Break Me (Brayshaw, #5)

by Meagan Brandy

“I know. Royce knows. That’s why he’s pissed. If you get hurt, it’s on him.” “No—” “Yes,” Captain cuts in.

Me, the throwaway Bray. I soothed her.

I slam my mouth to hers and she gasps, but not a second’s hesitation comes from her. She opens up for me.

Royce takes my lips in a deep, devilish, exhilarating kiss.

Royce kisses me slow, lazy, and long. And somehow, this kiss is more than the ones before. It’s honest. It’s an apology. It’s us. It’s him. It’s more.

Member when I said you were in trouble?” he rumbles. I nod. “Good, ‘cause that shirt? Hiding my mark on your skin?” He raises a brow, bringing his lips to my ear. “I’m gonna tear it to shreds... while it’s still on your body.”

Maddoc pushes her hair over, gripping her chin and bringing her eyes to his.

His other hand comes up to her face, holding her still. “What is it, baby?”

A small puddle of liquid pools around her shoes. The boys freeze, each one of them. Stuck like stone. Unblinking. Unmoving. Doubtfully breathing.

I look to Victoria. She frowns from one to the next, and a sigh leaves her. She glances my way. “You drive?” “Yeah.”

All at once, the boys come out of their state of shock, each shouting the same exact thing at the same exact moment. “Holy shit! The fuckin’ baby!” And then Maddoc passes out.

He rushes to her, his knuckles finding her chin. “Snow?” “You ready for this, Big Man?” she rasps, and fuck me, my brother’s grin.

Victoria gapes at the both of us. “You guys, she’s gonna hurt. She might even scream. Get ready for it.” My brother’s face pales and he shakes his head. “No.”

“Baby.” Maddoc reaches out to touch but her hands shoot up. “The car.” She nods. “Now.” He grabs his girl’s hand and I slip behind them to supervise.

Raven’s eyes find mine, and I step closer. Closer to her, my brother, and their baby.

“Yeah, it was right,” I whisper, holding her eyes. “You did good, RaeRae. He’s perfect.”

Zoey leans over, officially making each and every one of us lose our damn cool when she whispers to her baby cousin for the very first time, “I love you, best friend. So, so much.”

His hand comes up to push my hair back. “You wanna spend your night with me, Tink?” I think I want to spend all my nights with you. I don’t say that. Instead, I answer simply. “Yes.”

“For the record, as far as I’m concerned you were already mine, and baby girl... know that I’m yours.”

I press my lips to his, right there in the middle of the room, and he growls his appreciation, kissing me back just as hard for all to see.

Maddoc reaches over Raven, pulling another coffee mug from the cupboard, and holds it out for me. “Oh... no, I... just no.” I shake my head, spin on my heels and yelp, my hand flying to my chest. Royce grins in front of me. “Scared?”

“Good. Now next time you won’t try to sneak out.”

“You’re adorably wrong, Playboy.”

Yeah, baby, I’m thinking of it too.

Brielle’s voice calls for me, and when I lock my gaze on to hers, everything fades away. She smiles and my chest plate fucking cracks. “Come over here. Zoey said Uncle Bro can teach me how to dunk.”

He distracts Zoey long enough for me to glide my hand into the silkiest, shiniest of hair, hook my fingers through mini belt loops, and lower my lips to a pair of the softest, plush, waiting ones. Wanting ones.

Baby girl, you’re mine.

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.”

Fuck business. That’s my baby.

“It has to be me.” His glare is sharp and instant. “What has to be you?” “To get the proof.” His head tips slightly and then his eyes bug and a hollow, short laugh escapes him. “No. Fuck to the motherfuckin’ no.”

A growled sigh leaves him, and he lifts his hands to wrap them around my neck, his thumbs under my chin and tilting it up.

His mouth lowers to mine, and he kisses me, punishing me for the idea with a gentle nip to my bottom lip.

Royce is right here. He’s watching.

“Tell me you’re not trying to leave.” “I’m not trying to leave,” she whispers. “But you needed a little push to get you ahead in the game.” I dart forward, wrapping my arm around her shoulder, my free hand coming up to the marking on her temple. “I’m so fucking sorry. I didn’t mean... I can’t fucking believe...” “I know.” She grips my wrist, pulling it to her mouth to kiss the edge of my tattoo there.

“I know,” she rasps. “I’m a bastard.” “And I’m going blind.”

“Tell me what happened,” I murmur. “My dad tried to kill me, and I tried to let him,” she admits.

“If Bass hadn’t gotten home when he did, he would have. My brother jumped in front of me. The bullet shot across the side of my head and wedged into the muscle of his shoulder. He fell back, and my dad came forward. He hit me with the barrel, three times is all I remember, but I was told it was five.”

Hurt by a man she should have been able to trust. By a man who was supposed to love her. And by me, a man who does. Fuck.

Baby, you didn’t swing and hit me,” she whispers. “I fell forward and right when you flung your hand back. I fell into it.”

“I love you, and I want to see and talk to you more, like before, but I don’t need you like I need him.”

“I love her more than anyone has ever loved a soul. So much so I don’t even own mine anymore. She does. She said she’s inside me, and she was right. Every fucking bone in my body aches for her. I ain’t afraid to admit anymore that I will be nothing, fucking nothing, without her. I worship that girl.”

Goodbye, baby girl.

You die, I die, baby.

I love you, Royce Brayshaw. Always.

Royce freaking Brayshaw.

She pulls my face down to hers, closing her eyes. “We died together.” “And we were brought back together.”

“Baby girl,” I whisper. “I’ve got another rule for you.” “Let’s hear it, Playboy.” “Love me forever,” I rasp, a deep ache in my body, a heavy need for her now, her tomorrow, her every day after that. “Let me love you forever. Don’t leave me, always want me, and never stop fighting with me.”

“I see you, Royce. Every time I close my eyes, every time the darkness creeps in, there you are.” Her voice cracks. “You’re not the darkness I can’t escape, you’re the light I’ll forever follow. Without you, my sight means nothing, because you’re the only thing I want to see.”

“Oh my god.” “Oh your Royce.”

“I love you, Brielle Bishop. More than the stars love the darkness, and you love me, too.” “More than you’ll ever know,” she whispers. “I could lose my sight overnight, and I’d still have more than I could ever ask for in you.”