CHAPTER 2
1887 Words
CHAPTER 2
Rhys took off outside and Day ran out after him. Ethan was right with him all the way,
admonishingly saying, "You know you could have lead up to the guy we saw, Day."
"I know. Sorry," Day said, finally catching up to Rhys before he crossed the street. "Rhys, stop.
We really need to talk. We need to figure out what might have set this guy off before we approach him."
Rhys struggled in Day's grasp. "I am sick of people blaming me for this sick f**k stalking me. I am sick of f*****g talking about what happened. And, I am sick of this asshole disrupting my life. Now, let me go!"
Ethan came up behind Rhys and placed comforting hands on the man's shoulders, softly saying,
"I understand, Rhys, but we want to help. We are not here to judge you, blame you, or fight with you. We really are only here to help."
Rhys stopped his struggles and turned his head enough to see Ethan's sincerity. "I just want him to go away and leave me alone."
"Let's go somewhere and talk. We can figure out what to do and how to proceed. If you go in there hot headed and causing a scene, he could turn that to his favor. Make it look like you are the one with the issue. With your history, Rhys, it wouldn't be hard for him to toss your credibility on its ass," Day stated.
Rhys couldn't believe what he was hearing. "But he's the one that attacked me! He's the one that followed me to Maddox!"
Ethan looked at him in what Rhys could only deem as pity. "We understand that. Let's just do as Day suggested. We can help you, but you need to trust us here. I've had some dealings with stalkers, Rhys. We need to make sure that we follow through on this situation slowly and cautiously."
Rhys jerked his arm away from Ethan. No one was going to pity him. He had done nothing
wrong and he was not some damsel in distress that needed saving. "You know what? I don't need or want your help."
"Rhys!" Dain gasped.
Rhys turned to his father. "I may look like a woman, but I am all man! I have a d**k, I scratch my balls, and I fart and burp like the rest of them. I can take care of myself. Just f*****g leave me alone. I have work to do."
"Rhys, you're going to get yourself killed. You said yourself that he can siphon your powers,"
Dain argued.
Shrugging, Rhys replied, "Well then, I guess I have to go at this in the human way."
"What the hell does that even mean?" Dain yelled out in frustration.
Rhys turned away yelling back, "I'll just go get a gun. He can't siphon a bullet. Maybe one to Salem's d**k will get him to understand that no means f*****g no!"
Day gasped, then rushed towards Rhys before he entered the club. "Wait! You said this guy’s name is Salem, and he was built like a brick s**t house?"
Rhys let out a harsh breath. "Yes, now leave me alone."
Rhys went to move but Day jumped in front of him. "Is he about seven feet tall, all muscle, dark wavy hair, and sea green eyes?"
Ethan walked up to Day. "That is pretty specific, Day."
Day ignored his mate, growling, "Answer me!"
Rhys was starting to feel a bit nervous by Day's intensity in regards to Salem, so he gave a jerky nod, rasping, "Yes, that's him."
"Day, what's going on?" Ethan asked in concern.
"Do you know his last name, Rhys? Did he give you a last name?" Day asked urgently.
Swallowing hard, Rhys whispered, "Brady. When he was kicking my ass, he said, that no one told Salem Brady no and lived to tell about it."
Ethan gasped and jerked his phone out of his case.
Completely at a loss to what in the hell was going on, Rhys asked, "What is it? Do you know this asshole?"
Day turned to Dain. "I need you to go get Zev right now. Bring him here, Dain."
"He's not answering his phone, Day," Ethan said fearfully.
Dain went to leave, but Day stopped him. "Wait. We need to go to Zev's place. I know he and Jett have the day off. I told you I thought he looked familiar. I'm going to go and see if Salem is still at that coffee shop and make sure I'm right on this. Baby, call dad. Let him know we may have a serious problem in Maddox."
Dain tried to stop Day. "What the f**k is going on? Do you know the guy harassing my son?"
* * * *
Ethan had heard horror stories about Salem Brady. If this was the same man as the one Ethan had been told about, Rhys was in some serious danger. Ethan didn't like people being bullied or harmed by others and had been working for years with men and women who were battered and abused. The thing is, something about Rhys being a victim of abuse sat even more badly with not only Ethan, but his phoenix, as well. It was a feeling he recognized as how he would feel if someone went after Day this way. He was very confused by his reaction to Rhys, as well as feeling guilty for thinking these thoughts, along with his body's reaction since meeting the man.
When Rhys had been talking to his father and telling him his deepest pain, Ethan felt almost an unbelievable urge to grab Rhys and comfort him. Somehow find a way to make the man's hurt go away. When he had touched Rhys, Ethan couldn't believe it when his c**k hardened and lust filled his blood and mind. Something was wrong with him and he didn't know what to do. Ethan would never cheat on his mate, but these feelings were seriously powerful.
Placing the call Day ordered, Ethan tried to push away his thoughts so he could deal with this new threat.
"Illan here."
"Illan, we may have a problem. We're not sure, but Day is trying to make a positive ID right now."
"Ethan, you're not making sense. What's the problem and who is Day trying to get an ID on?"
"Salem Brady."
Nothing but silence was on the other end for a few moments and Ethan wasn't sure Illan had heard him. "Illan, did you hear me?"
"Don't go to Zev's. I'll have Destrain bring all of us to the club."
"Yes, sir."
* * * *
"What the hell was so important that my mate and I were interrupted in our moment of blissful togetherness?" Jett grumbled as he walked into the club with Zev.
Finn scoffed, "If no one was allowed to interrupt your 'blissful togetherness' you would never be seen again."
Jett wiggled his brows. "But what a way to go. Have you seen my man?"
Marco growled, then hissed, "He better never, or I will tell Twixie."
“Before or after you rip off my balls?" Finn asked with a snort, lightly kissing his mate.
Day watched Rhys sitting there listening to the banter from brother to brother and mate to mate.
Sadness filled the little man's eyes, and Day couldn't believe how sad his own heart became. He wanted nothing more than to console the man and that brought Day ramrod straight. Giving an anxious look at Ethan, guilt filled him to his core. How dare he look at another man the way he did Ethan? Ethan was his mate and everyone knew that no mate cheated on the other by action or thought. None of this s**t made any sense to him, at all. However, he owed it to his mate to be open and clear, that even though he was having these feelings and thoughts, Ethan was his mate and he loved him more than life itself.
Illan walked in, bringing Day's attention to the here and now, and the possible new threat to his family and friends. Leaning to his mate, Day whispered, "We need to talk about Rhys when this meeting is over."
Ethan's eyes went huge and Day couldn't make out the look his mate was giving to him as the man nodded and then turned his attention back to Illan.
"Some of you may not know, but the night of Levi's attack on us, Rhys was brutally attacked at a club in Aspen. He was left for dead, but a passerby found him and called for help,” Illan said aloud, then his voice filled with remorse as he looked at Rhys. "Destrain, Dain, and I did not take his situation seriously and for that, I'm so very sorry, Rhys."
Pauly sat forward. "Wait, I'm confused, Rhys is a pixie. How in the hell could someone get close enough to hurt him, let alone damn near kill him? Besides that, if one of our own was attacked, why the hell would none of you take it seriously and inform me of the situation?"
Illan looked away guiltily and Rhys whispered, "Because they thought it was my fault and were angry with me."
Jett did a double take. "How could you getting your ass kicked be your fault? Did you strike first or something?"
Shaking his head, Rhys replied, "No."
Ryder sat up. "Rhys, will you explain to us what happened?"
Rhys went over the events from that night and once he finished, Ryder looked at Justice.
"Justice, why didn't you contact me?"
Before Justice could say anything, Illan jumped in. "Because I asked him not to. I screwed up, Ryder."
"No, Dain and I f****d this one up, badly. We thought Rhys had led the man on and it brought on some ugly consequences. Rhys has always gone around kissing strangers and we had warned him time and time again about what could happen," Destrain replied in sadness.
Shaking his head, Ryder replied, "What's sad to me is that you all would judge his actions, basically saying that because you give someone a kiss it gives that person the right to beat the crap out of you, or even rape you if they want. I would expect better from men your ages."
"Look, we admit that we handled this situation poorly, but we are here on an even more important issue. One that we need to take care of as soon as possible," Illan stated.
"What's the issue, boss man?" Morgan asked, cuddling Angelo closer to his chest.
"Rhys, tell them the name of the man that attacked you," Day requested.
Rhys didn't understand what was really going on around here right now, but he figured he would just answer the man's request and then be able to get back to work. "Salem Brady."
"Say that again?" Zev said with wide eyes, and if Rhys was not mistaken, the man's breathing had begun to pick up in speed.
"Do you know him, Zev? Day and Ethan had the same reaction. If you all know this man, then tell me. He follows me everywhere. He sits across from my work and home. Please, just tell me,"
Rhys begged tearfully.
Illan sighed, softly saying, "Salem Brady is Zev's father. He is a cruel and nasty man that killed many people before finally being seen for who and what he is."
"A sadistic, murdering, rapist, son of a b***h is what he is," Zev snarled.
Angelo gasped and sat straight up trying to get air into his lungs. Morgan shook his mate, screaming, "Angelo! Angelo! Talk to me!"
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