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There was no reason for us to confront them until necessary. If we made too much noise, we could alert Lyle to our presence. Backtracking, Gideon and I found ourselves back at the door we started at. The hallways and rooms were fairly dark, with the building seeming to run on limited power, likely another way to not draw attention.
Without an idea of where to go, we went down the hall that Cain had taken. Suddenly, all the main lights came on in the building. The surprise had me pulling my weapon. Standing back and to back with Gideon, we waited for any sort of attack that could be coming. When no one seemed to attack, we slowly began to move again.
A vibration in my pocket had me hesitating and pulling out my phone. Cain’s name was on the screen, and I quickly answered.
“Hmm?”
“I found her. But you need to get here. Send someone to my car for the keys in the glove box. She’s in handcuffs.”Cain was speaking rapidly and quietly.
“Got it. I’m headed to you.”I clicked end and turned to Gideon.
“Go back to the car. Keys in the glove box. Need them. Be quick. Cain found her,”I said.
Gideon started to turn down the hall instead of toward the door. I grabbed his arm and made him swing back to me.
“I know you need to get to her, but we need the keys. She’s handcuffed. We don’t know her mental state. I need to do this.”
After everything that had gone wrong with Brooklyn and me, my insides were screaming to save her, to fix it, to protect. So much of what caused her to leave was my fault. I had agonized over how I would ever make it up to her. It could already be too late, but I wouldn’t let myself think about that.
Gideon’s face took on a desperate look, and he pleaded with me without words. I just motioned toward the door and took off at a run down the hall. I knew Gideon would get the keys because we needed them for Brooklyn. I could barely breathe as I ran, looking for the door that was open.
When I found the room, I froze just inside, taking in the scene in front of me. A man was crumpled in a corner, looking knocked out, so I didn’t spare him more than a glance. At the wall, Cain was crouched, with a hand out as if he was approaching a wild animal. Against the wall, in a tiny ball, was a naked Brooklyn. Her arms trapped behind her, she tried to stand, but collapsed again. She was begging, but her voice didn’t sound right and when I got closer, I saw why. Her throat was ringed with dark purple bruises.
White hot fury shot through my system as I took in her injuries. I couldn’t even speak, my own voice trapped in my throat that felt like it was closing. Cain looked up at me as I approached. All of a sudden, Brooklyn’s eyes locked on me and she burst into tears and slumped against the wall.
“Aiden…Aiden,”she cried through her tears.
Snapping out of my ice, I ripped off my shirt and crouched in front of her. I pulled the fabric over her head, to at least coverher as best as I could, before carefully reaching down to pull her into my lap. Her blonde hair was matted and blood stained in places. There was a piece of fabric tied around one of her thighs and it was blood soaked. I feared what was under it.
Cain had left, keeping guard at the door. Brooklyn tried to burrow into my chest, but when I lifted my arms around her, she froze. I carefully laid my hands on my thighs, allowing her to take the comfort she needed, however she could. Heavy footsteps behind me caused Brooklyn to shoot away from me and land in a heap on the ground again.
“Sweetheart, no, it’s ok.”I reached out to help her up.
When Brooklyn was able to see who had approached, she began to cry again in earnest. Gideon rushed to her, immediately pulling out the keys and going behind her to release her wrists. She cried out in pain as her arms dropped. Carefully, I helped her thread her arms through my shirt, and Gideon immediately scooped her into his arms.
“We need to get her to the hospital,”I said, my voice feeling thick in my throat.
“There’s going to be questions,”Gideon replied.
“Fuck the questions. She needs a doctor.”
Brooklyn had laid her head on Gideon’s shoulder, and seemed to pass out. I touched her cheek lightly, and she jumped. When she opened her eyes and was reminded she was safe, she relaxed again. Gideon and I made eye contact over her head, and I could read the pain all over him.
We made our way to the doorway just as Oliver and Jaxon appeared. Oliver had a split lip and his hair was in disarray. Jaxon’s knuckles were busted. Neither of them paid attention to their injuries. As soon as their eyes landed on Brooklyn, they both rushed forward. I put up a hand to slow them down.
“She’s a bit jumpy. Give her space until she’s more awake.”
“We’re here, baby,”Oliver murmured when he was within earshot.
Brooklyn weakly lifted her head again and looked around. She didn’t show any emotion when she knew she was surrounded by us. Her eyes were empty and her face was a void. Her withdrawal made me nervous, but I had to push away all of my pain to care for the woman in front of us.
Cain walked back to the man that was still knocked out on the ground. I heard the click of the cuffs and then a whoosh of air as Cain kicked the man in the gut. When he met my eye, I could see the fire in his gaze. If we didn’t have to worry about the cops coming to the warehouse, the man likely wouldn’t still be alive.
“I’ll wait with the trash, take my car, take her to the hospital. Send your detective, Gideon, yeah?”Cain said.
Jaxon walked over to Cain and they shared a few quiet words before they shook hands and Jaxon pulled Cain in for a hug. Even though I didn’t know the man as well as my brother, I was tempted to hug him, too. By the looks of things, the man he had beaten had been trying to drop his pants and I couldn’t let my mind go to the things he would have done to her if Cain hadn’t found her.
My brothers and I surrounded Gideon and Brooklyn as we made our way to the door. When we swung it open, Brooklyn’s head shot up and her eyes went wild as she looked around.
