Chapter 17
Reyes
I can’t stand that she has to come back to this place, especially after everything she’s been through.
That panic attack just proves my point. Her past haunts her, and it will continue to haunt her until we get rid of the problem.
This shit ends tonight. I’m tired of seeing the girl I love struggle with something she has absolutely no control over.
“Okay, we have no idea what the fuck is about to go down! So we stick together, got it?” I whisper, squeezing her hand one last time before I let go.
Nodding, I reach for the door handle, but it’s locked.
Guess it wouldn’t be that damn easy. Damien reaches into the duffle and pulls out our lock picking kit.
Opening it, he slides the pieces into the door.
Hearing the distinct click sound, Raven looks up at him in awe.
I swear this girl doesn't realize just how much shit we know. He gives her a cheesy grin and puts the kit back in the duffle. I look at them one more time, hoping they are ready. Taking a deep breath, I turn the handle and the door creaks open. The air smells so musty in here, like the house hasn’t been lived in for years.
Covering my mouth with my shirt, we pile in and Damien shuts the door softly behind us.
“I take it the basement is through the kitchen like most others?” Damien whispers, and I look back as she nods.
“Okay, wait here. We’re going to go check the upstairs area, just to make sure we're in the clear,” I say softly, making my way up the stairs. Damien’s hot on my heels with his hand on my shoulder.
I stop at the first room, reaching down and slowly turning the knob.
The door opens and we sweep the room. Nothing but old furniture and cobwebs.
Moving to the next room, we do the same, except when I open this door, I know exactly who it belongs to.
There’s a purple comforter on the bed, a vanity with her stuff still scattered across it.
We share a look and do a sweep. Still nothing, just a room that looks like it hasn’t been touched in forever.
Walking by the vanity, a picture catches my eye.
Picking it up and using my glove to wipe the dust off to get a better look, Damien walks up beside me.
The picture looks like a younger Raven and beside her is a girl that looks a lot like Naomi.
Sliding it into my back pocket, we walk out and check the last couple of rooms. All clear, not a person or sign of life in sight.
We walk down the stairs to where we left Raven, but of course, she’s not where we left her.
She never listens. Rushing through the kitchen, we see her standing at the basement doorway, almost like she’s too scared to go alone.
I don’t blame her. It’s dark as fuck, plus the most god awful things happened to her down there.
Laying my hand on her shoulder, she jumps and screams, but I put my finger over her mouth so she knows it’s me.
“Jesus fucking Christ. You’re going to give me a heart attack.” She jabs me in the shoulder with her finger.
“Sorry, I wasn’t trying to scare you. Let me go first,” I whisper, walking in front of her.
We walk down the cement stairs, and the temperature definitely drops. I can see fog every time I exhale, and sure, it’s November, but damn, it’s colder down here than outside. Reaching yet another door in this place, Damien shines the flashlight at me.
“I feel like we are about to walk into some kind of setup. No way he told her to come here and there’s not one fucking person in sight. Something feels sketchy here,” I speak low, and Raven’s eyes shoot up to mine.
“He said go back to where it began. That’s here! He has to be here,” she replies, getting louder, and I can tell she’s getting either pissed or scared. Probably both, if I’m being honest.
Before I can turn around to open the door, she pushes through me, grabs the handle, and swings the door open with so much force it hits the wall.
Moving behind her, I start feeling across the wall, trying to find the light.
My fingertips graze the switch and I flip it as she just keeps walking in blindly.
As soon as the lights turn on, we’re all blinded for a second, covering our eyes from the brightness.
“Oh, my God,” she gasps, and that has me slinging my arm down and taking in the sight before me.
What the fuck?! I expected to see my brother here, not him! I glance over at Damien, who’s already looking at me with a questioning glance.
“Marco? What the hell are you doing here? Who did this to you?” she asks, running over to him and falling to her knees.
“Raven? You can’t be here. I’m not sure how I even got here,” he rasps, barely able to speak.
“Naomi has been looking for you,” she says, moving his face side to side to check him over.
Grabbing bolt cutters from the duffle, I rush over and start cutting him loose from the chains.
Once his hands are free, Damien hands him a bottle of water, and he gulps it down.
Jesus, how long has he been here? Since he helped me clean her bike off the road?
After that? This shit makes no goddamn sense.
“I just need to know one fucking thing before I let you leave here alive,” I growl out, gripping his face and forcing him to look at me. “Did you have anything to do with her wreck and almost dying? Or my brother being taken?”
“No, I swear! I’d never hurt Raven or Luis.
She’s become like family to me,” he pleads as tears run down his face.
“I promise you, Raven. It wasn’t me.” He looks at her, and I can tell he’s telling the truth.
She uses her good arm and pulls him against her, holding on to him.
Her body winces, and even though I know she won’t admit it, she’s still sore from her wreck.
I feel like this game we’re playing keeps getting deeper and deeper.
Me and Damien help walk him up the stairs to the kitchen. Raven comes up after and leans against the stove. The look on her face tells me all I need to know. She’s plotting something and God only knows what that is
“What plan is running through that head of yours, Little Devil? You have trouble written all across your face right now,” I ask, and Damien snickers beside me.
The sinister grin she gives me tells me whatever it is we better buckle the fuck up and let Eddie and Zeke know that whatever happens, make it look like an accident.
“I wanna burn it. Set this whole place ablaze and burn it to the ground along with all the memories that go with it,” she says with the most unhinged look on her face. Fuck, maybe that Jameson guy wasn’t so scary after all. I’ve never seen her like this.
“Then let's burn it, baby,” I reply, and Damien cheers, punching the air like that’s the best news he’s gotten all night.
We may have found Marco, but my brother is still out there somewhere, and I won’t rest until we find him.