I skid down the entry, blowing past Captain when he suddenly jolts around the corner.
“Raven!” he shouts, but I keep going.
“Raven Brayshaw, your very own princess, is marrying Captain, as a Graven. I thought it would never happen, that we’d all get together and they wouldn’t show, but it seems... they were so eager to move forward, the two took it upon themselves to speed things along.”
I throw open his classroom door, freezing in my spot when I find Maddoc has his eyes closed, my earbuds in.
My shoulders fall, but like always, he senses my presence. His eyes snap open and he flies to his feet, worry tightening his features.
“...the two married in secret, and have been hiding it for weeks now...”
Maddoc tugs the wires from his ears, his stare quickly snapping around the room before landing back on me.
“...so if you see the newlyweds in the hall, be sure to offer them your belated congratulations ...”
A slow frown forms on Maddoc’s face, his eyes moving between mine.
One last time, Collins’ voice echoes above us, “So, congratulations on your private wedding, Raven and Captain, I hope you get everything you deserve.”
Silence.
Maddoc stares, not saying a word. Not moving an inch.
And no one around us does either, fearful of his wrath should they even breathe, everyone remains stuck where they stand.
In the next second, I’m jolted forward as a chest runs right into my back.
I don’t have to look to know it’s Captain, and with the worst possible fucking timing.
His hand shoots out, wrapping around my stomach to keep me from stumbling.
When he rights me, he freezes, slowly pulling his arms away.
Maddoc starts to shake, his head ticking to the side, like he can’t control it.
But it’s Royce who storms up, pissed off about being lied to, and wraps his brother by the neck, dragging him back into the hall.
I gasp, spinning around to look at them, but quickly whip back to Maddoc.
I walk right up to him, open my mouth to speak, but he jerks his chin, his eyes dulling before me.
“Guess I’m too little too late, huh, snow,” he breathes, a numbness to his words that has my chest caving.
My heart breaks even more when his eye contact does, and he steps around me.
I lash around, following him into the hallway.
He walks straight and tall right past his brothers who wrestle around on the ground, not sparing them a glance.
“Maddoc, wait!” I shout, but my feet are stuck to the floor. Fucking frozen in the spot as betrayal burns from my feet to fingertips.
Victoria steps beside me, looking over at the two who have finally realized their brother is walking away.
They both jump to their feet, neither able to look at me.
I glance to Victoria who shrugs, unsure of what to do.
“Bitch,” comes from behind me.
I spin around ready to fire the fuck off at anyone and everyone, but Chloe slips in, her back to me, face to the girl.
“Jealousy is as ugly as your last season Prada.” Chloe’s chin lifts slightly. “Watch how you talk to a Brayshaw, Camile. I won’t remind you again.”
Chloe doesn’t acknowledge me but spins on her heels and keeps down the hall. “Nothing to see here people, go the fuck away!”
I come out of my stupor and run for the front of the school, the boys’ heavy feet pounding behind me, but it’s too late.
He’s gone.
I drop my head back, looking up at the sky.
Fuck!
Royce shoulders past Captain and starts jogging toward the house.
After a few minutes, Cap ushers me to his SUV.
We drive back to the hotel in silence, both knowing how fucked up this seems, but I can’t find it in me to regret it.
We did this for them, so they wouldn’t have to watch, so Maddoc wouldn’t drive himself mad on our wedding night, playing out what happens after. We planned to tell him, saying it’s over and done and he wouldn’t have to stand beside his brother while he married me.
It was supposed to make things easier.
Now, thanks to Collins, he found out in front of the entire school.
“I changed my mind.”
Fuck.
My chest pulls tight.
What the hell did we do?
He changed his mind, meaning fuck the world, it’s me and him no matter what, just like he promised me?
I let out a shuddered breath.
Fuck!
Captain opens our room door, and we step in, but we only get through the landing before Cap suggests we leave again.
“I think we should take off for a while,” he whispers, almost unconvinced of his own words.
“Leave?”
He nods, moving toward the balcony doors. He turns to face me again. “Just a week, maybe two.”
“It’s been weeks, he hasn’t been around. He just had an extra ten days.”
Cap nods. “I think he needs it, both of them at this point.”
In other words, we fucked them hard today.