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While I’ve never been there, I happen to know that it is Craig's favorite restaurant, but I try to push him from my mind. It’s not like he goes there. He has one of his servants pick food up from there frequently. We didn’t have a traditional marriage, but I wasn’t chained to the wall with him. I was kept locked up, but it was normally in a room. Although, there was a cage when I disobeyed him.
“Are you okay?”
Pasting a fake smile on my face, I say, “Yes. It’s just weird being out.”
“It gets easier, Jade.”
When we get to the restaurant, Gage gets out and looks around before letting us out.
“Do bad things happen to you?” I ask.
She laughs and loops her arm with mine, “No. My husband is paranoid. Nothing has happened in a long time. Max is terrified something will happen to me. As much as they try to eliminate all the people involved in trafficking, it’s impossible.”
We take a seat at the round black iron table. Gage stands a few feet back, arms crossed over his chest, and watches.
“Isn’t he hungry?” I ask.
She shakes her head, “It’s against the rules. Max would have his head. Probably Hunter too.”
The waitress comes to our table to take our order.
“I’ll have a salad with oil and vinegar, please.”
Willow smiles, “I’ll have the same. And two margaritas, please.”
When the waitress returns to the restaurant, Willow says, “I want all the deets. You said things were going well?”
I laugh, “They are. He’s different, but the sweet boy I fell in love with is still there. He tells me I’m beautiful constantly. It’s like he can’t even see the scars on my body.”
She places her hand over her heart, “Swoon.”
The waitress returns with our drinks and sets them in front of us. I’ve never had a margarita, but I don’t want Willow to think I’m weird, so I pick it up and take a drink. It’s actually kind of good.
“I’m not sure if he told you, but he went to Max’s the night that all happened with his father.”
Shaking my head, I say, “No. He hasn’t said much about that time.”
She sighs, “I know you think he should’ve stuck around and fought for you. But I think you should know, he was destroyed. From the way Max tells it, he was so in love with you. I think he still is.”
I take another drink and look to the ground because this conversation is difficult.
“It’s not that I wanted him to stay and fight for me, necessarily. His father would’ve killed him. I didn’t want that. It’s the only reason I agreed to it. I just thought he’d come back. He walked away like I meant nothing to him, while I was being beaten and raped on a daily basis. Had he come back and seen me, he would’ve known.”
As we sit discussing my terrible life a shot rings out, Gage falls to the ground, people scream.
“Hello, wife.”
Craig appears out of nowhere at the side of the table. I do the only thing I know how to do, but I know it makes me the worst person on the planet. I jump up, leave Willow to defend herself and run for my life.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
HUNTER
After we finish with the three men in the basement of Max’s safe house, which ironically is not safe at all, I grab my cell phone and see I have a message from Jade. Max grabs his ringing phone out of his pocket as well. I see red when I read Jade's message that she was going to lunch with Willow. Then I hear Max screaming into his phone, “God damn it, Willow. Where is she?”
Max glances at me, “Craig showed up at the restaurant and Jade ran. Gage is dead. Willow can’t find Jade.”
My heart seizes in my chest. The anger is instantly replaced with heartache like I’ve never known. I lost her again. If my father got his hands on her, it’ll likely be for good. I rub the pain in my chest while Max watches.
