Beautifully damaged boxs.., p.60
Beautifully Damaged Boxset, page 60
“River!” He was closer.
I glanced around. “I’m in the front by the water coolers!”
“I’m coming!”
Holden dropped his arms, searching for the male that I had so insistently asked for help finding.
“Do you see him anywhere?” Holden asked, his gaze sweeping the crowd.
“Uh … that’s the thing. I have no idea what he looks like. We’ve never seen each other. He was in the cell next to mine.”
A tormented expression twisted Holden’s face, and he gulped. Almost as quickly as the pain showed, it disappeared, and he pulled himself together. “Okay.” He yelled a few more times to help Reid pinpoint our location.
After what seemed like an eternity, the crowd parted. A tall, gorgeous, muscular guy stood in front of me. “River?”
I knew that voice, but as I looked at him, I lost mine. Speechless, I nodded and cocked my head to the side. I was freaking the hell out. “Holy shit,” I finally managed to say. “Holy, fucking shit.”
Reid smiled, but he hadn’t seen who was standing next to me yet. “No kidding. You’re beautiful.” He squeezed my shoulder before wrapping his arms around me. We clung to each other as the tears fell fast and hard.
“Reid, you’re safe now,” I murmured in his ear. “We’re going home.”
I stepped back and peeked at Holden, who had gone utterly still behind me. I tugged on his hand, leading him to stand beside me.
“Reid, this is Holden, my boyfriend. Holden, this is my friend Reid. He kept me sane while I was here.”
The two stared at each other, unmoving. The air between us became thick and charged, questions demanding to be answered.
My attention bounced between them—same color hair, same brown eyes, same chiseled jawline. The cold hard truth stole my breath.
Holden squeezed my fingers, then spoke in a whisper. “Jesus, I think you might be my brother.”
Chapter Thirteen
Reid blinked a few times, still quiet. He cleared his throat and shoved his hand through his shoulder-length hair. “I think you might be right. How old are you?”
“Twenty-two.”
“Twenty-three … I think,” Reid said.
“Reid has been here the majority of his life.” I looked up at Holden. “I promised he could stay with us. He … he saved my life and kept me sane. He’s important to me.”
From the expression on Holden’s face, I didn’t need to explain anything. He was all in. “Absolutely.” I didn’t miss the hitch in his voice. Something was off, but I was pretty fucking certain he’d just found a brother he had no clue about.
“I’ll pay for the DNA test if you want to find out for sure,” Holden said to Reid.
“I have no idea what that is, but if it tells us if we’re related, then I’m all in.” Reid looked at Holden quizzically. “This is some freaky shit,” Reid said quietly. “I feel like I’m looking into a mirror.”
“Yeah, man. I agree.” Holden’s thumb stroked the back of my hand as he looked at Reid.
I quickly hugged Reid. “We should get checked out and answer any questions.”
“Let me call Zayne and tell him where to meet us.” Holden fished his phone out of his back pocket.
While Holden made the call, I talked to Reid. “When the FBI came to get me, I assumed Anthony had turned on us. I was scared shitless.”
“Me, too. I think they raided the properties farther out first so no one would have the opportunity to run.”
Pressing my lips together, I realized I had a ton of questions. We all did.
“River,” a warm, deep voice said from behind me.
I spun around, identifying Zayne as he walked toward me. He flashed me a huge grin, his green eyes sparkling. As usual, he wore dark pants and a polo shirt with the Westbrook Security logo on it. Zayne had been Holden’s bodyguard first, then, after Tim tried to assault me and we learned about his secret life as an illegal weapons dealer, Zayne had been reassigned to protect me. It was so good to see him.
“Hey, Zayne.” A huge smile eased across my face, and I closed the gap between us. I threw myself at him, hugging him tightly while blurting apologies. “I’m sorry, Zayne. I’m so, so sorry … I’m glad you’re here.”
Zayne returned my embrace, then took a step back and assessed me. “Are you all right? Are you hurt?”
“I’m a lot better now.” I reached over and squeezed Holden’s bicep. “I’m ready to get all of this over with and go home.”
“Let’s do it,” Zayne said, gawking as he glanced behind me.
He didn’t have to say a word. I knew who was standing there. “I would like to introduce you to someone.” I led him in front of the two men.
“Wow.” Zayne didn’t bother masking his surprise as he stared at Holden’s almost-twin.
“This is Reid. He was in the cell next to mine.” The casualness in my tone scared me. It was like I’d introduced a classmate or the next-door neighbor in a residential neighborhood. I had to be in shock.
Zayne and Reid shook hands.
“Brothers?” Zayne asked, his attention bouncing between them.
“We think so. I suppose we could be doppelgangers,” Holden said, his long fingers rubbing his stubbled chin.
“Shit, you’re practically identical. Who’s older?” Zayne crossed his arms over his massive chest, the corded muscles rippling beneath his shirt sleeves.
“I think I am,” Reid said. “But I’m not sure when my birthday is, so I’m not sure.”
I snuggled up to Holden’s side, never wanting to let him go. “Reid is going to stay with us for … as long as he needs.” I peeked up at Holden. The man who hadn’t given up on me. The love of my life.
He tucked my hair behind my ear, then pressed a kiss to my forehead. “We have the space, so it’s no problem.”
I followed Holden’s gaze as Zayne’s brow lifted ever so slightly. Something felt off. I didn’t have the mental capacity to absorb any more information at the moment, but I asked anyway.
“Holden, what is it? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing for you to be concerned about right now. I’ll fill you in later, I promise. First, let’s have you two checked out and debrief with Brian. I’m ready to get the hell out of here.” Holden’s gaze locked with mine, and I allowed myself to get lost in his deep brown eyes.
“Holden, there you are.” A tall, muscular guy broke through the crowd of people and beelined straight to us. A gorgeous blonde was beside him, wearing a huge grin.
She approached me, then said, “You must be River. I’m Sutton, Pierce’s wife.”
“They’re my bosses and best friends,” Zayne added.
“You two are the ones that helped Holden find me? Find us?” I asked, my attention cutting over to Reid.
“The second you went missing, we started the search. You have a lot of people who love you. You’re a lucky girl.” Sutton squeezed my hand.
Once again, I threw my arms around a stranger and hugged her. “Thank you.” I choked on my gratitude. Opal and Kassandra’s words haunted my mind. They were right. Women did trust other women more easily than we did men. Disgust bubbled to life, and I shoved their words to the side.
“We’ll talk more. Once you’re settled, I have a few ladies I’d like you to meet. My sister Claire, for one. Each of them has gone through hell and back, including kidnapping. I think they’ll be good for you. I just want you to know that you’re not alone in this.” A genuine smile spread across her pretty features.
I released her and wiped the moisture from my cheeks. “Thank you.” Turning to Pierce, I stuck my hand out.
Sutton laughed. “It’s fine, you can hug him.”
That was all I needed. I pushed up on my tiptoes and quickly embraced him. “Thank you.” I glanced at Holden, then back to Pierce. “Thank you for helping us.”
“Holden’s a good one, River. He really loves you,” Pierce said.
A blush crept up my neck and across my face. “I really love him, too.”
Sutton gently squeezed Pierce’s arm. “Hon, you embarrassed her.” She winked at me.
“Let’s get you taken care of so we can head to the airport,” Pierce said.
“You had to fly here?” I looked at Holden quizzically. In all the hustle and bustle, it hadn’t occurred to me to ask where we were.
“We’re in California, babe. Pierce flew us down in his plane,” Holden explained.
I froze, reality shaking me to my core. I was states away. They might have never found me. But he did. The little voice in my head reminded me.
“Do you have room for one more?” I looked around, spotting Zayne and Reid chatting a few feet away from us. I pointed at Reid.
Pierce and Sutton followed my finger. I watched them as their shock registered, then slipped away.
“Who the hell would have thought you had a relative in this hellhole,” Pierce said to Holden, massaging the back of his neck.
“No fucking idea. I had a lot of nightmares where a kid kept calling out to me, but I hadn’t expected to find my doppelganger. Well, possibly a brother I don’t remember.”
Sutton pulled herself together. “We have plenty of room. Is there anyone else we need to help?” she asked me.
I liked this lady. She had to be pretty awesome if she owned a security company and was close to Zayne and Vaughn. I suspected she could hold her own with the guys.
“I never met anyone else. Reid was in the cell next to me. We never saw each other until today,” I explained softly. “He kept me sane while trying to prepare me for training. I don’t think I would have made it through without him.”
“If he did that for you, then he’ll have whatever he needs,” Pierce said.
I hoped that the support would ease Reid’s mind about starting a new life. I knew first-hand how scary it was.
The afternoon turned into nightfall, and I shivered from the chill in the air. The EMTs were super nice and talked me through the checkup. Once they’d asked me questions and taken my vitals, they released me. Holden wrapped his arms around me as soon as I was finished.
The stars lit the black sky, and a full moon cast a golden glow over the field where I was questioned by Brian and another FBI agent over the next several hours. I’d shared how I’d been kidnapped, the hole I’d lived in for days beneath Barrett’s home, and the kids I witnessed being abused. I also mentioned Becky-Michelle was involved. Before I had the opportunity to share about Kassandra and Opal, the agents were called away to another area of the compound. That piece of information would have to wait. Plus, I had to figure out how to tell Holden his family was behind the sex ring. In this case, it might be best to rip off the Band-Aid. He would have a million questions, and I needed some sleep before we tackled that conversation. The rest of our meeting would happen at Pierce and Sutton’s place the following day.
Although Holden stuck by my side and listened intently, the recap of some of the details had shaken him up. Verbalizing what I’d lived through had ripped me to shreds. I wasn’t sure how I made it through other than dreaming about Holden and having Reid’s friendship.
When I was finished sharing my account for the day, Holden sent a group text to let Jace, Chance, and Brynn know the FBI had found me. His phone immediately blew up with responses. My chest swelled with love for my friends. I couldn’t wait to see everyone and introduce Reid.
From what Brian had said, they had rescued hundreds of sex slaves. A cry escaped me as I witnessed an agent carrying a little girl. She rested her head on his shoulder. Her blonde hair was tangled, and her blue eyes held a blank expression. She couldn’t have been more than nine years old. I hoped Kassandra and Opal burned for fucking eternity for what they’d done.
The more reality sank in, the more my heart hurt. I wasn’t sure I could tell Holden or anyone about Barrett’s assault. It broke me to know that I was one of the lucky few here. I’d only endured Barrett and the abortion. I hadn’t been beaten and raped over and over. Anxiety skated down my spine at the thought of Barrett. Maybe tomorrow I could ask Brian where he, Opal, and Kassandra were being held.
A little after eleven that evening, we climbed into the Westbrook Security Mercedes. Holden and I took the backseat while Reid hopped into the front passenger seat. It was nice to have Zayne with us again.
Once we were on the road, I stared out the window, seeing trees and the landscape for the first time. My ride here, I’d been unconscious, then I woke up in the hole beneath Barrett’s house. The only thing I’d seen was the large field and homes on the property when Michelle dragged me to one of the buildings with the trainers.
Holden reached over and released my seatbelt, pulling me into his lap.
“Zayne isn’t going to let us ride like this. It isn’t safe.” I slipped my hand around the back of his neck and kissed him gently. “Plus, I stink. I desperately need a shower.”
“I don’t care about any of that. I fell in love with you the moment I found you in the recycling bin. You were dirty and needed a shower then, too.”
I leaned my forehead against his, turning my head toward Zayne when he spoke.
“Holden, stretch your legs out on the seat, then let her sit between them. It will be safer that way,” Zayne said, his green eyes connecting with mine from the rearview mirror.
I slid onto the leather while Holden unbuckled and settled in. I rested my back against his muscular chest, and he wrapped his arms around me.
“I’m never going to let you go again,” he whispered.
“I’m so sorry, babe. I’m so sorry I put everyone through hell.” I peered up at him. The love in his expression was deep and unconditional. I melted into him, allowing his feelings to penetrate my soul and begin to heal the pain.
“I refused to give up. I love you, River. I would have torn the world apart to find you.” He smoothed a stray hair from my face and pressed a kiss to my temple. He gently placed his hand on my lower abdomen. “By the way, I found the pregnancy test in your purse.”
Tears streamed down my cheeks, and I buried my head in his neck. “Holden,” I whispered, my body trembling against him as I began to release the agony of losing the baby. I hadn’t allowed myself to think about it in the cell. I had to stay sharp and calm, and the realization of what those monsters had done to me …
He rubbed my back, allowing me to process a bit of the chaos that was running amok in my mind. I raised my head and placed my lips against his ear. “I realize we have a lot to talk about, and I promise I’ll tell you everything later. But for now, all you need to know is that I lost our baby.” I wanted to apologize to him again, but I already had multiple times. There was nothing else to do other than grieve together.
Holden leaned to the side, cupping my chin. His jaw clenched, and I suspected that he was trying to remain calm.
“You can tell me later, but I love you, and regardless of if we have a baby now, in five years, or never if that’s what you want, the fact that you’re in my arms again is good enough for me. Don’t apologize for something that was out of your control, babe. There’s no need to.”
I nodded, then he kissed me tenderly. Resting against him again, I allowed myself a deep breath. Peeking into the front of the vehicle, I realized that Reid and Zayne were also talking. I was glad that Zayne was taking to Reid so quickly. I hoped Brynn, Jace, and Chance would too.
My eyelids grew heavy as the gentle rise and fall of Holden’s chest eased my mind. Then, it hit me.
“Wait, back up. Five years from now?” He had his future planned out already? Our future?
A chuckle rumbled through him. “We have the rest of our lives to figure out if and when we want a family.”
I snuggled into him again, a smile on my face. “I like the sound of that.” After he learned what had happened, I hoped like hell he would still feel the same about me and that future he’d planned.
Chapter Fourteen
The flight home was quiet. Everyone was exhausted and slept on the way back to Washington. I sat between Holden and Reid, holding onto Holden’s hand. I kept looking at him, hoping he wouldn’t suddenly fade away like he had in my dream during the abortion.
Reid continued to run his fingertips along the buttery, cream-colored leather seats. I was in awe of the gorgeous plane as well, but my brain wasn’t soaking in the details like Reid’s was. We dipped and bounced with some turbulence, and Reid’s knee began to bounce. He calmed down after Holden explained to him what was happening. A part of me wondered if it would be fun witnessing Reid explore his new surroundings, or if it would continue to break my heart. I had to figure out a way to cope with the situation and with my guilt. Even though I’d lived through hell, I hadn’t lived through the same hell he had.
We landed at the Spokane airport a little after two in the morning. Sutton and Pierce had offered for us to stay at their house, but Holden and I had politely declined. We needed to help Reid settle in and have some privacy. Brian wouldn’t meet us at Pierce’s place until the following day in the late afternoon, so we might be able to grab a few hours of sleep. I wasn’t sure I would be able to, but I’d try.
Once again, we climbed into a Westbrook Security-owned Mercedes and buckled in for the last leg of the trip. Holden’s club was only twenty minutes away. My head throbbed with the idea of walking back into the same place from where I’d been abducted. Anxiety hummed beneath my skin, and my grip on Holden’s hand tightened.
I glanced up at him.
“Hey, it’s okay.” He stroked my cheek with the pad of his thumb. “Now that we’re in Spokane, I need to tell you something.”
I shifted in my seat, facing him. “What is it?”
Holden massaged the back of his neck and sighed. “While you were gone, the club … it caught on fire. Everything is gone, babe.”
“What?” I screeched a little too loudly. I shook my head in disbelief. “We … you lost everything?” This wasn’t what I’d wanted to happen. I wanted to move forward, return to work, and live in the penthouse. Just not yet. A sudden and unexpected relief washed over me. My expression must have given me away.
