Chapter 53
EMRIS
I find Jasper in the same area as before, but he’s pulling at his hair as his eyes search, panic lining his whole body.
“Jasper, come on! We have to go! Now!” I shout at him to get his attention, and when he looks at me, I can see the hurt and heartbreak all over his face.
He’s known nothing but these men since before he can remember.
They have ruined his life, made him think he was below them, like they were some kind of gods, and I vow to myself right now to make sure he heals and gets the justice he deserves.
I know it’s more than that though. Way more to his story than I know and may ever know, but there was definitely something between him and that girl.
The thought of leaving the one person he loves the most is enough to break a grown man—I should know. But we can’t stay. Not with the bloodshed going on around us.
“I know you don’t want to leave her, man, but we can’t stay.” I try to reason with him once more, but he only shakes his head. The sound of guns blasting grows closer in the distance, giving me very little time to convince him to get into the car.
“Emris, I-I can’t leave her.” The sound of pure pain laces his words, and I want nothing more than to storm through every single room with him until we find her.
And—fuck, that’s exactly what I have to do.
No one could stand in the way of Brielle and me, so it wouldn’t be fair of me to make him leave her here.
But Brielle—I can’t leave her, either. And if I leave Jasper, there’s a chance he might not make it out again.
Killian runs toward us, worry on his face as he takes in the look between me and Jasper.
“Let’s go,” he says, but I shake my head. I nod to Jasper, who looks like he’s seconds away from a mental breakdown.
“We can’t leave her,” I say, but my eyes dart to where Brielle is, and thankfully, I can see the front end of the SUV from here—she needs me.
But so does Jasper.
So does the woman he loves.
Killian must see the issue written all over my face as he says, “Go. I’ll help Jasper look for her. Archer will take you guys right to the hotel where a doctor is waiting for you both.”
I nod before walking over to Jasper, gripping his shoulder. I need to know he’ll come back with Killian regardless. He needs to know he has somewhere safe to go.
“Killian will help you look. I need you to promise me something.” Jasper looks at me, but he doesn’t seem present, like he’s somewhere far, far away.
“Promise me that you’ll leave after clearing all the rooms. That you won’t fight Killian when he leaves.
” Jasper stares at me before giving me the smallest nod.
“If you don’t find her, you come back with Killian, Jasper.
We won’t stop until we find her. Dead or alive.
Do you understand me?” I ask, and he gives me another small nod.
“You helped me when I needed it the most, let us help you now,” I tell him as Killian squeezes my shoulder and motions to the car as Archer yells.
“Hurry the fuck up! We’ve got to get the hell out of here.”
I look back at Jasper and Killian before turning and pulling open the door where Brielle is.
“Peter?” I ask, needing to know if anyone has seen him.
“Still missing. Either dead or snuck out at some point when everything started. I haven’t seen many of the girls, but we won’t stop looking for her until we’ve cleared every room,” Killian tells us with a determined look on his face.
With a final nod, I watch the two of them walk back into the chaos.
I climb into the back seat and wrap my arms around Brielle’s bruised body.
She’s mildly out of it, but conscious. My jacket is draped over her shoulders, but her whole body still wracks with nerves.
Whether it’s from the drugs in her system or because she’s scared, I’m not sure, but I pull her closer anyway.
She lays down on the seat, her head in my lap, and I run my fingers through her hair. I can feel the second the tears start leaking down her face. She sobs into my lap, and fuck, does it break my heart. My baby is broken, and it’ll be my mission to put her back together until she’s whole again.
My eyes track over the exposed skin on her legs, and even with little to no light, I can see the trauma to her body.
Bruises and cuts litter her, and if Susie wasn’t dead already, I’d kill her…
again. I press my lips to each one within my reach as I try to keep the tears building behind my eyes at bay.
She should never have gone through this.
I should’ve never brought her into my life.
All of this happened because of me, and if I were a good man, I’d let her go, but I’m not, so I’ll spend the rest of my life making up for this, but she’s not leaving my goddamn side.
From now on, I’ll be her shadow. Everywhere she goes, I’ll be right behind her. There will be no being apart again. Not in the slightest. Her safety is my only care in this world now.
“Emris,” she cries, and I hold her closer. “Please, please don’t—” She hiccups in between each word, and the pain in her voice breaks the dam. Tears stream freely down my own cheeks, and I hold onto her for dear life as if letting go would make her disappear again. “Don’t let go.”
“I’m not going anywhere, baby.” I press my lips to her head before tightening my hold on her. Probably too tight.
I catch Archer’s eyes in the mirror, and I know this is just as hard for him. Ever since their friend got taken, he made a promise to Killian that they’d find her, and they haven’t yet. It’s been years now.
We were lucky that the warehouse Peter was working out of was closer this time, or the outcome might have been a lot different.
“I got you, baby. You’re safe now,” I whisper in her ear, saying reassuring things until her tears dry up and she falls asleep.
The drive to the hotel is about an hour away, so I let her sleep, knowing that when she wakes, it’s going to be a whole new battle. But this time, I’ll be right there to remind her that she’s safe.
Always.