Page 128 of The Finding Series: Vol. 2

Not like my Brody’s beautiful, effervescent eyes that spoke volumes every time he looked at me.

No, the only thing Nathan’s had said was that he was losing whatever battles he was fighting.

Since I’d thought he was Brody, I’d joked about how hot he looked, but that I still preferred him naked just before I’d pushed into his arms. I’d known almost instantly my mistake because his rock-hard body had been wrapped tight with tension and his arms hadn’t come up to wrap around me. There’d been no rumble in his chest as he laughed, no smart comeback about me helping him to fix the problem.

I’d expected Nathan to rail at me after I’d scrambled away from him, but he hadn’t spoken at all. He hadn’t called me any names, hadn’t looked at me with disgust. He’d merely watched me for several long seconds and then said he was there to see his brother.

The knowledge that Brody might be in danger was terrifying to me, but he had spent the evening promising me and Quinn he’d be careful and that there was nothing to worry about. I’d made him swear he’d talk to Jax about the threat to see if anything could be done and he’d readily agreed. It hadn’t really eased my fears completely, but I was glad to know he was taking the threat seriously.

Dinner had been a quiet affair as Brody had been lost in thought, but once we’d gone to our room, Brody had pulled out his laptop and googled his brother’s name. We’d been shocked to find that Nathan Wilder was not the same man he’d been three years earlier when he’d kicked his brother to the curb.

While he was still running for senate, he was doing it as a Democrat. There were countless articles outlining the man’s change when it came to many issues, but the most glaring one was his sudden turnaround on gay marriage. While his and Brody’s father had been a staunch critic, Nathan had somehow become one of its greatest supporters. When questioned by reporters what had prompted the change of heart, Nathan had actually made a sideline comment about someone close to him not being an abomination as the Bible suggested. And while he hadn’t mentioned Brody by name, none of us had any doubt he had in fact been referring to his brother.

That had left Brody quietly devastated. He hadn’t said so, but he didn’t need to tell us for me and Quinn to know that was what he was feeling. We’d tried to draw Brody out so he could try to work through it all, but he’d asked us to give him some time. So Quinn and I had tried to show Brody with our bodies what we couldn’t with our words.

Brody had seemed better this morning, but I knew it still weighed heavily on his mind. I was hopeful that he’d be more open tonight to discussing what his plans were, if any, in regards to reaching out to Nathan in the future.

Once I was inside the kitchen, I started walking towards the hallway leading to my room so I could drop off Harley before going to collect Lilah, but I stopped when I heard muffled voices.

One male, one female.

I couldn’t make out what they were saying, but I knew it had to be Dale and Lilah. I veered off towards the opposite hall. Since the building was shaped in a U, I could actually see Lilah and Dale through the glass windows. From my position, I could look out into the courtyard to the end of the wing where Lilah’s room was located. It was hard to make them out, but it looked like Lilah had her back to her door and Dale was standing close to her.

Too close.

Worry began to prick at me as I made my way to that part of the building. I lost sight of them momentarily as I rounded the corner, but I could hear them better.

“I’ll show you what a real man feels like,” Dale murmured, his voice thick and husky.

My insides lit up with apprehension at his tone. If Lilah responded, I didn’t hear it. But it didn’t matter, because I didn’t need to hear her voice to know what was happening.

Something happened to me in that moment as I neared them, my eyes going from where Dale was using one hand to hold onto the wrist of the hand Lilah had wrapped around her doorknob, his other hand between her legs. Lilah had her face turned away from him and I could see that her eyes were closed and tears were leaking out of them.

But she wasn’t fighting him.

Because she couldn’t…

I knew that look…she knew what was coming and she’d accepted it.

Just liked I’d accepted it…

I remembered nothing after that except a few brief words falling from Dale’s lips right before my fist connected with his face.

She wanted it…

My body wasn’t my own after that. I had no control and for once, I didn’t want it. I didn’t need it.

Reality returned to me in a haze as a pair of strong arms wrapped around me. Arms I knew very well.

Brody’s arms.

“Beck, stop!” he said forcefully in my ear as he pinned my arms so I couldn’t get free of him.

My vision cleared as I saw Dale lying at my feet, his face covered in blood. Blood that was smeared across my fists.

“You little shit,” the man snarled as he tried to get up.

I looked around to see Lilah standing in the corner in Gabriella’s arms. The older woman was talking soothingly to her. Quinn was standing over Dale. His eyes went from me to Lilah and then he jerked Dale to his feet.

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