“I wanna take a quick look at you.” He lifted my shirt, and I took a deep breath, my eyes widening the further he raised the material. “I wanna see your rib cage and then your back. Okay?” he asked tentatively, which I was sure he didn’t often do with anyone. He looked like he commanded a room with his presence alone, not by asking permission for anything, which was why I relaxed a fraction when he turned me around and inspected my back.
When he lowered my shirt, he looked over at Stone and shook his head. I wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but apparently, I didn’t have it. I would’ve been fine with allowing my curiosity on the subject to flit away, but that wasn’t the case for Lincoln.
“Why did you shake your head, Prez? What are you lookin’ for?”
Marek’s brow dipped in aggravation, but he answered, nonetheless. “Burn marks and stab wounds.”
“Why would—”
“Never mind,” Stone griped at his son, shaking his head when he thought he was gonna push, which he didn’t.
“Can you tell me how long you’ve been with the Reapers?” Marek asked, gritting his teeth when he said their name.
“Eight months.”
“And how did they treat you when you were with them?” He took a step back and flexed his hands at his sides, the repeat motion distracting me while I figured out the quickest way to tell them what I’d been through.
“Uh, maybe I can fill you in on that later,” Lincoln said, saving me from another round of shame and embarrassment.
“Fine.” Marek drew a breath, then released it quickly, turning his eyes to the guy next to me. “While you went against me, and the situation isn’t ideal by any stretch of the imagination, I get it. If you hadn’t interfered on her behalf, who knows what would’ve happened to her.”
What was he talking about? Had Lincoln mentioned me before? I was aware he’d asked Griller and Rock about me because I’d been right next to them, although I always made sure to keep my head down and my mouth shut. But I was under the assumption the undefeated fighter wanted me for himself. I never thought he wanted to help me.
“I know.”
“Well, she can’t stay here for much longer,” Stone said, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else but in that room with us, his patience seemingly gone from the time he walked in.
“Where am I gonna take her?” Lincoln asked, his teeth harassing his bottom lip.
Before I could stop the words from pouring out of my mouth, I clutched on to Marek’s arm in desperation. “Please don’t make me go back there,” I pleaded. “Griller was gonna give me to Dutch, and I’ve seen what he’s done to girls.” Unshed tears blurred my vision. “He uses knives.” I hiccupped on my last word, fear bubbling up inside me at what the evil bastard would do to me if he ever got his hands on me.
All three men vibrated with anger, and I wasn’t sure if it was directed at me or not. They remained silent while I was left to stew in uncertainty. Leaving me to my thoughts wasn’t always a good thing. I’d lose myself to the infinite possibilities of outcomes, dashing any hope I might’ve had because that wasn’t my reality. Hope was for the delusional, and I stopped walking that path a week after being with the Reapers.
Marek removed my hand from his arm and flashed me a sympathetic grin. “We would never send you back to them. Don’t worry about that.” He looked back at Stone. “Call your wife. Tell her we need her to look over Maddie.” He then turned back to face me. “Linc’s mom is a nurse. She’ll make sure everything is okay.” I nodded, relieved I’d be able to talk to someone who might be able to help me with the issue I’d been experiencing when going to the bathroom. And while I’d been uncomfortable the entire time all three men were closed in here with me, I had to admit I’d felt safer in the past twenty minutes than I had in the past eight months.
Question was, would I ever find a sliver of peace again?
17
After telling Maddie I’d be back shortly, I followed Marek and my ol’ man down the hall and into Chambers, shutting the door because I didn’t want any of the other guys to overhear what I was about to reveal about Maddie’s time with the Reapers. Not yet, anyway. I was sure eventually they’d find out and be as angry as I was right now.
They took their designated seats, but instead of me sitting in mine, which was at the other end of the table, I sat in Tripp’s seat, to the right of Marek.
There was a brief silence while I figured out what I wanted to divulge, feeling protective over Maddie and what she’d been through. I realized both of them wouldn’t downplay her trauma, but I wanted to shield her, nonetheless.
“So, what has she told you about them?” Prez asked, leaning back in his chair, his calm expression the opposite of how I felt on the inside. Simply forming the words in my brain made my blood boil. That anyone would do such vile things to a defenseless girl was beyond the scope of what I could wrap my mind around. Zander and I’d been raised to never lay our hands on a woman, no matter what. Walk away if the situation went sideways because we were the physically stronger sex. Besides, women were to be cherished and adored. Maybe that was the more sensitive side of me sneaking out, a side I didn’t show many because I didn’t want to hear the comments, but for the right person, I would toss all reservations aside. Could Maddie be that person? Even as the question formed,
