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“Wait for what?”
I started looking around. “We still don’t know where Marilyn or Donovan are at,” I reminded him. “Let’s see if there’s a window somewhere.” I started walking to the left side of the building. “I’d rather know what we’re breaking into.”
“Do you honestly think that Marilyn and Donovan could be hiding in there?” Saint asked skeptically.
“Right now, I don’t know what to think, Saint,” I answered honestly. “I’d just…rather check first. Plus, they might not notice a broken window as quickly as a door that’s been kicked in.”
“Good point,” he agreed before going around the right side of the building.
It wasn’t until we met in the back that we both noticed a window set high on the back wall. “It’s got blinds on it.”
“Maybe you can see through the slats,” Saint suggested. “I’ll lift you, then you can tell me if you see anything. Even if it’s dark, that’s a good indication that no one is in there.”
Luckily, with Saint being six-foot-two, reaching the window wasn’t going to be a problem. So, with his hands on my hips, he lifted me cheerleader-style, my knees resting on his shoulders. While I had faith that Saint would be able to hold me steady if I stood up, that wasn’t necessary.
“One of the slats is brok-oh, Christ,”I choked out.
“Baby, what is it?” Sheer horror made me unable to speak. “Verity? Baby?”
When I could finally form words, I started slapping at Saint’s hands. “Get me down,” I begged. “Get me down, Saint.”
“Verity, what is it?” he asked, complying immediately with my demand.
When I was on my feet, I reached out to grab his arms, my entire body not cooperating with terror engulfing every inch of it.
Oh, God.
“Verity, goddamn it,” Saint hissed. “Talk to me.”
I looked up into his worried face, and I had no idea how I was even going to be able to say the words. Stuff like this didn’t happen. Shit like this wasn’t real. This…that…scary movies were nothing but Hollywood’s imagination gone dark. True human atrocities didn’t happen outside news articles that you could distance yourself from. Stuff like this happened to other people. It happened in other countries because you didn’t know better.
“Baby-”
“Mar…Marilyn and…” I could feel bile beginning to make its way up my chest. “Donovan-”
“They’re in there?” he asked, his coffee-colored eyes wild with worry.
“They…they have Sarah,” I finally choked out.
“Oh, Sweet Jesus,” he whispered as he took a step back.
“Saint, she looks…she looks like she’s been beaten…to death,” I whispered brokenly. “She…he was on top of her.” My hands came up, pressing against the sides of my head to ward off the images that I would never be able to unsee. “He was…Donovan was raping her, and…and Marilyn’s just sitting in a chair, watching.” I turned, bending over at the waist. “I’m going to throw up.”
I felt Saint’s hand begin to rub my back. “We need to find Lulee.”
“Oh, God… Saint,” I sobbed. “What if they-”
“Verity, I need you to pull it together, baby,” he said, but not cruelly. “While I have no doubt that we can probably subdue Donovan and Marilyn…”
I straightened as I looked up at him. “What?”
“I know this sounds shitty, but…with Marilyn and Donovan busy with…with Sarah, this is our one chance to get Cree and take care of Richard without Donovan as a threat.” He cupped my face in his hands. “As much as I hate…hate leaving Sarah to…to what they’re doing to her, this is our best chance at finding Lulee, Verity.”
“He’s beating and raping her, Saint,” I cried out.
“And Lulee could be next if we don’t find her,” he reminded me harshly. “Right now, Richard isn’t a match for me, Cree, or Kevin. He’s definitely not a match for all three of us, Verity.” I watched his face soften. “Baby, weneedto find Cree.”
I nodded absently. “Yeah…yeah, okay.”
