My pulse kicks higher at being singled out with these people around. My name hasn’t been said out loud in here. They have no fucking clue who I am and what would happen to them if they decided to act like brave little bitches and start a pointless fight for the sake of dick measuring. While I’d love to put someone in their place right now, I’ve got a lot of tension to burn, I need out of this fucking shit today.

Or maybe I’m fucking trippin’ from being in here three days with no contact and he simply called on the first eyes he locked with.

I take my time standing and slowly shuffle toward the door, the clinking of other inmate’s shackles echoing behind me.

They put these fucking cuffs on that bound at the wrist, a thin chain hanging down and connecting at the ankles, making it awkward to walk and cutting my strides in half. It’s infuriating.

I stand facing a door and my senses kick in.

He just fucking tucked me into a corner and expects me to stand here blind. I don’t fucking think so.

I start to turn when a hiss hits my ear.

“Do. Not. Turn around.”

My muscles lock, my shoulders stiffening.

“Stay perfectly fucking still or we’re made.”

“The fuck?” I hiss back, but he silences me.

“There’s no one behind me, someone’s causing commotion, but I only have a minute before the rest are in line and you’re brought into the courtroom. Give a tight nod if you were left alone?”

I do as he asks.

“Good. I asked for it, sorry for the no communication but I didn’t want your brothers stepping in and trying to speed up the process. I made them keep you waiting until my lawyer could get me here.”

I frown at the old wood in front of me.

“It took a lot of work, a lot of money and promises, but I’ll be reviewed for a parole release today.”

“Dad— ”

“I’m sorry to spring this. This isn’t normally how these things work, but it’s the only way. Things are moving quicker than planned, and I need to be home now more than ever.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” I snap quietly.

“Shh. You’ll understand soon.”

“All right, the rest of you, in line!” the officer shouts behind us and my dad curses.

“They’re out there for you, son,” he whispers.

Annoyance flares. It’s not right to catch them off guard like this.

Cap is gonna freak if this goes how our dad clearly has planned. He’ll be forced to tell him he has a daughter he hid from him for the last two, almost three years. Cap will worry this will affect the little visitation he does have with Zoey.

But the irritation can only get so far before it’s replaced with anxiousness.

If they’re here, she will be, too. And if she’s not, something is wrong.

This also means my dad will see her. With all the shit going wrong lately, there’s no fucking way he hasn’t linked it directly to our newcomer. If he tries to push her out, I’ll push back for the first time in my life.

If she’s even here.

The door is pulled open and I bounce my shoulders quickly before we’re ushered through a narrow walkway and then straight into the open courtroom. My eyes immediately find them.

Four rows back, three seats over.

And my baby is here.

Her eyes fly across my face and form and she breathes a visible sigh of relief her head dropping to Captain’s shoulder a second when she finds I’m in one piece. Untouched.

No one can hurt me, baby.

I meet Cap’s eyes and he nods. Royce tips his chin.

And then I tense, wondering if they’ll spot him behind me, but when I turn around and face forward, being the first to walk out and first to reach my seat, I see he isn’t there, but another inmate instead.

I tip my head back to look down the line as discreetly as possible.

He’s not there.

My brows meet at the center and I face forward.

In the next second, the judge is announced, and she jumps straight to it.

She picks up the first file and flips it open.

Her eyes pop up instantly, a quick shift of her features as her face pulls tight.

Guess I’m up first.

I can’t hold still, and spin in my chair and meet Captain’s, then Royce’s stare and their brows snap in.

Raven shifts in her chair, turning to whisper something at Royce.

“Forward, now.” The guard walks over to give his demands and I clench my teeth, forcing myself to listen to this prick.

Bet he’s tight with my dad but has to act all fucking bad out here, like he’s the boss. Like what he says goes.

He’s got on a pair of twenty-five-hundred-dollar Valentino boots, and a fucking Shinola watch ... with a sixty-dollar mandated uniform.

He’s on someone’s payroll.

And this isn’t me judging. This is Brayshaw.

“First case this morning: Maddoc Brayshaw. Charged with assault and breaking and entering.”

I stand, making way the few feet forward to stand behind the desk as instructed.

Her hands shake slightly as she reads over whatever is in front of her, her shoulders visibly relaxing in the next second.

“Your case has been dismissed and no charges filed. Please, sir, wait for your paperwork and move back to your seat.” She dismisses me and before I can even turn around, she’s picking up the next file.

I glance at my family as I make my way to the clerk stamping some shit on my paperwork and they smile at me, but my brows pull in when I see a guard slipping into the row behind them, dropping to whisper in their ear.

Cap’s brows furrow and Royce’s stare slices back to mine in question.

I give a tense nod.

This has to be about Dad.

I’m pushed through the side door right as they stand and shimmy past the others seated beside them.

The door clicks and I turn, coming face to face with my dad.

I don’t often get to stand near him, the few times he allowed us to visit, he’s usually already sitting at the table once we’re cleared to come in, and contact isn’t allowed so there’s no hugging and shit. Not that he’s a hugger.

Hell, he could be, I’m not really sure, it’s been so long.

Standing with him now, it’s strange.

We’re almost the same height, but he’s got me beat by an inch. His build is the same as mine, though. Solid muscle without the fullness like Captain’s or the trim cuts Royce has. We’re more tapered around the edges.

Same green eyes, same dark hair only his is lined with silver edgings.

The door we entered through slammed again and I snap back to reality.

“Son,” he nods, looking me over just the same as I did him.

He nods to the guard in the room who quickly comes over and uncuffs me.

“I had your paperwork processed early, that was more for formality and to get your brothers here. It’s happening right now, they’re bringing them to the hearing room down the hall as we speak.”

The bag with my clothes in it is handed to me.

We’re about to be forced to listen to our dad, innocent or guilty, talk about why he, a convicted rapist, should be set free.

Raven has to hear this.

Suddenly I wish I could warn them, not that they’d go if I did.

“It’s fucked up, you’re making us watch this,” I speak my mind.