My son was used to help breed girls for the black market. There’re a lot of rich folks out there that will do anything, pay anything for a kid.
Now, what the fuck are we gonna do?
“So, how do you know she’s pregnant?” I ask.
“Because before they made me do it . . . I knew her. She went to my school, Dad, she’s not a part of this shit. I hadn’t seen or heard from her since that night, until an hour ago when she called me crying. Her name’s Saraya, and after what they did, she ran away because she never wanted to go through it ever again. The only reason she called me is because she doesn’t know what to do or where to go.”
“I understand. What do you want to do? This girl is just as much a victim in this shit as you are,” I grumble, getting the hint from the way Tor says Saraya’s name. She was special to him before he moved here. It’s apparent to me.
“I think I need to go get her. Find her. Bring her here,” Tor states. I nod in agreement, proud of him for his decision.
“Call Saraya, see if she’s willing to come here, and ask if she needs someone to come get her. I’ll talk to Fern. Maybe she can help us figure this out.” I’ll do anything for this kid. No matter his age, he’s still my son, and I’ll do what it takes to make things right for him.
After this court date is over with, I’ll be calling in any favor I have to track down every single last one of those fuckers who hurt my boy. His mother will pay, and I will guarantee her death is slow. Hillary will find her way to Helheim, the house of Hel, where I know she’ll spend eternity burning for what she’s done to her son.
Chapter Twelve
Fern
I take in a deep breath and look at the glorious sight in front of me. It’s better than I thought it would look, and I’m having a really hard time right now. Tears well behind my eyes, and I have to remind myself I’m still healing. I’m staring at the spa, Calming Spaces. The spa Charm and I co-own. While yes, it’s the same location where I almost died, Fenrir made sure everything was up to code. Apparently, when the construction crew came to start tearing drywall down and start renovations, they discovered quite a few things weren’t done up to code. They started over, and now weeks later, here we are.
The outside of the spa is encased in beautiful shades of gray and earth-toned stone. It has a mixture of an old rustic look, with industrial pieces to complement it and give overall balance. There’s a massive window in the front, and the entrance is to the right. A pear-colored armchair sits beside another, and across from it is a muted yellow couch. Everything about the space is inviting and calming, which is why we chose the name Calming Spaces. The same name hanging on the stone, glowing on this rainy day.
I walk forward, dig my key from my pocket, insert it in the door, and walk inside. The feature wall of driftwood is better than my wildest dreams. We had the contractors sand it down and apply a light honey stain to it, giving it the brightness we wanted. The more inviting the space, the better.
It’s almost so beautiful I can’t believe it was on fire two months ago. The floors are a light stained concrete, and we have Himalayan salt lamps placed throughout the spa. I spot one already behind the receptionist’s desk.
Charm couldn’t be here with me today since she had to take Astrid to a pediatrician appointment, so I’m doing my first walk-through alone. I lock the front door and head down the hall. White paint lines the walls, continuing with our light and bright theme. There are dressing rooms to the left and right, and the following door on the left is our massage room. We offer hot stone, Swedish, deep-tissue, and we’re working on getting certified in Ashiatsu Japanese massages. I think I’m the most excited for those. We get to literally step on people for a living. Okay, I might be joking a bit, but I know they’re extremely beneficial.
Throughout my entire life, I’ve only ever wanted to help people, and opening Calming Spaces has been the start of it. We don’t only offer massages here, though. We have hydrotherapy, which has been a proven way to reduce stress since the Ancient Greeks. We have mud baths, paraffin masks, herbal body wraps, and so much more. Not to mention a sauna, pedicures. and manicures. I hope when we do open back up for the public, the people who come here for services will leave feeling relieved and refreshed.
I continue making my way through the spa, and I come up onto the room I was trapped in. The room I barely made it out of not too many weeks ago. Goosebumps rise all over my body and sweat beads on my forehead. Before long, anxiety is spreading across my chest and breathing becomes more difficult with every second.
I’m okay. I know I am and I have to remind myself. My body recognizes this room as the one where it went into fight or flight mode. It’s how the body responds to trauma with physical reactions. Shit, moments like these make me angry I didn’t go through all the therapy with the counselors after I got out of the hospital. It was recommended, but of course, I thought I’d be fine. Now look at me.
Runes’s off at the club, and now I wish more than ever he could be here with me. I should’ve asked him to come along after Charm had to cancel, but Fenrir had something come up. It’s why he couldn’t take Astrid to the pediatrician like he originally planned. Charm and I were supposed to have a girls’ day, but things changed because of it. I don’t blame her or anything because one thing I’m learning is how life is unpredictable. It’s all about taking things one day at a time, one hour at a time, and even one moment at a time.
Which is exactly what I’m doing right now.
I sink down onto the floor and wrap my arms around myself, staring into the room. The room where I almost died. The one where I felt the most insane amount of fear. I haven’t told Runes or Charm this, but the day of the fire I saw my life flash before my eyes. I thought of everything I regretted. It came across my mind just like it does in the movies when people are close to death. Now, usually, they see the happy stuff, but of course, my mind couldn’t work like that.
It never did, though, not until I really grew up over the last few years. I wasn’t exactly Miss. Positivity when I was younger. Then again, a traumatic childhood will do that to you. Your entire body goes into fight or flight mode every day of your life, and there’s next to nothing you can do about it.
It’s why I’m so upset about Tor. Everything I’ve learned cracks my heart in two. Why? Because I went through similar things. Only, my mother wasn’t the one who did it. If she’d known, she would’ve tried to protect me. At least, I hope she would’ve. I don’t think I’ll ever have the answers I seek. She married my stepfather when I was five, and my mom died when I was fourteen. It’s when things started changing, when he started touching me. Fuck, even now, the heebie-jeebies run across my skin, and I want to vomit.
I simply cannot understand why such horrible people live in this world. I don’t get it one bit. When I turned eighteen, I got out of that trailer park and then became friends with Charm. She helped me get a good job, let me crash on her couch for a while, and now here we are.
Sucking in a deep breath, I debate whether one day I’ll tell Tor my story. I don’t want him to think he’s alone, or like he did something wrong. It’s what messed with me the most. I thought I deserved to be . . . violated like that. I didn’t, and no one ever does.
No one deserves what I, Tor, or the millions of kids a year endure behind closed doors. And most of all, the ones who do it are the ones you least expect. They’re your uncles, sisters, cousins, neighbors, pastors, and so much more. The world we live in is terrifying, but I don’t want my stepson to think he’s alone.
Eventually, I’ll share my story with him, but I don’t know when that day will be.
Chapter Thirteen
Runes
Leaving the lawyer’s office, I stalk toward my bike, more than ready to get this bullshit with court over with. Shit, I’ve been ready to fight this battle for a long time now. I was able to make arrangements to protect my son after the judge’s ruling. Tor will never see his mother again, not in real life at least. Sh
e will only live in his mind, forever being a horrible memory and possibly plaguing his nightmares. I pray he isn’t subjected to traumatic dreams, but I’m no fool. With what he’s going through, he’s bound to be fighting demons he doesn’t tell me about.
Tor talked Saraya into coming to Tallahassee. At first sight of the girl, it took everything in my power to keep my rage confined within me. The only thing I wanted was to ride off on my bike and make things right. Fern ended up calling Fenrir over to the house. Even now, I can’t blame her. Not many people can keep me in check once I see red, but Fenrir is one of the few. Only, when he got there, he lost his shit too. All it took was one glance for both of us.
Saraya has the body type like a small, dainty fairy who needs to be protected. White-blonde hair with pale blue eyes, and freckles are scattered across the top of her cheeks and nose. She can’t be more than a hundred and ten pounds soaking wet.
The girl’s terrified out of her mind, but you can see she trusts Tor by the way she looks at him. I would put money on it before this bullshit, she probably had a crush on my son. The worst part about this is the girl is just that. She’s only fifteen years old, went through the same hell as my son, and now she’s a pregnant runaway. Gods, I’ll make this right. Odin will guide me to the people who did this, to those thriving off the misery of children. I know he’ll be looming right over my shoulder as I ensure those responsible draw their last breaths.
After a while, Fenrir and I got our shit under control. The two of us talked about how this shit isn’t going to happen to anyone else. Hillary seems to think she’s unstoppable and has continued to call Tor since he’s been here, demanding he come home, how the courts will see she’s a perfect mother. What a crock of shit. She even threatened him in the process. Each time she called Tor didn’t answer, so the only thing she could do was leave voicemails. Only, our son wasn’t the one listening. It’s been me.
Her time is coming, and I know it’ll be worth the wait.
Straddling my bike, I pull my cell phone from my pocket and text Fern to let her know I’m heading to the house. She’s been making dinner for Tor and me every night, proving the chicken incident was a one-time thing, so I always text her when I’m on my way. My stomach’s a little leery of her cooking since the night she undercooked the food. But she’s trying. Normally, I have an ironclad stomach, but that rotisserie tore my stomach up.
I shove the phone back in my pocket, start my bike, kick the stand up, and back out of my spot. Hitting the throttle, I shoot off out of the parking lot.
My mind goes from thoughts of tomorrow to those of Fern. She’s under my skin, and I like her where she is. Everything between us is becoming much more real. It doesn’t feel fake anymore. I need to talk to her about our marriage. I know we got together and said this would only be temporary. But fuck, I don’t want it to be anymore. I might sound crazy, but I like the life we’re building together. I know she expects this to end after I face the judge and am granted custody of Tor. After a lot of thinking on the matter, I don’t want to sit back and let what we’ve built go.
I’m not someone who likes to sit around talking about feelings and shit, but I need her to know what I want. With any luck, Fern wants the same thing.
Riding fast for the house, I take the curves of the road with ease as I pull into the neighborhood our house resides in. I grin the second my eyes land on our driveway. Tor’s car isn’t here, so he must be at the garage working. This means I get to have some alone time in the house with my wife.
We moved Saraya in with Freya after Charm said she’d be a great person to watch over her. Freya used to watch Fenrir’s kids before they lost their mom when Charm couldn’t. Now she only watches them every once in a while when Charm heads out with Fenrir, like on dates and shit. She knew Saraya needed a place where she could feel safe and not surrounded by men. I agreed with her the second she said it, given the circumstances she came from. Charm assured me Saraya would be safe in Freya’s care, but she knows the woman better than anyone else.
Pulling into the driveway, my eyes go to the storm door to see it open. Fern steps out on the porch smiling at me. I shut my bike off, put the stand down, swing my leg over it, and stalk over to her. I don’t stop until I have her lifted into my arms, legs around my waist, and my mouth on hers.
I open the storm door, step through and close the front door with my foot. I don’t stop kissing her, not until I get us to our bedroom. Nothing will stop me now. I have the perfect opportunity to savor every delicious inch of her body.
I lift her just enough to grin down at her. “I’m taking my dessert first.”
“I can see you are,” she breathlessly states, her own eyes raking up and down my body.
I claim her mouth again and get right to it. I brush my lips against every part of her body, making her come with my mouth and my cock multiple times, and I don’t stop until I hear a car pull in front of the house. I rise from the bed and grab my boxers from the floor. As I put them on, I peer out the window and see Tor’s home.
With dinner done, the three of us move to the living room and put on a movie. Tor takes the couch, stretching out on his back with his arms bent and resting behind his head. Fern curls up with me in the recliner. She tried to move to the loveseat, but I pulled her down on my lap. The A/C is pumping pretty good, so I grab the blanket on the arm of the loveseat and cover her up, so she doesn’t get a chill.
“Are you ready for tomorrow?” Fern asks the room.
Tor twists his head to look at Fern then at me before returning his attention back to the TV. “I’ll be happy when it’s over with,” he grunts.
“It’ll be over soon, Tor,” I firmly declare. The kid has gone through so much, and I can’t blame him for wanting this all to be behind him.
“What if we all go out to lunch tomorrow and celebrate?” Fern suggests. “We could even go to that seafood place that you’ve been wanting to try out.” Fern looks at Tor as she says the second part, waiting for his response. She’s trying really hard to make sure he’s okay, but I’m sure he has a lot on his mind right now.
“Sounds good to me,” he states, not taking his attention off the screen.
Fern lets out a small breath, looks to me then back to Tor. I see the look in her eye and I know what she’s thinking. ‘Is he okay?’ The answer is ‘no’ because he’s not. Tor’s struggling with so much on his shoulders. He wasn’t only raped by women and men. He was forced to have sex with girls, it wasn’t just Saraya they forced him on while he was drugged. Saraya’s simply the only one he knows for certain he got knocked up.
Being the dad to one is scary enough at his age, but the possibility of being a father to multiple kids. Fuck, it would be terrifying as hell. I want Tor to feel safe, and he won’t be able to until he’s officially in my custody. Otherwise, the threat of being put back with his mom is going to eat at him.
In the meantime, I’ll be searching for answers. I’m sure Tor wants them too, but they won’t come easily. Not with the reality we’re dealing with. This is human and sex trafficking, not just one or the other, but both at once. Whoever’s the head honcho for this shit is going to suffer greatly when I’m done with them.
I’ve made a deal with a mercenary who will take care of Hillary when court is over. The sooner, the better. I’ve hired the best of the best, and there won’t be any way to pin it back on me. People can have their suspicions, but they can suck a dick. It’s innocent until proven guilty in this country, baby. When this is all over with, I’m going to sleep so much better at night.
Chapter Fourteen
Runes
“Babe, you ready?” I frustratedly call out down the hall. Tor stands next to me dressed in black trousers and a dress shirt, same as I am. If it weren’t for Fern, we would’ve shown up in T-shirts and jeans. She knocked some sense into us, though. Fern went shopping the other day for court-appropriate attire. I told her the court would see me as I am, but she said if they saw me like that, they wouldn
’t give me custody at all. Thank the Gods I have a smart woman on my hip. She’s wearing dark trousers and a long-sleeve blouse, did her hair up real nice, and made sure her nails are done too. She caked loads of makeup on, trying to cover her facial burns, but I can’t blame her for wanting to do that today. Not when it’s so important, but I’ll be the first one to fuck up the judge if he looks at her the wrong way.
“I’m coming. Hold on. I just needed to finish one more coat of concealer,” she yells from our room.
I scuff at the mention of her finishing her makeup. I thought she was done already. Today’s aggravated me a bit. I’d much rather prefer her all-natural, without a speck of makeup on her face. I don’t know why she needs it when she’s just as beautiful without it. In my opinion, her natural beauty is better than her makeup. Then again, she has a way of making her eyes look all sultry, and when she puts her red lipstick on, I lose it. Damn, those full peach lips of hers. I inwardly groan at the thought of her red-painted lips wrapped around my cock. Fuck.
“Get a move on. We gotta go,” I rumble, adjusting myself behind the zipper.
“Seriously, Dad,” Tor groans.
“Shut up,” I chuckle.
“Okay. I’m ready,” Fern announces, coming out of the bedroom. Scanning over her outfit, I grin at how sexy she looks. Mmm, fuck. I never knew she could look just as sexy, all professional like this. Her lips are a peachy color, but I know they’ll look just as good wrapped around my cock.
“You look beautiful, sweetie,” I utter softly.
Fern’s smile brightens and her eyes light up. “Thank you,” she says. Coming to her tiptoes, she presses her mouth to mine. Fern wraps an arm around my neck and brings her mouth to my ear. “Just so you know, I’m not wearing panties,” she whispers and stealthily slides something into my hand. It’s small and plastic, and as I run my fingers over it and feel buttons, I realize it’s a remote.
Sinister (Raiders of Valhalla MC Book 2) Page 6
