Hide, Don't Seek

Chapter 14~

The ride to our meeting was uncomfortably tense. I’m not mad at Even, per se, I’m just hurt- no, shocked- I guess. I’ve been dreaming and wanting and hoping for Bea for so damn long.

I didn’t know she was even ‘entertaining’ hook-ups. I mean, not that it’s a bad thing, women can do whatever they want but, fuck. Maybe I would have asked her out or something had I even had an inkling that she was down. Maybe. Probably not. Ok, I wouldn’t have because I want it all; her all. She’s clearly just… playing? I’ve shared women with the guys before, but I don’t know, it’s Bea. Sweet, quiet, hurting Bea.

“...these bastards have been meeting women all over. Rapes them within an inch of their lives, then writes whatever disgusting slur about their physical appearance they feel describes them, before leaving them on their doorstep.” Charlie’s beastly growl breaks me out of my head and forces me to focus back on our meeting.

“How do you know this is the guy? Or guys?” Even asks, combing through the data we pulled up on our tablets.

Charlie leans over and clicks a few buttons before a new window on the screen opens. “All of the women used various online apps to talk with just one of them. Same stories: one male, sweet, charming, you know…” He shakes his head with a shrug before sighing heavily. “But, the women all say more than one man showed. And, they all had something in common…”

I have barely finished reading the data before Danny chimes in, “Role play?”

Charlie nods, his stern voice clipped as he says, “Not just any role play.” He clears his throat, but before he can continue, Even grits through his teeth, “Primal play! He’s turning their desires into actual fear?!” Even bangs the wooden table we’re sitting at, hard enough that it vibrates through the rest of us. Of course, he’s pissed. Even likes primal play, a lot. But he’s also a pleasure Dom. I’ve lived with them long enough to know and understand that Even would never willingly hurt someone unless it brings them pleasure.

But, even he has limits.

I look over at Danny to see how he’s handling this; knowing this is probably beating him down, too. Danny always has a hard time with the cases about women being mutilated. He was forced to watch his mother tortured and killed because of his piece of shit sperm donor.

His eyes are laser-focused, and his breathing is steady and perfect. If you didn’t know better, you would have no idea that Danny’s beast is in charge right now. But, we can tell. The way his pocket knife travels across his knuckles, and the way his eyes have darkened as he probably pictures the hell he wants to rain down on these men, are his only outward tells.

My laptop pings in front of us, causing me to flinch and Danny to scowl. Charlie raises a brow and nods his chin, silently commanding me to check the alert.

It was easier to just bring my laptop and start running trackers while we combed through information on the tablets. I have so many applications running that I’m surprised my system hasn’t fried. Crimson Knights, Bea, this asshat, and about a dozen others.

I click on the little notification panel on the bottom right of my screen and my eyes widen. “Fucking dumbass. We’ve got ‘em!” I exclaim, tapping the screen a little harder than I should.

Twirling the laptop around so everyone can see, I explain, “I knew this guy was probably bouncing his IP address all over the place so I had the system track patterns, hoping I could get into a back door. I also narrowed down parameters for male app users for various dating or hookup sites.” With another click, I bring up the next page. “There’s his IP address. He just logged on.”

Charlie looks up at me; the hope we can catch these guys soon hanging heavy in the air. He doesn’t even need to say the words. With a nod, I turn the laptop back around and begin clackin’ away. I can feel everyone’s heavy stares boring into me but I live for this. Following little cookie crumbs back to the big bad wolf’s house. No one talks. No one moves. With the exception of the waves crashing against the shore, there are no sounds. Most people have already left the area in favor of home or bars so, it’s just us.

“Fuck yeah!” I exclaim, slamming my hand on the table. “Gotcha, bastard.” A few more keystrokes and…

“I’ve got the new messages. They’re meeting tonight.”

“Find out who and let’s get going. Try to get her info to warn her. Now!” Charlie abruptly stands and takes off for the truck; leaving the rest of us to grab our things and catch up.

If there’s a chance, albeit a small one, to save this woman, we have to move fast. I’m walking as fast as I can while balancing my computer on one hand. My other hand dances across the keyboard as I work my way into the app”s system to pull up the woman”s info.

But, when I click on her profile, I freeze.

All the air whooshes out of me instantly as my brain tries to connect the dots. There are so many dots. It doesn”t make sense. It can”t b-

“Stu! Fuck! Stu, what is it?” Even must sense something; all the things. I don’t fucking know but when he goes to grab my arm to get me to move, my eyes shoot up and meets his gaze.

Four seconds. It takes four seconds for him to see whatever my brain is showing through my eyes.

Charlie honks the horn impatiently but I can’t seem to move. It’s like I’m frozen in space and time. Even grabs the computer away from me and roughly shoves it into Danny’s hands. When did he get here?

When he turns to face me, he puts both of his big hands on my shoulders and gently squeezes. “Stu. Whatever it is, we have to go. Now. I need you to snap out of it if we have any chance of saving this girl.”

His stern yet gentle voice helps bring me back into my body. I feel tears brimming in my eyes and before I can even share what I learned, Danny roars, “He’s meeting fucking Beatrice?! Get in the GODDAMN car, NOW!”

And that’s what I needed. Danny doesn’t curse. Like, almost never. It was the last push I needed to come back to myself. Blinking a few times and shaking my head, I nod and sprint towards the car with Even.

Once all of the doors slam shut, Charlie’s gunning it. Danny looks at my computer and rattles off an address I’m not totally familiar with, but it’s close to where Bea lives. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Even, who’s in the front passenger seat, looks over at Charlie and winces. “We’ll drive back and get your bike tomorrow.”

Charlie shakes his head in response. “Didn’t even think about it. Just knew we had to move.” His tone is quiet and deadly; clearly not caring about his bike over the possibility of saving someone.

Even grunts in approval before he turns towards me, locking his eyes on mine. The rage and terror in his eyes mirror the way his body vibrates; like he’s physically holding himself back from going off. “Explain.” To anyone else, the animalistic growl through his gritted teeth would have probably sounded like an immediate threat of danger. But, I know him better than that. He’s in shock, pissed, and very protective over people he cares about. Clearly, Bea already has him wrapped around her finger if he’s gone E-Hulk over her.

Danny passes back my computer and I start filling everyone in on what I’ve found. While we’re excited we may catch the guy, we’re also very aware that we’re about an hour and a half away from the address.

And he’s supposed to be there in an hour.