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Luke shakes his head but walks over and empties out his pockets on the rock. “She won’t like it.”

“She’s not here to witness it.” I push his shoulder.

“It’s not like we haven’t done this before.” Eli shakes out his hands.

Fuck or fight. Those were usually the options when things got bad. Both serve a purpose, but fucking has become something more with Harper. And while I know in my heart she would let me use her that way and find pleasure and satisfaction in it, I can’t.

Not after what she’s been through.

Both nights cling to me, and while she may not remember most of it, they cling to her too. We’ll get through this together, but right now, I just need the release. We all do.

“Winner gets Harper.” Luke swings his arms to warm up.

I smirk. “That prize is mine.”

Eli stayed true to the ten-minute limits. The winner fought whoever sat out the previous round until we all pounded on each other. Our breathing is heavy. My ribs hurt from the punches I took, but I feel alive.

My insides are more settled. Pain and physicality expended that rage, taking it out on my brothers, who needed the punishment just as much as I did.

“Wish there was still water around here.” I glance around. We have some bottled water to drink, but I really crave jumping into an icy cold pond or lake. The dust from the quarry clings to our sweaty bodies.

“You’ll just have to wait until we get home and take a shower.” Eli tugs on his shirt and pockets his things.

Luke smirks as he walks between us. “I’ll claim my prize tonight.”

“It’s a school night. Don’t be an asshole.” Eli shakes his head, and sweat falls from his hair to the ground.

“She can take it.” Luke puts his shirt on.

“Can she?” I ask what we’re all afraid to talk about. “She might need time. Sure, she wasn’t physically assaulted, but she had issues after he trapped her in that closet. Obviously not hangups about sex, but the nightmares...”

They both pause and look back toward the stand of trees. This girl has us so deep. We’d do anything for her. Even not fuck her. Whatever she needs.

“Do you think she’ll remember it?” I ask. It weighs on her. Not knowing. Hopefully, with Jack filling in the details, she’ll feel better about it. At least knowing what went down. But it’s still someone else’s memory, and it has to feel like it happened to someone else.

I wish it had. Anyone else but her.

“I don’t honestly know.” Eli looks down at the ground. He’s been spending time looking into the drugs Zach gave her. “The combination of drugs was unique. So we don’t know what’s blocking her memories, but it could just be a blank spot in her mind forever.”

“I wish I’d gotten to see her fight off two dudes.” I smile wistfully. She was attentive during training. She wanted to be able to take on anyone if she had to. I just wish she hadn’t needed to.

“I’m sure she was amazing.” Luke claps me on the shoulder. “We should get back.”

I need to sit down with Jack again and have him tell me in greater detail exactly how she kicked their asses.

I glance toward the rock and see the sunlight glint off something on the ground next to it. Did we drop something? It’s possible. I walk over, squat down, and clear the loose dirt off something smooth and metal.

“Hey.” I sit back on my haunches as I stare at the small metal object that definitely isn’t something of ours.

Eli comes over. “What is it?”

Luke joins us as I lift it out of the dirt and inspect it.

“It’s a Leatherman multi-tool. My dad has one.” I brush it off and turn it over. My insides grow cold as I read the inscription. “Fuck.”

Harper

I’m getting nervous about the others. They’ve been gone longer than we expected.