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“Did he…? He d-didn’t make a report did he? A…about what I told you? Is he going t-to….oh God!” My panic rose higher and higher as images of what Soloman could do to my family, if he found out I’d reported him, flashed through my mind one after the other. I never should have gone there! I was such an idiot. I was going to get my brothers killed! Or my mom! My Dad! Would he go after my nieces and nephews? Livy?
He’d know. He’d know right away if the police started making reports and talking to the FBI about everything I had told Harris. I didn’t know how, but I knew he would find out! He’d know I broke the rules and he’d go after the people I loved!
CHAPTER 11
EVIE
“Evie! Evie, look at me!” Kailan demanded. I looked up, startled, and found him right before me, barely a foot between us. I took a step back away from him but almost tripped over my own feet when my limbs refused to cooperate. Kailan grabbed the cup from my hand before I spilled boiling hot coffee over myself, while also grabbing my elbow to steady me with his other hand.
“Did he…did he tell the police?” I asked shakily.
“No,” Kailan said clearly as he set my cup down, but kept a hold of my arm. “Just take a breath for me, darlin’,” he added softly, his voice showing a slight accent for a moment.
“I…I’m okay,” I gasped, but the way my voice wobbled wasn’t exactly convincing.
“I’m not going to hurt you, okay? I’m just going to wrap my arm around your back to help you over to a seat. Is that alright?” he asked as he looked to me with concern.
I shook my head. I didn’t need his help, but then I tried to take a step and realised just how badly I was shaking. My legs felt like lead and they didn’t want to cooperate again. I looked up at Kailan and saw the worry all over his face. It was enough to reassure me.
“O-okay…yes please,” I told him quietly. “I’ll be okay. I just…I think I should sit.”
“I agree,” he nodded as he wrapped his arm around my back and took most of my weight as we made our way over to the counter. I expected to panic when he circled my waist with his huge hands and lifted me onto the stool, but I didn’t, which was weird. “Are you okay there?” he asked as he looked me over like he expected me to fall back out of the seat again.
“Yeah. Thank you. Sorry I freaked again,” I gasped.
“Nick isn’t going to say anything, Evie. We all discussed it and he agreed to keep it to himself for now.” He took the seat beside me, turning it slightly so he was almost facing me.
“I know I sh-should report it all. I…I could have saved those girls,” I whimpered as tears filled my eyes. “If I just went straight to the police when I got away I could have….maybe I would have s-saved them.”
“It’s unlikely, unless you know exactly who this guy is and where you were kept,” Kailan told me.
“No. I don’t, but I…I know some things that could identify him. I should go to the police but I…I’m just so scared, Kailan. Not for me…not really, but for my family. If he….God, I can’t even think about him h-hurting them,” I sniffled.
“We need to warn your brothers. Harris says two of them work in security. If they knew there could be danger, they could be on the lookout for it, and be more careful,” he mused.
“We can’t! I don’t know how but h-he….he’ll find out. He found out that I messaged Matt. I…I don’t even know if Matt got the message,” I explained.
“Aleks will know what to do. He’s brilliant at this shit. He’ll figure out a way you can talk to your family.”
“You think he really can?” I ask tearfully. “If I could just speak to them….let them know I’m okay...” That was what I wanted more than anything. To just reassure them all. It had killed me over the last few months thinking they were all worried sick, and there I was just hiding out. I knew my brothers would be tearing the world apart in search of me.
“We’ll ask him when he wakes up, okay? We’ll find a way,” Kailan assured me.
“Thank you.”
“In the meantime, how about some breakfast? I’m a shit cook, but I can make something?” he offered.
“I’m good with coffee for now, thanks.” I reached across the counter, snagging my cup and nestling it in my hands, appreciating the warmth of it as a shiver raced through my body.
We both looked up to the stairs at the sound of someone coming down them at pace. Harris appeared, taking the stairs three at a time as he leapt down them. He stopped halfway down when his eyes met mine, and he puffed out a sigh of relief.
“There you are,” he declared with a smile. “I panicked when I saw your room was empty. Thought you’d run out on us.” He jogged down the last of the stairs, then he was headed right for me. He looked so good in snug fitting dark jeans and an even snugger fitting black t-shirt. He was all muscle – that much was clear, and even with the scars and the lines the years had gifted him, he was beautiful.
“Hey,” I greeted him. A smile spread across my face without thought, at seeing him. He just made me feel safe.
“Hey. How did you sleep? Were you okay?” he asked. He came right over to me and leant a hand on the back of the stool I was perched on, leaning in over me. I had thought I would feel crowded, but I didn’t. Quite the opposite. A warmth spread through me at having him close.
“I was fine. I slept pretty well,” I assured him.
