Page 44 of Working Out West

“Not enough,” Adrik clipped.

“No, it’s not,” Kylo agreed. “At least we have the other… cunt to rain pain on.”

Adrik’s smile was sinister. “She will learn just what they have done to him by doing it to her.”

“He’ll need boxers or something wrapped around his waist,” I said.

“He can have mine,” Kylo replied, already undoing his jeans.

“Jesus,” my brother clipped. He pulled Kylo to a corner and guarded him so no other saw.

By the time Wade came back down the stairs with State, we had helped West into the boxers. They had found an ironing board, and even though it was old, it was wide and perfect. I nodded. “Good. We’ll lift him gently and lay him on his stomach. It’s going to be hard going up the stairs, but we can do this. I need at least four surrounding him at all times.”

I was surprised when West didn’t wake, only whimpered when we managed to get him on the ironing board. State, Saint, Country, and Adrik slowly carried West out, with Kylo following.

I needed a moment.

“Lucas,” Wade said, his hand slid to my shoulder from behind me.

“They tortured him. Poured vinegar down his throat. Who does that?”

“Vile creatures.”

“He didn’t deserve that. No one does,” I whispered. A heavy weight settled against my heart for my friend.

He applied pressure. “No.”

“His own parents.”

“I know.”

I swallowed thickly. Tears brimmed and fell once again. “He’ll need us all.” I sucked in a deep, shuddering breath and straightened.

“And he’ll have us.” His hand slid across my shoulders, and he pulled my back into his chest. “Love you, babe.”

“Love you always, Wade.” I dipped my head down to kiss his arm. “Let’s get him home.”

He kissed the back of my head. “Where he belongs.”

“Yes.” He did. He belonged with us. We were our own little family, and we’d cocoon him in so much love and support. West would get through this. He would, but the path to it was going to be rough.

Chapter Eleven

Adrik

My chest felt like it was torn wide open so everyone could see the split, bleeding, damaged heart, which only still beat for the man lying on his stomach on the mattress. A part of me wanted to crawl into the bed with West, curl myself around him, and protect him from the rest of the world for life.

No, that was not true. It was not a part of me that wanted to do it. It was all of me.

I could not get his screams out of my head from when we had carried him into the house. They rang through my mind over and over, along with all his others from when we had found him. Lucas had given him a mild sedative as soon as we got into the room. I never left his side the whole time, and I would stay always, ignoring the acid burning in my gut.

My sweet West did not warrant the treatment he went through. Fury lit under my skin, burning me with the thought of how his parents had done this.

“The church,” I stated softly.

“What?” Kylo asked, also in a hushed tone, from where he stood beside me. I could feel Lucas’s eyes on me from my other side.

“I will have my men investigate the church where those people attended,” I answered.

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