Chapter
I pull outside the familiar house belonging to Simon Mansbridge.
Royal is a ready to jump out and storm the house.
The inside light of a car at the side of the road comes on, then the door opens.
A tall guy gets out of the passenger side; I can’t see his face until he passes under a streetlight.
Wow! This man is beautiful. I shake my head to clear my thoughts because we’re here to find Memphis, not ogle blond god-like creatures.
The car speeds away, but I manage to get a look at the driver, someone for me to check up on later.
It’s not a normal reaction in a search for a missing friend.
We exit the vehicle, then Royal’s speaking to Finn while I sort out getting into the dark, supposedly empty house. It doesn’t take me long to get inside. With the two men behind me, I take a moment and listen, my training kicking in again.
“He’s here.” I take the stairs and stop outside a room that has a dim light coming under the door.
As I open the door, my hand snakes around to look for a light switch that will bathe the room in light.
We find Memphis on the floor; in a state I’ve only seen before in torture rooms. He’s alive, but so seriously battered that it’s hard to know if there’s anywhere to touch to comfort him.
I let Royal approach and go call for an ambulance and the police. They need to be out catching Mansbridge before I go after him.
Royal goes with Memphis in the ambulance.
“I’ll meet you there,” I tell him, then turn to Finn, allowing myself the opportunity to look at him properly.
The guy is a wreck. “It’s Finn, right? We haven’t had chance to introduce ourselves.
I’m Drake, one of Royal’s brothers. Would you like a ride with me—to the hospital, I mean.
Not just a random ride. Oh god, stop me from talking. ”
Finn manages to lift the corner of his lips in the tiniest smile. The pale, tear-stained face warms a little. “Thank you, that’s kind of you.”
“Not a problem. I’m sure you want to be close to your friend.” I make small talk for a while, wanting him to be comfortable with me before I ask him about the guy in the car. “You’ll have to tell me the way.”
“What? Oh, yeah, sure. It’s signposted once you get out on the main roads.” He’s still distracted, and I’m not surprised. It’s been traumatic for all of us.
“Why did your friend shoot off like a rocket?” I ask casually, not wanting to make our conversation sound like an interrogation.
“That was Matt, my boyfriend. Or he was. I’m not sure why he came back after I threw him out. I mean, he’s the reason Memphis is back here again. If I was him, I would’ve kept well away.”
“Maybe he didn’t want to face Royal.”
He shrugs. “Maybe. Do you think Memphis is going to be okay? I’ve never seen anyone so badly beaten. I don’t think there’s a part of him that isn’t bruised. I should have looked for him earlier. I could’ve saved him.”
“There is no one to blame for this except Mansbridge,” I say coldly as my anger rises again.
“Not even Royal? He did come up and antagonise him.” He twists in his seat. “Were you part of that farce?”
He’s hostile, and I can’t blame him. Hindsight is always 20/20. I agree we were wrong; our actions will have contributed to his maniacal state. “Would it be a better if I told you I didn’t agree with him staying away from Memphis?”
“No. It would’ve been better if you’d stopped him from coming at all. He was a total wreck, almost drank himself into a coma. I don’t think I could be as forgiving as him.”
I stay quiet for a while, watching for the road signs for the hospital to come up. Finn doesn’t try to make any conversation. It’s stupid o’clock, and it won’t be too long before dawn breaks and another day starts. It’s been a long time since I’ve be up for over twenty-four hours.
“Are you in the lifestyle too?” Finn suddenly asks, turning to face me. “Memphis said you left home and joined the army when you were really young, like straight from school. You’re only a couple of years older than us. How come you’re all like top secret agent-y?”
“That’s a lot of personal questions to somebody you’ve only just met,” I can’t help but smile.
I feel so much older than them. I’ve seen and done so much more than most twenty-nine-year-olds.
I’m not sure I’m ready to divulge my secrets, even if he is totally my type.
The clue he’s given me is using the word ‘too’, does that mean like my brothers and Memphis, or like him.
I decide to act clueless for at a least until he’s shared more. “What lifestyle?”
He stiffens before turning back to face the front. “Turn right at the roundabout, then the entrance to the A of course, I’m coming.
You go in. I’ll park and come find you.” I drive off to find a parking space.
Thanks to the ridiculous time of day, the car park is virtually empty.
I jog back to the entrance and push the door open.
The time of day never matters in an emergency room.
The lights are bright, and the sound of voices, some giving orders, some crying, some in pain is loud.
I’ve always hated these places. As I scan the waiting area, my attention is grabbed by Finn standing up, waving at me.
“Have you found out anything yet?” I ask, dropping down into the seat next to him.
He shakes his head. “No, they won’t tell me; I’m not family,” he says unhappily. I think the events of the day, night—whatever it is now—is getting to him. He looks exhausted.
“I’ll go and ask.” I pat his leg, feeling solid muscle beneath his jeans.
The heat makes my fingers tingle with a spark I haven’t felt for a long time before running up my arm, even Rafe was more a slow burn than an instant heat, not at first anyway.
I catch his eye, and I’m sure he felt it, too, and what?
Did he just wink at me? As I stand up, he follows.
Just as we reach the reception, one of the double wide doors opens, and my brother comes out.
He searches the room for us. “Royal,” I call out, not raising my voice too much.
I know he’ll hear me. God, he looks terrible.
His eyes are red and puffy from crying; his shoulders droop like he’s about to fall to the ground.
“How is he?” Finn beats me to it. We stand shoulder to shoulder as Royal reaches us. Automatically, I open my arms for him, and he falls into the embrace. His head on my shoulder, he sobs out his pain and anguish.
“Imagine the worst thing that could ever happen, then multiply it by a million, and you might be getting close. The doctors need to do a rape assessment. His knee is dislocated; he needs surgery to fix that. He stomped on it, the bastard. They’ll operate on it when he’s more stable, and his concussion is really bad.
He’ll go up to a room soon. The police want to talk to him, but he’s not making much sense.
” He sighs heavily, the weight of what has happened on his shoulders.
“What do you want from me?” I ask. “Tell me how I can make this better?”
He looks lost as he blinks slowly. “I don’t think even you can fix this, brother.”
He’s right.