He tries to hand me my phone, but I nearly stumble over my own feet, trying to escape his proximity. He eyes the bat warily and shrugs.
“I’m going to put your phone on the table.” He sets it down. “Why don’t you set the bat down?”
I shake my head.
I’m not letting go of this bat until Tierra and I are out of this fucking hell hole.
Terrence
“I’m going to rip that kid’s tongue out and shove it up his ass,” Cal growls as he gasses his truck.
We’re all crammed in his truck—me, Cal, Jordy, Roan, and Hollis. What started as a fun night hanging with my boys has turned into a rescue mission. I can’t forget the look on Charlotte’s face. Pure terror and dread.
If they hurt Tierra or Penny, I will gladly help Cal murder those motherfuckers.
“Turn right here,” Hollis says from the back seat. “His house is on this street according to the GPS.”
Cal drives into the ditch, making us all bounce, and over the lawn, driving through flowerbeds and shit until he’s pulled up to the front door. I don’t wait for him to shut the truck off before I’m storming toward the house.
Jordy is right on my heels, a baseball bat in his grip.
“Check upstairs,” Roan barks out, “we’ll check down here.”
We pass a couple of guys on the stairs and one of the guys whistles to his friend. “Holy fuck. It’s going down now. Hoodlums are here and they look pissed.”
Cal, Jordy, and I rush up the stairs, pushing past people along the way. I find my way to the media room where there seems to be a crowd of people partying. Right away, I notice Tierra sitting on the floor against the wall, frowning. Standing above her like an avenging angel is Penny.
What the fuck did they do to my goddamn girl?
She left so beautiful and perfect.
Her hair is a mess, her makeup is smudged, and her dress isn’t even on straight. Someone took Sharpie and wrote all over her chest, arms, and legs. In her hands is a bloody baseball bat.
“Paxton’s not here,” Cal snaps. “Jordy, with me.”
They rush out of the room. I’m already stalking over to my girl. Some lanky dude—better be the twerp I talked to on the phone—lingers nearby like he’s trying to protect her.
Not Penny.
She can take care of her damn self.
Looks like she has my cousin’s back too.
“Terrence,” she chokes out.
I rush over to her, pulling her against me. “Hey, baby, I’m here. Shh. It’s okay. You’re safe now.”
“I, uh, tried to help,” the lanky dude says. “Here’s her phone.”
I take the phone from him without ever letting go of her. After I shove it into my jeans, I glance down at Tierra. Aside from being wide-eyed and slightly confused, she seems okay.
“Oh, Jesus, thank fuck you’re okay,” Hollis rumbles, yanking my girl from my arms into his. “We need to check you out, Penny.”
“Not here,” I grind out. “Let’s get them and go.”
Hollis starts to pick Penny up, but she extricates herself from him, launching back into my arms. He frowns at me, but then sets to helping Roan with Tierra. Roan scoops up my cousin like she weighs nothing as Hollis takes the purse from some guy I used to go to high school with named Carson.
“I got you, beautiful,” I murmur to Penny. “Want to let go of that bat?”
“No,” she croaks. “It’s mine now.”
Okay, then.
I’m not taking away her bat, that’s for damn sure. Gently, I pick her up, carrying her bridal style out of the media room. As we exit, Cal drags some motherfucker down the hall by his hair.
“Paxton?” I ask, hatred burning my blood hot.
“No,” Cal grinds out. “Aaron. He says it was Eli and Paxton, but they’re both gone. All he did was watch.”
Jordy kicks the crying dude in his ribs. Cal continues on his trek, dragging this kid down the hall toward the stairs. For a moment I think he might toss him over the side. Instead, he lets this kid’s ass hit every step on the way down.
“Party’s over, douchebags!” Cal bellows. “If you don’t want to be caught on video confessing you’re an accomplice to attempted rape, I suggest you get the fuck out of here!”
People start scattering like their asses are on fire.
“Cal…” Roan grips his shoulder. “What are you doing?”
“I’m about to strip this motherfucker and humiliate him until he tells me everything I want to know. You guys should get the girls home.” Cal glances at Jordy, who nods.
“I’m going to help Cal,” Jordy says. “Roan?”
Roan turns to Hollis. “Take Penny’s Jeep back to Cal’s. We’ll meet you all there…soon.”
Hollis, ever the peacemaker, nods at his husband. Anger burns through him, making him tremble with rage. As much as I want to beat the shit out of someone, I know my girl needs me.
“Let’s get them home.”
They’re okay.
Thank fuck Hollis is an EMT. After he checked over both the girls, he determined that they didn’t ingest too much of whatever shit they were drugged with. Tierra ended up falling asleep on the recliner. Roux covered her with a blanket and then hovered close by, Emilia sleeping against her chest.
Charlotte…
She’s a mess.
Where Penny is dead-ass expressionless, Charlotte can’t stop crying. I know this shit messes with her because she went through something similar with Ryan. Hollis, now that he’s not in EMT mode, has been pacing, ripping at his hair as fury consumes him.
The guys haven’t made it back yet.
I’m itching to hop back in Penny’s Jeep and drive my ass back to help put the hurt on that asshole. Just when I think I might do just that, they show back up.
All three of them are splattered with blood.
“Paxton? Eli?” I ask, hoping like fuck the answer is yes.
“No, man. Just their pussy friend, Aaron.” Cal plops down on the sofa next to Charlotte. “You okay, Charlie girl?”
She nods and leans into him. “I’m worried about Penny.”
“I said I’m fine,” Penny snaps. “I just…I want to shower.”
“Come on,” I say, offering my hand. “I’ll help you.”
A hand fists my shirt. “You’re not helping my sister in the shower.” Fucking rat.
“No shit, Sherlock,” I grind out. “I’m just going to get the shower going and grab her some clothes. Back off.”
Roan calls him off. Hollis scowls at me, but doesn’t stop me when I pull Penny to her feet. I curl an arm around her waist, guiding her out of the living room. Once in the bathroom, I get the shower started. I locate a towel and then leave her to find some clothes. When I return, Charlotte meets me at the bathroom door with some makeup remover and girly shampoo shit. I take it from her and then push into the bathroom.
Penny stands in the same place I left her. Head bowed, body tense, trembling, bat still in hand. I set the things down on the counter before closing the door behind me. Her eyes are caked with mascara and that shit isn’t coming off with soap. I grab one of the pads Charlotte gave me and turn Penny to face me.