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“They’ll be taken to the mansion to work.” A rumble comes from the other side of the door, and a chuckle follows it. The cramped position I’m in hurts my stomach. Music blares to life from somewhere, and I’m not sure where they’re taking us, but I close my eyes and pray.
The rest of the girls I saw were hidden in other rooms within the large house, and I’m not sure where they are, but I don’t chance moving in case the men open the door and get angry.
But the moment the whoosh comes, the man walks in. I don’t know him, I don’t recognize his smug expression and a coil of fear tightens around my stomach, squeezing.
The stranger is dressed in an expensive suit and a white shirt with a bright red tie. His gaze rakes over us, each one. But when it lands on me, he stills, and a smirk forms on his face.
“This one is special,” he speaks, but he doesn’t look at the man beside him. Instead, his focus is on me. A shiver wracks my body when I’m hauled to my feet and tugged along behind them.
My heart has been turned to stone, and my soul is fractured.
I’m fearful every time my eyes open in the mornings. And I have a feeling the calmness that surrounded us girls will soon be gone. The language the men shouts has become familiar, even though I don’t understand it. It’s only when he walks in that they speak English.
I close my eyes and think of JD. It’s the only thing I can do when it becomes difficult. His eyes, his smile, everything about him keeps me calm.
I’m pulled down a long, dark corridor until I’m forced into the room where the clients come to. The club. Suddenly, I’m shoved against the wall, held by three men. The wealthy man turns to look at me, the evil glint in his eye sparkling like diamonds, but they’re not beautiful — they’re sinister.
His hand drops to his zipper, and I scream.
“NO!”
Shooting up in bed, I glance around the room, my throat burning from the word wrenched from my mouth, and I find my mother and JD both on their feet, one on each side of my bed.
“What’s happened?” I realize the sun is shining. I’ve been asleep all night.
“You’re safe,” JD assures me. His gaze is soft, filled with love I haven’t seen in a long while. It’s the way he’s always looked at me. His hand soothes mine with a gentle touch, so warm, so tender, tears fall from my eyes. “You’re just having a nightmare.” His voice is calm, reminding me of why he was my rock when I was taken. JD silently lifts his hand again when my mother comes toward me with the water.
“Here’s something to drink, darling,” my mother tells me as she hands me the plastic cup, and I take long sips.
“I’m sorry.” My mumble has my tears tingling at the corners of my eyes. The heartbreak has taken hold of me, and all I want is to be Autumn again, but it feels as if I can’t be.
“Listen to me,” my mother demands. “You have nothing to be sorry for. You’re safe, and we love you.”
“I should be the one apologizing,” JD tells me. “There are a lot of reasons I say that, but the main one would be that if it weren’t for my father’s job and my mother’s involvement, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“Your mother?”
JD nods slowly, his gaze on mine, and tension causes his shoulders to rise, and he straightens his posture. His handsome face is pained. “She was behind Christopher’s operation. Because of my father’s connections, my mother was able to feed information to Marlin, and that’s how he knew about you.”
My stomach bottoms out, and my heart sinks. In the space of weeks, JD has lost his dad, and now he’s just found out his mother is a criminal.
“This is not your fault,” I tell him. “You saved me.” I realize we’re both hurting in different ways, and deep down, my chest aches because I’m scared this will only leave us both broken.
But then he lifts his gaze, his eyes locking on mine. A small glimmer of hope sparks in his eyes, and I reach my free hand out to him. We hold each other like that for a long while. My mother stroking my hair back, her gentle touch, along with JD’s strong hold, makes my soul lighter.
Perhaps all we need is time.
Chapter Twenty-One
JD
I’ve been so tense around Autumn, and now that we’re at the funeral together, I notice just how much she’s been with me even though she’s hurting.
It’s like I can feel her agony, and it’s twisting me up inside. Losing my father was one thing, but knowing my mother is a lying bitch who cheated on my father with a criminal is something else. And knowing that I failed Autumn when I swore to protect her is another thing altogether.
