Briar
The worst, most mortifying thing I think I have ever done, was walk out of a public bathroom after getting fingered. Now, don't get me wrong, hearing that Thomas had been found was a good thing, but I was still a little pressed at the reminder that several men listened in as I got finger fucked. Then, not even a minute later, they were in the bathroom with us.
As the bathroom door opened, I stood behind Vaughn's behemoth self to try and cover myself out of peoples line of vision, because I was scared they were going to laugh, or pat Vaughn on the back in a congratulatory remark. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that no one said a thing, matter of fact, they acted like they didn't hear anything, which made feel better.
I looked up at Vaughn as Rich walked in, and watched as he ran a hand over his jaw. It was out of context, but I couldn't help but think how hot Vaughn look in his lil' business mode.
"Where's he at?" Vaughn asked, and Rich responded immediately, "He's in the basemen. They found him in New York trying to hide out at an old family friends house, they picked him up from there."
I began trying to rack my brain, trying to recall if I've ever heard Thomas mention family from New York, when Vaughn and Rich began speaking so lowly that I couldn't hear. I was feeling nosy, and was about to turn my hearing aid up when Vaughn turned back toward me, "Let's go."
Oh great, now someones in a foul mood.
He took my hand and led me out of the building and to the familiar SUV, and as to be expected, the drive home was pretty awful. I could tell Vaughn was stressed, or pissed, I wasn't sure, and it was making me slightly irritated as well. He was being so distant with me even though I had just shared a part of myself with him. But then after a few moments of contemplation, I decided instead of stressing him out more, I'd talk about it with him later, and just settled on turning the radio on.
We weren't home until a little after midnight, and as soon as we walked into the house, Vaughn made a beeline straight toward the basement door. Rich and a few other men went down first, and he was about to join them, but he must've noticed that I was hot on his coattails He turned toward me, "Briar, go up to our room and I will be up there in a little bit, baby."
He turned to follow everyone down the steps, and I let out a sarcastic snort, "Um, no."
He turned back toward me, quirking an eyebrow, "Excuse me? No?" He repeated my words to me, and I let out another dry, humorless laugh, "No. I want to go down to the basement with you."
It wasn't like I wanted to see Thomas get terrorized, but I figured I could try and help get things sorted. Plus, was it an added reward to see Thomas get knocked around a little? Sure, he did do me dirty after all.
He shook his head, "Briar, it's not happening. You don't need to see or hear any of that shit."
I took his hand in mine and moved closer to him, his chest to my head, because the man was a literal giant, "I want to go in, and besides, I don't want to leave you after what just happened." I told him, a blush rising to my cheeks. He knew instantly what I was talking about, and let out a dramatic sigh whilst pinching the bridge of his nose, "I can't be lenient in front of my men, baby. And you may not like what gets said or done. Remember how worked up you were about Jordan Anforth?" He asked, and I nodded, "I was, but I'll be quiet. I promise." I held up my pinky, and he connected his finger to mine, "Alright. Let's go."
Vaughn
Walking down into the basement with Briar by my side was one of the challenges I didn't think about when she became a part of my life. Technically, my whole life, but that was a thought for another time.
First off, I couldn't be soft with her in here. I couldn't hold myself back, or order people not to preform tried and true tactics because I didn't want Briar seeing them. And second, this was shit she didn't deserve to see.
As soon as I entered the basement, I heard Thomas yelling and hurling insults at my men. I felt Briar squeeze my hand, and I turned toward her, "You're all good?" I asked and she feigned a smile, "All good." She confirmed, giving a thumbs up.
I walked into the small room, first. It was similar to the one Briar was kept in, but bigger to fit more people. Briar walked into the room only a step behind me, holding onto my hand while her other hand clung around my forearm.
I looked at Thomas to see he was sitting in the middle of the room, his hands and feet tied to the metal chair, and a bag over his head. He was still yelling, and flailing around so intensely he was on the verge of knocking himself over.
When we reached the table sitting directly in front of Thomas, I picked her up and placed her on the top. I cupped her jaw and ran my thumb over her cheek, and leaned down plant a firm kiss on her mouth. When I turned back around, I still stood in front of Briar to partially block her view of the man bound in front of me.
I nodded at Rich once to indicate the bag could be removed, and as soon as it was off, his face dropped at the sight of me, but more so when he spotted Briar.
"What the fuck? Don Beaumont? What are you-Briar?" He tried to peek around me, and I felt as my little lamb clutched onto the back of my suit jacket, and he spoke again, "Briar? I thought you were dead! Why are you-, what the fuck is even going on?!" He began to jerk around again, but I had heard enough, "Stop talking." I demanded, and he instantly stilled, shutting his mouth before opening it again more calmly "What is this even about? Is this about Mason? Listen, Don. I'm sorry-"
I interrupted him, "This has nothing to do with that treacherous man." I informed him, and he looked genuinely shocked, "What? If this isn't about Mason, what reason do you have for me to be here?"
"I don't need a reason to keep you here," I shook my head at him, while Rich let out a chuckle, "I can do whatever the fuck I please." I reminded him, and he stayed silent.
"You sexually assaulted Briar at the Bar, which is enough to lose your fuckin' hand, and your life if I deem fit." I informed him, "But as it turns out, when I went to find you to hand out your punishment, you were gone." I told him, and his face fell.
"When I talked to Oliver about it, he said you ran out on him too."
"That's all he said?" He inquired, but I wasn't answering his questions, "Why did you run?"
He didn't answer, and I looked up at Rich, nodding my head. He leaned down to quickly cut off a finger, and Thomas flipped out, "Oh fuck! My finger!" He yelled, trying his best to yank his hand up to his chest.
"Start talking, or you lose more." I demanded, and he started, "I wasn't running from you, Don! I swear! I was running from Oliver, I didn't even know you were looking for me!"
Finally, was that so goddam hard?
I focused back on him, "Why were you running from Oliver?" I asked, and he didn't say anything, still blubbering about his fingers.
I grew tense, "Want another finger gone, motherfucker?"
"It was her!" He yelled, and nodded toward Briar. I turned around to look at my lamb, and could see she looked just as confused as I.
"What the fuck are you talking about?" I asked, growing more irate by the minute, and he began, "Listen, I was only doing what I was told! It was my order, and I was just carrying it out! It was either me or her!"
"Another finger." I told Rich, and Thomas cracked, "Wait! Oliver wants Briar!" He spit out, and Rich paused, "He's been obsessed with her for months," He started crying, "He assigned me to date her, and take her virginity." He huffed out a breath, and shook his head to gather his thoughts.
"Oliver said he didn't want to have a virgin, so he told me to get her used to this world. He wanted me to date her so she could get more comfortable around this stuff. He needed me to groom her to be more obedient, and take her virginity. Then after it was done, I was to deliver Briar to him, and he would let me out." He started crying again, and I was too angry to even speak.
I felt as Briar placed her hand on my back, rubbing up and down, "Who is this man? How does he know who I am?" She questioned wide eyes and he instantly replied, "He met you when you were working at that restaurant. He came in one night, and said you told him off. Guess his small prick liked that, and he became obsessed." He told us, and I could see the gears in Briars head were turning, and once her jaw slackened, she let out a gasp, "Oh my god," She looked up at me, "I know who he's talking about."
•••
Thoughts?!