Beloved: A Henry Dawncraft Novel |boyxboy| Sequel to Lover for Pay

XXV - Reject

Pulling into the parking lot of the Black Sheep, Henry stalled the Rover and glanced at Travis in the passenger seat. A thought came to mind, and suddenly he wasn't so sure it was a good idea to have Travis here. He'd pretty much just been released from prison, and this wasn't the best location for a convicted felon, especially one who'd had a history of severely putting their hands on another person. With the fighting ring in the basement and the tensions that reigned over the Black Sheep, leaving Travis behind should've probably crossed Henry's mind before making the drive over.

Worried more for his brother; however, Henry killed the engine and got out of the vehicle. Travis was a grown man. He could make his own decisions.

Just like the first time Henry had been here to watch one of Dorian's past fights, there were several cars in the lot, loads of people either hanging around outside or waiting their turn to get inside. From the sound of it, there was a local rock band playing tonight at the crowded establishment. As Henry led the way through the many people, most of them being young teens or in their mid-twenties, Travis couldn't help but look noticeably uncomfortable as he followed his son. Back in prison, he'd been used to being cramped into a small space, but the closeness of all these bodies was making him feel claustrophobic.

The smell of cigarettes and perfume wafted through the air, a thin cloud of fog took over the atmosphere, and when they finally made it through the main entry doors, Henry was stopped by a man who demanded money to pass. Not about to offer up anything to this place, Henry raised his voice a little so he could be heard over the music already drowning out everything else. "I'm here for Tucker," he half lied, and then he hitched a thumb toward Travis behind him. "Found a new pair of hands for him."

As dumb as Henry thought the lie was, the doorman looked over the sturdy and almost terrifying build of Travis and nodded. "Jesus Christ," the man said, "Alright, head down the back stairs."

Surprised it even worked, Henry led the way toward an archway beyond the crowd continuing to gather for the current musical act. He hated to be here right now, more so because not even Daniel knew where he was. He'd much rather be home with his husband and infant son, but there was no way Henry could've found it in himself to ignore the unexpected call. If Dorian really was here somewhere bleeding out, his condition could be life threatening, and Henry wouldn't be able to live with himself if he turned his back, especially on the younger brother who'd already felt left behind in the first place.

Starting down the back steps, the music began to sound distant as another round of voices took over, and soon Henry and Travis were faced with the main fighting area. There were people circling around the ring, and a pair of fighters were boasting in the center of it already. "What is this place?" Travis said more to himself.

"Think of fight club," Henry responded. "But all these guys do is talk about it. Dorian was caught up with a guy months back who he fought for. That's how he made his money before stepping away to get closer to us." A little disappointed, Henry sighed as he moved his eyes around the underground establishment, trying as he might to spot a familiar face. "Honestly," he continued, "I never thought Dorian would actually come back here. He was getting so comfortable with us. There was no reason for him to."

"Maybe he felt driven back," Travis shrugged. "This may have also been an outlet for him, and leaving it behind took that place away."

Shaking his head, Henry walked further inside. He and Travis split up to search for the youngest Dawncraft boy, and soon Henry found himself at the open mouth of a corridor leading to the back resting area. When he turned down the walkway and went further inside, he stepped out to an area with empty benches, lockers, and personal bags all around. The yellowish light buzzing overhead became almost deafening, and the hollars of the people in attendance drowned out. Henry's breath caught as he spotted the figure of his younger brother.