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“I don’t know, I suspect so, but she can’t remember much. The drugs they use affect memory, and they keep you pumped with them.”
“Have you found other people who escaped?”
“They don’t need to escape. Once they are used up, they just let them go. Some have turned up dead, and some don’t ever come back, and with the drugs, those that do, well, they don’t remember. No one goes to the police, the few that have…well, they don’t return a second time.”
Her eyes flutter closed, and then she stands up really slowly and moves into my space, pulling me to her. My heart thunders, and I look at Seb, who just shrugs. No, this wasn’t what I expected to happen. She was going to hate me.
“Darion, it wasn’t your fault, and you aren’t responsible for anyone else.” Her words are soft, and I feel the weight of everything I’ve carried for years shift.
“I should have realised, I should have done more-”
“No, baby, you shouldn’t have. You were hurt, and you got out. You didn’t need to do more.”
I lift my arms that have been hanging loose and wrap them around her. She doesn’t understand, but I’ll show her.
“I’ve hurt people.” I whisper.
“So have I.”
“I’m broken.”
“No, you’re remade. Stronger than before.”
“I can’t be who you need me to be.”
“I just need you, Darion. That’s enough, it’s always been enough.”
I stiffen, hearing those words. I’ve heard those words. Flashes of memory slam into me. The tree, the girl in the tree who spoke to me hours before I fell into my nightmare. The angel who gave me hope. Oh, my god.
“You were the girl,” I say in wonder. I grip her wrists and hold her back so I can search her face. “The one that I met that night when Trin didn’t show. The night before I was taken.”
“I had the biggest crush on you, and I was so jealous of Trin.” She shakes her head. “I shouldn’t have done it. I came the night she disappeared. She was busy, and I was so angry at her because it was you. You waited for so long and so many nights. I couldn’t leave you there waiting alone, not another night.” Missy hangs her head.
I stroke her hair as she pulls back, tilting her head down to stare at me.
“You were kicking a can around. You said-“
“I’m never fucking enough!” I whisper. “I promised to meet you the next night, but you never showed.”
“Trin was gone. I was late. I came, I promise.”
I laugh at the shock of it. Her words had kept me sane. Her voice had kept me anchored to reality. She was the girl I’ve been silently seeking all this time. I feel everything inside me surrender to this woman. She is magic, my magic, and I have nothing left to fight her with. She’s not mine. I’m not worthy of that. But I am hers.
I stand up, bringing us chest to chest. “Missy…” my voice is thready, shaky. “You’re the reason I didn’t give up. Why I kept fighting. You’re the reason I believed in myself enough to save Seb and Lukas. Without you…”
Her mouth parts, those beautiful pink lips parting to argue or protest or drive me insane. I don’t even care. I let out a bark of laughter.
I can’t even get my mind around it. The angel wings behind the rose thorns on our logo is her. My angel. My saviour. In my home, in my reach, in my arms this whole time.
“I’m never letting you go now.” I whisper.
There’s only one thing I can think of doing. I cup her face in my hands and kiss her.
twenty-five
Missy
His kiss isn’t what I expected, anticipated, or anything. It’s soft, reverent. It melts the last layer of wall I have guarding around my heart.
