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Not soft or caring.
“Hey, I’m Stella. I’m going to help you, if you’d let me.”
Stella.
Sig.
“What’s your name?”
She turned her head barely enough to see the woman on her knees next to her.
“If you’re not ready to tell me yet, that’s okay.” She got to her feet and Autumn heard flip-flops head in the same direction the boots went.
Autumn’s gaze landed on the door. Freedom laid beyond it. It wasn’t far. She could make it.
Planting her palm on the floor she pushed herself to a seat, her only focus that escape route.
She had no idea where she’d been taken, she just knew she was no longer on that hellhole of a mountain.
On the ride in, she’d noticed it was a farm of some sort. And she was above a barn. She had noticed some fields in the distance and a tree line. If she could get to that tree line, maybe she could disappear.
But she had no clothes, no money, no credit cards, nothing.
Even if she had a phone, she had no one to call.
Except for 911.
And like that Sig said, once the police saw her, they’d go up that mountain and arrest Vernon, if not more of them, doing more harm than good by tipping off the Shirleys to where she was.
Then they’d come find her.
To take back what they deemed as theirs.
She was not giving them that. Not ever.
Because what they thought was theirs, was also hers. And right now, she had full control of it.
Then the woman... Stella... was back, squatting beside her. “Red, the tub’s almost full. I’m going to help you, okay? We’ll get you cleaned up, feeling better. Sig will make you something to eat in the meantime. I’m sure you’re hungry. And thirsty.”
Hunger wasn’t anything new. She was used to it now. The hollow ache in her stomach. The fuzziness in her brain.
Even when they brought her food, she had refused to eat it.
Food would keep her living longer. And the longer she lived, the longer her nightmare continued.
And she had just wanted it all to end.
But they had forced her...
“C’mon,” Stella encouraged softly. “Let’s get you to your feet and into the tub. You’ll feel better once you soak in that warm water. I promise.”
“Why?” Autumn got caught in her dry throat as the woman helped her to her feet. She tried again. “Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why are you helping me?” Her voice was so raw, it hurt.
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“You don’t know me.”
“No, I don’t. But I’d like to.”
She was lying. Why would this woman want to get to know her?
Autumn closed her eyes for a second as dizziness made her sway.
“Sig!”
Heavy booted feet quickly approached her.
“Can you help me get her into the tub?”
Without a word, she was scooped up again. She lifted her eyes and met his. Brown.
They held pain. His face would be handsome if it wasn’t so messed up. Like he’d gotten into a fight.
And the agony he was trying to hide also etched his face.
Within a few strides, he carried her into the bathroom and put her on her feet only long enough for Stella to pull the T-shirt over her head and untie the flannel shirt from around her waist.
She should care this Sig was seeing her naked again.
But she didn’t.
She no longer cared anymore. Her body had no longer become her own a year ago. It was only a container for the organs that kept her alive and the seed they had planted inside her.
Sig picked her up once more and, with a grimace twisting that face, gently placed her into the warm water, getting the front of his shirt soaked.
She felt the need to thank him, but she couldn’t push the words past her lips.
She forgot what it was like to be thankful.
It was a strange feeling.
And she wasn’t sure why she was where she was. What their plans were for her.
Maybe she shouldn’t be thankful at all.
But whatever their plans were, she was too tired to care at the moment.
The warm soapy water pulled at her, making her even more weary.
Even so, it was a thousand times better than the bucket of water and sponge she’d been occasionally given to use. Or the cold spray of the hose when she began to stink too badly.
“What do you need from me? Besides some clothes, shampoo and that kind of stuff.”
“Anything that will make me feel human again and... and not like breeding stock.”
Stella’s face paled, her pretty blue eyes wide. “Breeding stock?” she whispered.
Autumn closed her eyes. She didn’t know these people. She didn’t know if she could trust them.
A clean washcloth appeared in front of her face.
“Do you want to do it yourself? Or I can help you, if you want.”
Autumn grabbed the cloth between her fingers and stared at it. “I...”
“Do what you can while I run and grab you some things. I can help you get the spots you can’t reach when I get back. Sig’s out in the kitchen now, making you something to eat. I have no idea if he can cook. I hope so... I’ll be back...”
