what needs to be said.”
The man nods. “A new lead does not overpower an old debt. A contract was drawn, a deal made and accepted from two families. We don’t have a lot of rules, but the few we do come with no exceptions.”
“Are you not hearing me?” My head pulls back. “Did you miss everything that happened between that asshole and me? He raped Ravina Brayshaw, the woman he was bringing into his family, and I’m the product of that – a Graven and a Brayshaw. Am I not them getting what was promised?” I shout.
