Smash_ A Stepbrother MMA Romance(156)

I stared at it. Slowly it dawned on me who she was.

Becca.

Becca was tied up. Chain around her throat.

“What the fuck is this?” I asked slowly.

Becca was topless, her bra dirty, her hair disheveled. Like she’d been there at least a night.

“I got that from Jay.”

Terror spiked through me. Jay had Becca chained up in his basement like a fucking piece of meat.

And that terror was quickly replaced with rage.

“Motherfucker,” I yelled, standing up.

“Whoa, Climber.”

I reached back, fingering my gun. “I’m going to murder him. Where the fuck is he?”

“Calm down, Climber. We have to talk first.”

I got in Thom’s face, not caring that he had nothing to do with Becca getting kidnapped. I wanted to hit someone, to break something, and Thom was the closest thing. Rage flowed through me, threatening to overwhelm everything.

“Tell me where he is,” I yelled.

“Okay, I’ll tell you. But you got to sit down.”

I grabbed the front of his shirt. “If she’s hurt, I’ll kill every one of them. I’ll rip out their fucking eyes.”

“Climber, man.”

“Where the fuck are they? Tell me where the fuck she is.”

“Climber.”

My grip tightened. “Tell me now, cocksucker.” I pulled the gun from my waistband.

“Climber, dude. Calm down. I didn’t do this.”

I held the gun up. “Tell me now.”

“Climber.” I could see the fear in his eyes but I didn’t care. All I saw was that picture of Becca, and I felt so much anger course through me. “REID. Put the gun away.”

My name snapped me out of it. I looked from my gun to Thom’s face and slowly lowered it, slipping it back into my waistband. I moved back away from him, releasing his shirt. The anger was still there, but I knew I shouldn’t direct it toward him.

“I have to go there now, Thom.”

“I know, man. I get it. But listen to me.” He paused to right himself and then continued. “I heard from the people up north. They’re taking your deal.”

“When are they coming?”

Thom checked his watch. “An hour.”

I nodded slowly. “They’re coming here in an hour.”

“With muscle, too. Apparently Rigley doesn’t want to give Jay any time to regroup before they hit him.”

“I have to go now.”

“No. If you do that, you’re dead. But if you wait for Rigley and his muscle, we’ll get Becca back.”

“I can’t let her stay there. It’s my fucking fault.” I clenched my jaw, trying not to let my frustration spill out on him again. “I put her in there.”

“I get it. I really do. But going now is a suicide mission and might hurt her more in the end. Look, Rigley wants the money you have. He won’t let Becca get hurt.”

I turned my back on him and shoved out the door. I ignored his protests and started back into town, my head spinning.

I had to find them. I had to get Becca out, and I couldn’t wait an hour.

Rage filled me, spun down my limbs, and made my pulse race through leaping jumps. I was so full of adrenaline and anger that I didn’t hear Thom come up behind me.

He tackled me hard, sending me to the ground. I threw up my hands and broke my fall, but he was on me already, struggling with my pack. I felt him grab my gun and yank it free.

“Get the fuck off me,” I grunted.

He held the gun at me. “Stop struggling, Climber. This is for your own good.”

“Fuck you, Thom. Kill me if you want to but I’m going.”

He pressed me down, gun against my temple. “You think that’ll help, getting your ass killed? Do you even know where you’re going?”

“I can’t stay here. They have Becca.”

“They do, but only since yesterday. She’s fine, man. We’ll get her back but you can’t kill yourself in the process.”

I took deep, calming breaths.

I knew he was right. I knew he was right. I knew it but I couldn’t help wanting to get out there and do something.

“Rigley has to let me come,” I said finally.

“He will, man.”

Thom moved back and let me go, still holding on to the gun.

I slowly got up. “We wait an hour. If they’re not back, I’m leaving.”

“Okay. Fine.”

I stared at him. “Gun.” He handed it to me. “Don’t hit me from behind like that again.”

He grinned. “Roger that, Climber.”

We walked slowly back toward his trailer.

Thom was right. Getting myself killed wasn’t going to help Becca. As much as I despised waiting and hated myself for getting her involved at all, I knew that I couldn’t rush out there like an idiot and fuck everything up.