“Please,” I plead, watching him. Brantley has no other immediate family. His father died when Madison killed him for what he did to her and Brantley as children, and his mother died when he was young. Him having someone, anyone, would have to be better than having no one. “You’re alone, Brantley. Bring someone in.”
His eyes narrow, but his lip kicks up in a devious smirk. He leans over, running his index finger down the side of my face. Chills break out over my skin. “Tsk, tsk…” His fingers grip around my chin as he tilts my face to his. “What makes you think I’m alone.” Why does that statement chill me to the bone?
Our eye contact is broken by a voice I haven’t heard in some time.
“Time’s up. Do it.”
I spin around, my eyes clashing with her figure. Tall, long dark hair, enough makeup on to be classed as a Sephora shop, and heels as high as the shoe that’s shoved up her ass.
Khales.
I clench my jaw, raising to my feet and leaping straight for her. She sees me and for a second, fear flashes through her eyes before she quickly composes herself. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t the little pink haired hobbit.”
“That’s real cute,” I laugh, snarling and coming face-to-face, nose-tip-to-nose-tip with her. “But you and I have unfinished business.”
She grits her teeth. “We are done. I’m with Hector now, or did you forget?” Then she smirks, and I have to physically clench my fists together to stop them from flying straight into her face. “You can’t touch me.” She swings her bored eyes over my shoulder toward Nate and Bishop. “End her. I’ll send the crew after, and boys, you still have a job to do tonight.” She looks around all of them. “And we need it done rather quickly.” She winks at Bishop. “See you all later.” She leaves as quickly as she appeared. I let out a frustrated scream and then swing around to Bishop, who is watching her exit with venom seeping through his eyes.
“How has no one killed that bitch yet?” I scream, my arms flying up around me.
Bishop’s eyes come to mine. “Good question.”
I stomp toward the girl in the cage, gripping the metal and slowly dropping to my knees. “I’m going to get you out, okay?”
She doesn’t answer, her lip trembles.
“What’s your name?” I ask while mentally trying to think of a plan that doesn’t get us both locked inside.
“Bailey. Bailey Rose Vitiosis.”
“Okay, Bailey, well I’m going to get you out.” I stand, swiping the dirt from my knees. Brantley is already watching me. His jaw clenches, and then he rolls his eyes, his strides eating up the distance between us. Oh shit.
“Fine, but I swear to fuck, Tillie, she is your responsibility.” He looks to the new boys who entered, the younger ones. Brantley grins, and it’s the kind of smirk that would disarm the devil.
A couple of the guys share a worried looks between each other, and I could have sworn I saw an Adam’s apple bob every now and then.
“Guess what, boys?” They all look at Brantley. “Looks like you’ll have the honor of having the first Elite King girl in your year group once you actually drop your nuts and get initiated in December.”
“How old is she? How old are they?” If those little shits lied to me…
Brantley laughs, pulling the keys to the padlock out of his pocket. “Sixteen. They have done the first initiation, but they don’t take the second ceremony until December thirty-first, which is when they become official Kings. Since Madison broke history, family had come out to say that they had a daughter and are moving her to Riverside.”
I shake my head, information spilling at the seams, but I drink it up like a thirsty hooker greedy for those tips. “This world is mental.”
“Her name is Bailey, but she’s also called The Raven…”
Interesting. Madison’s ‘gross’ comment makes sense now. “I mean, they look older…”
Brantley rolls his eyes. “You almost fucked a sixteen-year-old. So what.” I’m going to ignore that because it’s Brantley.
“What’s with this Raven chick? Is she going to be a King with them? Or queen, or whatever.”
Brantley turns to face me, his fingers wrapping around my chin. “How have you not figured all this shit out yet, Tillie. You’re fucking smart. Smarter than any girl I’ve ever met.”
“That’s not exactly a compliment, Brantley. You don’t fuck very smart girls.”
“Oh really?” His eyebrow raises, but his half grin is visible.
I ignore it. He continues. “There’s only one queen in this world.”
“Madison.” I nod, already knowing the answer.
Brantley growls in frustration and then presses his index finger to my forehead. “No, not Madison. She’s Bishop’s queen, but that’s all. You are the queen in this world. By right, and by blood.”
What the fuck is he talking about?
He opens the cage door, but the girl is quiet, subdued. He turns to me and gestures to her. “Well, take her back to my house. We’ve still got to do the meet.”
“How? I didn’t drive here. I came with you.”
He shrugs his shoulders, throwing his keys to me. “We’ve got other rides.” I instinctively seek out Nate. Craving his comfort. My insides yearn for him like a bad habit, one that’s worth overdosing on. “He’s gone, Tillie. Stop with the thirsty face.”
I growl, turning around to the girl before spinning back around to Brantley. “Wait!”
He stops, just before he’s about to disappear into the forest. “What?”
“How do I get back?”
He points to the clearing that I came out of. “Just walk straight. It’s not far, obviously.”
I wave him off and then drop down onto my knees to help the girl.
“Sorry. This might hurt.”
I take off the blindfold from her eyes,
