Dusk had settledover Teresa’s backyard, yet the party still went on, and Steff found herself still at the table with Jag. He hadn’t left her alone, and if someone had come up to talk to him, he made sure she was included in the conversation. Not that she said much, but it was nice that he made sure she wasn’t ignored.
The panic about being around people hadn’t totally subsided, but it hadn’t consumed her the way it had earlier. As promised, the cake had been delicious, and Steff had savored every bite. How Astrid pulled together all the food, as well as the amazing cake, while watching her twin boys impressed Steff. Then again, Growler was a hands-on dad and had kept the boys occupied while Astrid sat with the other women. In fact, all the dads had taken a lead role in looking after their children.
Steff envied them, her father had been a background player in her life. Her mom had always cautioned her not to bother him after he’d returned from work. That he had a stressful job and Steff needed to be quiet. It had been hard for her, because she was always excited to share her day with her dad, even if nothing special had happened, she’d just wanted to spend time with him.
She’d lost count of the number of times he’d cut her off before she even finished her first sentence, but she kept trying,until one day she worked out, that to her father, she was an inconvenience. Her mom never tried to make her feel better either, and Steff spent most of her childhood and teenage years alone in her room. When she’d gone off to college, she’d reveled in the fact that people seemed interested in her and what she’d achieved. She’d come out of her shell and then she’d found a job she loved. Her parents’ death, during her second year at college, had been sad, but, by then, she’d learned to live without having constant contact with them. Yet, there was still a hole in her soul from losing them young.
What would they have done after she’d been kidnapped if they were still alive?
Would they have supported her after she’d been found?
It was something she would never know and there was no point wondering about it.
“Are you ready to go?” Dalton’s quiet voice interrupted her trip down the road her life had taken her on. There was a certain fork she wished she’d skipped.
“Yes.” And she was. It wasn’t that late, as the sun had just set, but she was exhausted, and the moment she got home she’d collapse on her bed. Hopefully she would sleep the night through and not have her recurring nightmare. Somehow, she didn’t think she’d be so lucky. There hadn’t been one night since her ordeal was over that she hadn’t dreamed about faceless men taking her over and over.
During the time she’d been thinking about her past, almost everyone had left, and the only people that remained were Dalton’s boss and his wife, along with their cute little boy, Oscar.
Had people come up and said goodbye to her and she hadn’t acknowledged them? God, she hoped not, but she needed to make sure.
She reached out and touched Dalton’s arm, the movement reflexive, but the first time she’d voluntarily made the move totouch a man. “Please tell me I didn’t ignore anyone if they came up and said goodbye to me.”
His muscles flexed beneath her fingers. Steff became aware of his strength and the power that he could unleash when required. She pulled her hand away. He looked at her quizzically but didn’t say anything.
“No, you smiled and said bye, and I knew you weren’t really seeing them, but I don’t think anyone noticed that though.”
At least she’d said goodbye, but she didn’t like the fact that Dalton had been aware she hadn’t been present. “Okay. Um, I need to say goodbye to Teresa.” Steff glanced around the yard. Outside of the lit area, the shadows were dark, and memories of the way evil lurked in the darkness slammed into her.
Panic returned, and she gripped the box that held her piece of cake tightly, crushing it.
Why had she stayed out so late?
What had she been thinking?
She never stayed out after dark because she never allowed herself to go anywhere. Bad things happened at night, even when surrounded by people and lots of light. It had happened to her.
She’d been taken, and now here she was, stuck in hell with never any hope of getting out.
Her life was over.
“Shit,” a man swore, but she didn’t know who.
“Jag, is she okay?” This time the voice was female. Was it Cynthia who’d spoken, or one of the other women who’d been taken?
No, that can’t be right. She was alone in a room. She had no contact with anyone.
It had to be a trap.
Steff whimpered and wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to make herself small. If she was small, they couldn’t see her, right?
“She will be,” the man answered.
What were they going to do to her now? Hadn’t they done enough? All her life, she’d loved being the quintessential blue-eyed, blonde-haired woman, but now, she wished her hair was a horrible dull color and her eyes the same. That way she wouldn’t have caught the attention of whoever had taken her and decided that she was special.
“Steff, I know you’re afraid, but you’re not there anymore. You haven’t been there for two years. You’re safe. I’ve got you.”
She heard the words but couldn’t believe them.
