Lost (The Everett Gaming Series Book 5)

by Drew Sera

  Colin

  Blood was everywhere. It covered the floor and as I got closer to the door, it grew in quantity. It was impossible for me to get to the door without stepping in it. I opened the closet door and when I pulled it open, Sydney’s body was slumped in the corner. I tried shaking her to wake her, but she wouldn’t wake up. I couldn’t get her in my arms either, something was holding her in the closet. I frantically found the light switch and flipped it on. Like an iron clasp wrapped around her waist, Anthony’s arm held her to him. His shirt was off and his chest was bleeding from a gaping hole. I tried to move them, but I couldn’t.

  “Anth, wake up. I can’t move her…help me move her!”

  “Col…Colin!”

  I sat up and grabbed at the hands on my upper arm. They were Anthony’s. I blinked several times and looked around the room. Sydney was awake and sitting up next to me, and Anthony was kneeling on the bed; he had been trying to wake me up.

  “You were dreaming, Col.”

  I nodded and took a deep breath. Fuck that was scary. I knew Anthony wasn’t going to dare ask me about what I was dreaming about. Not in front of Sydney.

  “What were you dreaming about, Sir?”

  Sydney had no fear in asking me. I pulled her close and held her tightly in my arms. I couldn’t fall back to sleep. Not after finding Sydney and Anthony dead in a closet. I propped myself up in the bed and held Sydney in my arms. She gently stroked my chest but eventually her hand slowed until it was resting peacefully against my sternum. She was asleep.

  I let out the breath I had been holding and took a deep breath to replace it. I can’t lose them. I need them.

  Many hours later I woke up with a stiff neck and Sydney was running her fingers around my chest hair. I glanced around the room for Anthony but didn’t see him.

  “Morning, Sir.”

  “Morning, baby. Did you sleep ok?”

  “I woke up a few times but was able to go back to sleep. Anthony cuddled me.”

  Good, I was glad she was comforted when I obviously was too out of it.

  “What was your bad dream about, Colin? You don’t have bad dreams very much.”

  “I know, baby. You know how it is though; you can’t help it. They just happen.”

  Sydney and I got up and made the bed and then headed to the bathroom. Before I shaved, I applied some ointment to a few of the wounds on her back that needed it and over the slowly healing cut near her tattoo. I shaved while she got dressed and then I threw on some jeans and a t-shirt and we went downstairs for some food.

  Anthony wasn’t anywhere in the house and I didn’t see him on the deck either. I glanced around the kitchen for a note but didn’t see one until I went to the coffeepot.

  Went for a walk. Be back soon. xoxo Anthony

  Sydney and I took our breakfast outside and sat on the deck. The sun was shining and the water shimmered under the rays. Sydney pushed her food around but ate a little here and there. Toast, I’m noticing, is a food that Sydney struggles with.

  In the distance, I saw Anthony carrying a bucket and every few feet he’d stop, pick something up and deposit it into the bucket. When he got to the deck, he set the bucket down, came over and kissed Sydney and then sat down. His face looked a little red and I thought it was possibly due to him bending over so much.

  “What’s in the bucket, man?”

  “Just some rocks.”

  “Are you a rock collector now?” I asked him and Sydney chuckled.

  Anthony and I shared that knowing look each time Sydney laughed. Her laughter forced Anthony and I to look at her and it pulled him out of his seat. Anthony tugged Sydney up from her seat and guided her to sit on his lap. Once Sydney was in his arms on his lap, Anthony glanced at her plate and then slid it over in front of him.

  “Sunshine, you didn’t eat much.”

  “I’m not hungry. Please don’t make me eat the toast.”

  Anthony and I looked at one another. Toast was all that Paul fed her. He’d toss it on the ground for her and it sounded like she had two slices a day.

  “Ok, sunshine. No toast. Toast is dull anyhow. But, I see you still have some fruit on your plate. I’ll help you eat some.”

  Anthony stabbed some fruit with the fork and fed it to Sydney. Without a struggle or protest, she ate it. They alternated bites and when they were finished, Sydney took the beach blanket and her journal out on the sand.

  “You looked really panicked this morning, Col. What were you dreaming about?”

  “I was trying to get to a door and there was blood all over the floor. You and Sydney were inside the closet and covered in blood. You were holding her and your chest had the open gunshot wound and you were bleeding.”

  “Fuck, man.”

  I nodded at Anthony and looked out at Sydney. I was too afraid to voice that I couldn’t wake either of them in my dream. Maybe I have more emotions stored up than I think, but my eyes started welling up. I almost lost both of them. I couldn’t look at Anthony because I was afraid it would push my tears over. I’ve talked with Chris some, but Anthony and I really haven’t talked too much. I’ve been trying not to stress him out, but I just kept talking.

  “I keep picturing her lying in all of that blood in Paul’s cabin. I thought she was dead, Anth. And I didn’t know how to tell you that she was dead. Then I had her. Just barely had her in that hospital and then they pushed you past us on a gurney, bleeding badly and you were unconscious. I knew I couldn’t tell Sydney that we lost you. I’ve never felt so numb and afraid as I did while both of you were in the hospital. Now that you’re both here, I don’t know how to help you guys.”

  Anthony was quiet for a few minutes. Matt would have been all over this conversation, dissecting it not only as a friend, but from the psychological perspective, but not Anthony. I knew he’s going through some rough crap too, but he calmed me down. Sometimes I don’t think he realizes how strong he really is.

  I really wasn’t expecting him to say anything because I knew discussing feelings and such is not something he did very often. I turned to face him and he was leaning forward over his knees, looking down.

  “Few things, Col. Love is dangerous. It drives people to do almost inhuman things. Pushes them to survive. Sydney’s body was put through hell with Paul. It could have given out on her at any time. But that girl loves you and I so fucking much that she was able to survive, just based off hope that she’d see us again. And I don’t know how to break this to you, but Robin is bulletproof. I know Batman wears the costume made of putty, which is probably bulletproof, but Robin is bulletproof. No costume needed. Bulletproof in his own sexy skin.”

  I stared at his serious facial expression until we both cracked huge smiles and I laughed so hard my sides hurt. Anthony leaned back in his chair laughing and held his hand over his stomach and while laughing, some of those tears that I had sitting in my lower eyelid spilled over.

  Chapter 48

  Sunday, February 16th

  Anthony

  Colin wasn’t going to be able to forget what he walked in on that night in the cabin. Sydney and I were keeping him busy and I needed to start paying more attention to him and make sure he’s doing okay.

  As the three of us sat on the deck and watched the sun set, my thoughts were heavily on Colin. My mind had been occupied all day thinking about the weight on his shoulders. I was going to try to lessen it.

  It’s insensitive for me to think that he was on solid ground after all that had happened. I regretted not being by his side when he found Sydney, but I wasn’t letting Paul escape. He could have disappeared and gotten away with it. When I jumped out of Colin’s SUV that night, I knew Matt wouldn’t leave his side.

  The dreams were starting to come for him though, and for that I was truly sorry.

  Chapter 49

  Monday, February 17th

  Colin

  Sydney and I woke up alone again and Anthony’s side of the bed was cold. He hadn’t been in bed for a while. Sydney
sat up in bed and pulled Anthony’s pillow into an embrace. I could see how much she ached for him. I wish that I could fix everything with ease, but I couldn’t. I’m trying but it will take time. I tugged Sydney back into my arms and kissed her.

  “I miss him, Colin.”

  I sighed and nodded in agreement with her. I also missed him. Sydney got out of bed and wandered to the glass door that led to the deck. I saw a small smile creep on her face and knew she must have spotted him. I joined her and saw Anthony walking along the water with that bucket again collecting rocks.

  As we leaned against the doorframe, I stroked her arm and she reached behind her and took hold of my leg. I know it was meant as nothing, but the playful touch started to make me hard. It seemed like it doesn’t take much to make me hard lately. I moved my hand from her arm to her breast and rubbed my thumb over her nipple.

  “Mmm, your nipples are hard,” I playfully said to her.

  The smile that spread across her face filled me with excitement. She leaned against me and arched her back ever so slightly, causing her breast to push into my hand. I teased her nipples until she turned and pressed her body against mine. She gazed at me with a sleepy sexy grin which forced me to take hold of her chin and kiss her passionately. I took control of the kiss and roamed her mouth. I needed to touch her badly, but kept calm. Sydney didn’t need anything fast because she was still very delicate and healing.

  “Baby, I think we should take our shower.”

  She smiled widely and ran her hand over the material of my boxer briefs that were failing at hiding my erection. She maintained eye contact with me and stroked and rubbed on my cock. Fuck, it felt good. Sydney hooked her thumbs between my skin and the elastic band of my underwear and started to tug them down, almost as if she were waiting for me to stop her. When my erection sprang free, her eyes dropped to it. I adored the pinkish color that spread across her cheeks as she reached out and touched my cock. I let her touch and play at her speed, and when I thought that I just might come, I ushered us to the shower.

  Within minutes, we were in the shower and our hands were washing one another. While my hand was between her legs, I felt her push her pussy against it.

  “Are you trying to tell me I’m not cleaning you well enough?”

  “I think you might have missed a spot, Sir.”

  God, I loved this woman. I turned her so she was facing me and our eyes locked onto one another. I pushed one finger into her warm pussy and watched her smile and part her lips.

  “Am I getting the spot?”

  “You’re closer…Sir.”

  I pushed another finger in and she whispered that I was closer. I searched her eyes, looking for a reason I shouldn’t continue.

  “Wrap your arms around my neck, baby. Tell me if you want to stop.”

  Once her arms were wrapped around me, I picked her up and aimed my swollen cock with her pussy. I leaned her back against the shower wall and began raising my hips while lifting her up and down on my shaft. With our lips locked and the water spilling over us, we let our bodies do the talking.

  “S-sir…” Sydney mumbled into my mouth.

  “Yeah, baby,”

  “I’m going to come, may I?”

  I smiled against her mouth and encouraged it. I made slow, deep thrusts and it took a few seconds before I felt her pussy clench my cock.

  “God, Sydney!”

  I tried keeping the volume down as I filled her with my cum. I made sure I had a good grip on her as we tried catching our breaths.

  “That was hot,” Anthony’s voice filled the bathroom. I turned and saw him leaning against the bathroom counter, pants unzipped, stroking himself.

  I shut the water offer and was hit with guilt. I didn’t want him to think we were trying to do anything behind his back. I wrapped a towel around myself and he brought a warm one over for Sydney and helped me dry her off. He was playful with her nipples and sucked on each one before dropping soft kisses to her tummy and then returning to dry her off.

  “I’ll let you guys finish getting ready. What do you want to wear today, sunshine?”

  “You can pick for me, Sir.”

  “Good girl, sunshine.”

  I followed Anthony out to the loft and over to the dresser. He didn’t say anything to me and I really felt like I messed up. He began getting Sydney’s clothes out and I was hoping he’d say something to me. Anything. When he didn’t though, I realized I better, or else the day could be awkward. I was about to open my mouth when he finally spoke.

  “Stop worrying, Col.”

  “Anth,”

  He shook his head, ending the conversation and then quickly started another one while I pulled on my underwear and jeans.

  “I want to go out for a bit today. Are you guys feeling up for it?”

  “Yeah, of course.”

  He set Sydney’s jeans and a t-shirt on the bed and as he walked by me towards the stairs, he jostled my shoulder.

  “Stop worrying, Col. It was hot.”

  On the tip of my tongue was, “If it was so hot, why didn’t you join us?” but I kept it to myself. I pushed past my frustration and reminded myself that he’s got a lot on his chest. I finished getting dressed and then went back into the bathroom to help Sydney tend to a few wounds. She’s starting to heal up and physically moving past this shit.

  I was trying hard to shake my mood as Sydney and I walked downstairs. I felt kind of angry at myself for taking Sydney in the shower like I did without Anthony.

  “Here, I got some breakfast out, no toast, sunshine.”

  Sydney smiled as Anthony pulled her into an embrace and I followed them into the kitchen. Sydney ate cereal with some fresh fruit and took her medicine without issue. Anthony was eager to get going, so I assumed he had a plan. He was excited about it, that’s for sure.

  Anthony drove for a while and then pulled off the Pacific Coast Highway to a gorgeous, picturesque spot. When we got out of the car I watched as he scanned the area and said, “Perfect.” He popped the trunk and went to the back of the car while Sydney and I waited at the front of the car for him. When he walked over to us, he was carrying the bucket from the deck and sticking out of the top were a few beach towels.

  “Come on,” he said and began walking ahead of us.

  “Are we building sand castles with your bucket?” I called out to him.

  “Not exactly. Just come on.”

  I thought we’d stop when we reached the sand, but Anthony was heading over to the abandoned pier. Once we reached the end of the pier, he set the bucket down and spread the beach towels out on the decking.

  “Sit down, get comfortable guys.” Anthony motioned for Sydney and I to sit together on one of the blankets.

  I sat down first, tugged Sydney to sit on my lap and I wrapped my arms around her. Anthony crouched down and pulled the bucket over. I really had no idea what he had planned. He almost seemed to be at a loss for words suddenly. He took a deep breath and sighed before looking up at us.

  “A lot has happened. There’s a lot you need to get out and I know it’s not easy.” Anthony reached out and squeezed Sydney’s hand. “Sunshine, I know it feels like you have rocks sitting in your stomach when you wake up at night, or like a boulder is crushing your chest when you have those panic attacks. I know it’s hard to get past those feelings, but we’re going to try.”

  Anthony pulled out a handful of strips of paper and a pen and handed them to Sydney.

  “Write something on there that you wish you didn’t have on your mind or something that you have in your nightmares or a feeling you want to get rid of,” Anthony encouraged.

  He and I were both quiet as we watched her write.

  I wish I wasn’t scared to be alone.

  “Oh, baby.” I kissed her head while I pulled her closer.

  Anthony nodded and pushed the bucket toward Sydney.

  “Pick one, sweetheart.”

  Sydney reached in Anthony’s bucket and pulled out a rock and held i
t up. Anthony took the rock, wrapped the strip of paper around it and held it in place by tying a piece of string around it. He stood and pulled her up and placed the rock in her hand.

  “Throw it, Sydney. Throw it as far and as hard as you can.”

  She pulled her arm back and threw the rock out into the ocean and Anthony pulled her into a hug.

  “Alright, got the hang of it, sunshine? You write and I’ll attach it to the rock and you can throw them.”

  I sat beside Sydney and watched what she wrote, much of which I knew were worries for her, but some were a surprise.

  I wish Anthony could sleep through the night with Colin and I.

  I’m angry with Matt.

  I feel guilty for Paul getting me.

  I hate that Anthony had to pull the trigger.

  I wish we could pretend that those weeks with Paul didn’t happen.

  I’m afraid of losing Colin and Anthony.

  Before Sydney folded the piece of paper and handed it to Anthony, I put my hand over hers.

  “Don’t worry about that, baby. It’s not happening,” I told her and held her face in my hand.

  She smiled at me and I handed Anthony the paper to attach to the rock and watched him launch it into the ocean. Sydney went back to writing and I was so proud of Anthony for coming up with this idea.

  “This was a great idea, Anth,” I said to him while he crouched by Sydney’s legs waiting for her next piece of paper.

  “Thanks. I thought it would help to not only get some things down, but be able to do something with it. She writes in her journal, but I thought this might give her a different kind of release.”

  “It’s brilliant, Anth.”

  He reached in his pocket and pulled out another pen and held it out to me. He looked me in the eyes and said, “I think it will benefit you, too.”