20. Booker

Chapter 20

Booker

M y eyes were glued to the door where Brynne had just disappeared. She hadn't acted ashamed or phased by what had happened between the four of us. She'd been so willing to take us at the same time, so eager to let us have our way with her. And the sight of her afterward—in my sweatshirt, with my cum still deep inside her pussy—made me absolutely awestruck.

While I was nothing but amazed at how well she took us, I had a feeling deep in my core that I didn't ever want to share her again. She was slowly becoming mine, and I was quickly wanting to claim her as such.

"She's not going to reappear," Austin grumbled behind me, and I turned to find him standing there with his hands on his hips, the rope gripped in one fist.

Henley was staring at the dark spot on the ground before snapping his head toward me. "It's not like I brought fucking wet wipes to clean the concrete."

"Just do something with the rope and bag and shit, in case anyone gets any ideas and decides to kill someone with them tonight. Last thing I need is a murder planted on me."

Austin frowned. "As if you don't already have multiple that are on your hands?"

I reciprocated the look. "You two aren't innocent either."

I stepped forward, bending over to snag the burlap bag off the slab of cement. I wanted the fuck out of this muggy room with these two and to be back by Brynne's side.

An image of her tied up with the bag loose over her head flashed through my mind, and my jeans felt all too tight again.

"Miss her already?" Austin asked, rolling the rope up as he watched me.

I cleared my throat, heading for the door with the scratchy material tight in my fist. "No, asshole."

"I think he's lying," Austin mumbled to Henley, who muttered his agreement.

I tore the door open a little too hard, stepping out in the hall right as a child ran by with a teenager on her heels, the two girls screaming as they darted down the narrow walkway.

Austin and Henley were behind me, and the telltale sound of a thud muffled through the tight space as Austin got rid of the rope on our way. At the bottom of the staircase, I did the same, tossing the bag to the side before we headed up the confined stairs. Once we emerged from the musty basement, the air felt lighter, but still, the hairs on the back of my neck stood straight.

I searched the room for Brynne, but I found McKenna instead. We crossed the space to her where she was still talking to Grace. It was a wonder they had this many things to talk about, but knowing what I did about McKenna, I was sure she could go all night if given the opportunity.

Both girls pinned their eyes on us as we approached.

"Hey, guys!" McKenna greeted. At some point, Grace's date must've ditched her, because he was nowhere in sight.

My eyes scanned the entryway and open area to our right, finding no sign of Brynne.

"Is Brynne with you?" I asked.

"She's not with you guys?"

My head snapped to her. "No. She came up here to find you."

A small furrow crested McKenna's brows as a confused expression crossed her face. "She must still be looking, then?—"

But I didn't stick around to hear what she had to say. Brynne knew exactly where we'd left McKenna, which would've been the first place she looked. If she wasn't here, then she wasn't in the house, period.

"It's okay. It's not your fault." Austin's falsely soothing voice sounded as he presumably reassured McKenna, but it wasn't okay. Brynne could be gone or worse?—

If anyone hurt my girl, I'd gut the fucker who thought he could get away with it. Rip his sternum wide open and remove organ after organ while he begged for mercy.

But that's where he'd fucked up big time.

I didn't grant mercy to those who took what was mine.

I rid them of every bloody piece inside them, the thing that kept them living, because that's what it felt like in this moment, not knowing where Brynne was .

Like my goddamned heart was torn clean from my chest.

Along with the hope that maybe she was caught up in a conversation with a friend. Or outside getting some air.

Because I knew the feeling all too fucking well when the devil was out to play.

"Booker," Henley called out to me as I took the basement stairs two at a time.

As soon as I reached the bottom, my head swiveled both ways, and on the second glance down the way we'd come from, I froze. The bandana that had been around Brynne's neck lay in a bundle on the floor. I crossed the three feet to it, grabbing the material in a fist. If I wasn't already certain something had happened to her, I was now.

Turning the opposite way, I went down the way we hadn't been before. My shoulders brushed the cold walls as my boots echoed on the cement. She had to be down here. She fucking had to be.

"Booker!" Henley called again, but I wouldn't fucking stop. Not until I found her.

The first door I came upon, I slammed it open, the wood crashing against the wall so hard it splintered. A couple making out broke apart, frantic eyes jumping to me. With no sign of her, I moved on.

For the next three doors, I did the same, either finding them empty or with two horny people trying to find privacy in this house of horrors.

A strong hand grabbed my shoulder, but I shrugged it off. Not even a second later, it was back, gripping my flesh hard. "Booker."

I spun, smoke practically billowing from my nose as I was two steps away from breaking Henley's goddamn hand.

He held his palms up in surrender, backing a step away. "Breathe, man."

I closed the space, getting in his face because if I couldn't take it out on whoever had her, I'd do it to the next closest person. "You think she has time to breathe right now, Henley? That whoever has her is allowing her to be calm?" Our noses touched, but he stood his ground. "No!" My voice echoed down the hall. "They probably want her scared. Want her all fucking vulnerable."

The thought alone made me fucking sick.

Brynne would only be vulnerable for me. Scared of me .

Swallow your fear, Darlin'. I'm coming.

"She's not here. You're wasting your time," Henley said.

His statement had my blood turning to ice as I straightened. "How the fuck would you know?" If he had a hand in her disappearance?—

"The meetup spot Chase told us about off forty-nine. If his boss is trying to lure you somewhere, he'd choose there. He clearly knows you know about it now."

It made sense. He was probably waiting there right now, and I was wasting my time searching a rotting house. Brynne took over every coherent thought in my mind, and all I could focus on right now was getting to her, but I wasn't being smart. Henley was a fucking saint.

I placed stiff palms on either side of his face, Brynne's bandana wrapped around my fingers, and shook him slightly. "You're a goddamn genius." My hands dropped, and I was slipping past him in a hurry. "Get Austin and meet me at the truck. I'm leaving with or without you. "

Henley hurried after me and parted ways to grab Austin, who was lost in conversation with McKenna. By the looks of it, she was upset, and he was comforting her. They could do that sappy shit after we found Brynne. But even if Austin decided not to come, I'd still walk into the flames to find her.

Not a minute passed after I'd made it to my truck when Austin and Henley came running up to the doors to hop in. Thankfully, Austin had left McKenna with her cousin. I didn't need more people getting in the way. It'd killed me to give them those sixty seconds, but I didn't know what I was walking into when I got to the park, so having at least one of them by my side was the smart thing to do.

With the truck already started, my tires peeled out of the gravel lot, and then we were heading down the highway to the unknown, and my girl.