Page 9 of Bad Ruck

Ramsey gave him half a glance before nodding and heading over to place his hand on the doorknob. He paused, listening carefully before turning it and pushing. The door opened easily, and no other screams sounded from that part of the club.

Yet.

He stepped in first, the rest of us crowding around, everyone trying to fit through the door at the same time. Everyone except Jay, who hung back to avoid the press of bodies. I followed his cue, staying back and letting the others pass before we went through ourselves.

The back of the club was nothing special. An open doorway showed shelves covered in dozens of boxes. Some open, others not. Several were full of unused glassware. They sat pressed hard against boxes full of condoms.

That brought me back to Chelsea, and other men fucking her, but I shoved the thought away. I didn't need the rage right now.

Focus, I told myself.

"That leads to the cellar." Chelsea was pointing toward another door. "There's another that leads backstage." Her face was paler than usual.

I grabbed her arm. "You don't have to go in there. Whatever happened, we can deal with it."

"I'm okay," she said a bit too quickly. "They might need a doctor."

I wanted to argue with her and keep her back from whatever happened, but she was right. Her skills might be needed now.

For a moment, I wished she was anything but a doctor. Okay, except a stripper. Couldn't she have become a dog walker, or work in an ice cream shop? Anything that would give me an excuse to throw her over my shoulder and take her out of here.

"Stay close to me," I told her.

"And me," Storm added. For once, he wasn't scowling at me. His attention was on the door up ahead, body tense.

I knew that posture; I saw it on the field so many times. He was ready to act, to deal with whatever was thrown at us.

I didn't like him, but I respected him. He wouldn't run from potential danger.

With Chelsea and Divina between us, Frost and Jay behind, and Ramsey in the lead, we moved toward the other door, footsteps careful, senses open.

Ramsey put a hand on the door handle and turned to nod to us to be ready.

I nodded back and held my breath as he pushed the door inwards.

We were met with silence. No sound, no motion. No screaming, no one jumping out at us. Nothing.

That in itself put me on edge. Whatever I was expecting, it wasn'tnothing.

Ramsey peered around before stepping through the doorway and waving for us to follow.

I took Chelsea's hand and tucked her in closer to me as we stepped across the threshold, into the backstage area.

"Hello?" Ramsey called out.

The word was met with silence.

"They might be in the dressing room," Divina whispered.

Chelsea glanced at her and nodded. "It's just down there." She pointed a few metres ahead.

"Can I convince you to stay here?" I asked. It seemed unlikely, but I had to try. If only because I was ninety-nine percent certain Storm was about to. I wasn't going to let him get in first. Not to mention, whatever was down there might be something she shouldn't go near.

"Nope," she said before anyone else could speak. She squeezed my hand and pulled me along behind Ramsey.

Moving more quickly now, we stepped down the corridor and into the small dressing room. Racks of costumes lined the walls on either side. Two tables were pressed apart against a mirror, chairs at each. Lights hung over the tables to help people see when they put on their make-up. At least, that's what I was guessing they were for. It was definitely not my area of expertise.

A small window looked out over the street behind the club. It was open, letting in a brisk breeze, rippling curtains which hung to either side.

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