Fostering Hope (Silver Lining Book 1)

by Amanda Perry

  “Right,” Lochlan nods, gazing back to the rest of our brothers. “Let’s make a plan, and get our girl back.”

  ~

  TALEN

  We learn fast the man who took Parker is Track. Rebecca got called in to help us. We call everyone we can find and use all resources at our disposal to help rescue Parker. Rebecca identifies Track easily as Parker’s last foster father. His last known residence is our first stop. At his residence, we observe how Parker lived, and the house, especially Parker’s room, disgusts us. Social Services allowed her to live in those conditions. They didn’t give two shits about her. From the smell and condition of the place, Track left soon after Rebecca removed Parker from his care.

  Back home, we finalize our plans to get our girl back. A message from the bureau states that Track shows up in the pictures Lochlan and Dominic found at the locations they searched. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out Track is working with Lopez and Randolf. They also linked the pictures to an old warehouse about an hour from here. We have no idea if the warehouse could be where Parker is, but it’s our only lead. Based on tax records, the property was abandoned twenty years ago. But it’s our only chance at finding Parker and the other missing girls.

  “Okay, do we have everything in place? Everyone know what your jobs are?” Dad calls out, grabbing our attention.

  A bunch of their friends from SWAT owe them for some shit, and we called them in to help. Their job is securing any and all men Lopez, Track, and Randolf hired to guard the place. Once finished with that task, they will breach the building and rescue any girls they find. Our job is simple: find Parker. We will take out whoever we need to in order to get her out safely. We need to let our dads and oldest brothers do their job, but we refuse to stay home and wait. Duncan, me, and Rebecca will keep the SUV’s waiting to load up any girls they find inside, and they will hold a few agents there to take away any suspects. My dads and brothers told them they can’t make promises of keeping the fuckers alive, and they didn’t even blink. They want these guys six feet under as bad as we do. They know Parker is our family, and you don’t fuck with a fellow agent’s family.

  Everyone nods in response to Dad’s questions, and he signals for us to move. We head to our designated cars, already packed with the supplies we may need. No one speaks as we drive in the direction of the warehouse Parker may or may not be in. We all know it’s a long shot to find her and find her alive, but we will do whatever we can to make it happen. I’ll be damned if I don’t at least take out the son of a bitch who took her.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  I wake up confused and fuzzy. Wiggling my hands and feet, I realize they’re tied down, pain radiating from the spots where the bindings rub against my skin. Opening my eyes, blackness surrounds me as it dawns on me a blindfold covers my eyes. A gag in my mouth prevents me from speaking or screaming for help. My body feels heavy, and I wonder if they drugged me. I can’t get enough energy to struggle against the ties.

  “Ah, my sugar is awake.” Track’s voice bounces around the room, causing me to still and a whimper to escape.

  My mind flashes back to how he took me when I left the portable to meet Duncan. “I’m going to take this tape off so we can have a little chat. The blindfold can go as well. I know how much you want to see me. We’ve been apart for so long.”

  The tape rips from my mouth and stings my lips and skin, but I refuse to make a sound. Track would love a reaction from me. The blindfold comes off, and I blink a few times to clear my vision. I’m still groggy and fuzzy, but I do my best to fight against it.

  “I’ve missed you, sugar.” Track’s eyes slide slowly down my body, making me cringe with disgust. He snaps his eyes back to mine and slowly grins. “We’ll have our fun, but first, I’m sure you want to know why you’re here.”

  I ignore him and look away. Angered, he steps closer to me, pressing his hips against me. I turn my head the other direction and refuse to acknowledge him. This only pisses him off more, and he grabs my chin roughly, turning my head to face him.

  “You will pay attention to me, bitch.” He growls, pushing himself against me harder, showing me how excited having me here makes him. It takes everything in me to keep myself from crying.

  “Track!” An unfamiliar man shouts, causing Track to jump away from me, pushing my face roughly away. “Don’t touch the merchandise. How many fucking times do I have to tell you?”

  A short, scary man walks into my view. His beady eyes scan over me. “Sorry about that, Parker. He knows better, he just can’t help himself sometimes. Most of us have our little slips, of course. In this business, it’s a bit difficult to stay away from the temptation.”

  “In this case, she will remain unused, Randolf.” Another new man, this one taller than Track and the beady-eyed guy, steps into the room. I find myself hoping against all hope there aren’t more people involved. “You know we get double if she isn’t touched, so she will remain that way.”

  His voice. Something strikes me as familiar about his voice, but I can’t place it.

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Randolf grumbles, distracting me and plopping down on a chair in the corner of the room. “Such a shame, though.”

  “I don’t see why we can’t just play a little bit first,” Track argues, glaring hatefully at the taller man. “Who decided you would call the shots here, anyway?”

  “He’s the boss, you idiot!” Randolf shouts, pointing to the tall man. “Lopez is the reason we get paid, so how about you shut up and listen to him so we don’t lose out on the money from this one. The money you nearly cost us.”

  “Fuck that!” Track yells back. “I bet I could get twice as much if I just took her and found a buyer on my own.”

  The three of them scream and shout at each other, getting angrier with each passing comment. I try to tune them out, not liking how hard I’m shaking. Their arguing brings back bad memories, and it’s worse knowing they would and probably will hurt each other, and me.

  Searching around the room, I find no way I can get out of here. The room appears to be some kind of basement or warehouse with no windows and only one door in and out. It’s a small room, barely big enough to fit the four of us. Of course, I’m stuck in a far back corner, tied to bars on the walls. They rigged this room up beforehand, and I find myself wondering how long they’ve had this planned.

  The sound of a fist hitting flesh and a grunt draws my attention, and I witness Lopez knock out Track. He’s beyond angry. His eyes burn with hatred as they glare my way. “You’re nothing but a burden, you stupid shit. I can’t wait until our buyer gets here and takes you off our hands.”

  Randolf grunts in agreement. “A submissive little bitch like you is worth a pretty penny, you know.” He crosses his arms and watches me carefully. “I don’t know why Track couldn’t hold onto you for a bit longer, but no matter. Our buyer was willing to wait when we showed him your picture and described you.”

  Lopez must notice the confusion on my face because he lets out a maniacal laugh as he steps over Track’s unconscious form and toward me.

  “You still don’t get it, do you?” He doesn’t wait for me to respond. “You’re being sold, bitch. We watched you. Then, we got closer after Track got you in his house, and when you showed how submissive and innocent you really are, we were sure you’d be perfect. Most girls your age aren’t that innocent, though they still sell pretty well. You, however, will be making us very rich men.”

  They want to sell me. Like a slave or something. The idea causes my stomach to churn, and my heart to race. There’s no way I can let this happen. They said they have other girls, too. They sell girls to make money. I need to find a way to get myself out of this, me and those other girls if I can. They’re going to sell me like property. The three of them are beyond sick.

  A sharp sting across my cheek brings out a whimper, and my eyes blur with tears. “Just because you can’t be touched in some ways, doesn’t mean we can’t use you in other ways, and right now
, I’m really pissed off, and you are really convenient.”

  “Just don’t break any bones,” Randolf mutters, lazily staring down at his nails. “We aren’t allowed to break bones according to the buyer.”

  My eyes shut tight, and I curl into myself as best I can in the position I’m in. I know what’s coming, and I do my best to turn my mind to anything to get me out of my own head.

  ~

  Everything. Hurts.

  I’m pretty certain Randolf, Lopez, and Track broke the no breaking a bone rule. Once Track woke up, they argued a bit more over the fact Lopez knocked him out. Lopez waved him off and told him to take his aggression out elsewhere. I was the elsewhere.

  Randolf unties me after Lopez grants him permission saying I wouldn’t be able to fight back even if I wanted to. They’re right, my strength to move disappeared hours ago. He unties the ropes on my wrists, allowing me to fall to the floor before giving me a few good kicks, then leaves the room to answer a phone call. With no one else inside the room with me, I allow a few sobs to escape. I wish I could pass out and escape the awful situation, but I know if I succumb to the pain and let it take over, things will get worse for me. I want to make sure I know what they plan to do. Instead of giving in, I force myself to stay awake.

  Finally alone, my thoughts are consumed with finding a way to escape this hellhole. Remembering the three of them talking about the other girls they plan on selling, I cringe. The poor girls they’ve taken must be as terrified as me. I wonder if anyone might be searching for the other girls? The guys are sure to be searching for me by now.

  The guys. My guys. Flashes of their faces play through my mind. Lochlan and his scowling eyes, his pursed lips, his crossed, tattoo covered arms. Talen with his bright eyes contrasting perfectly against his mocha skin, his quiet demeanor, and his knowing smirk. Duncan and his shyness, his calming smile, and his surprisingly playful side. Declan with his happy laughter, his smart mouth, and his sensitivity. Dominic and his beautiful voice, his comforting presence, and his caring nature. I make a promise to myself to find a way out of here and tell the five of them how much they mean to me.

  I pull myself up off the floor, pushing past the pain shooting through every part of my body. After I untie my ankles, I shuffle to the door and hold my breath as I try to open it. By some miracle, the handle turns and I’m able to pull the door open. Randolf must have been distracted by his phone and forgot to lock the door. I nearly break down at the bit of luck, but take a deep breath instead. I need to focus if I’m going to get out of this place. After a few seconds of allowing my eyes to adjust to the darkness of the hallway, I find myself alone. Several doors similar to mine line the hallway, and I suspect the other girls may be hidden behind the doors.

  I don’t allow myself to think; I can’t waste the time coming up with a good plan. Instead, I peer into the rooms to check if anyone is inside. I notice they’re larger than the room I’d been held in. They all lock from the outside making it easy for me to open them. Each room contains at least two girls, and they’re all dirty and terrified. None of them have been tied up, and luckily, they’re able to walk.

  “Run!” I whisper, leaving their doors open and moving onto the next. Moving becomes harder and harder with every step I take, but I force my body to keep going. I need to get the girls out of here and find an exit. I need to get back to my guys.

  The girls don’t hesitate. They rush from their rooms, down the hall. There’s a single window at the end, and I know they will try and get out through it. It’s our best option to escape. “Don’t look back, just run, and keep running until you can find help.” The girls all nod to me, seeming hopeful.

  A few girls work on prying the window open as I continue on my mission. Open a door, let the girls out, tell them to run. This continues until I get to the last door, and the girls take off down the hall with the others.

  As soon as they make it to the end of the hall, I turn to follow only to find Track and Randolf rounding the corner. The two of them spot me instantly. Their eyes both widen, and their gazes dart from me to the open doors down the hall. The sound of the window being shattered echoes off the walls, and the men’s eyes harden as they glare at me. I know for sure now I won’t be making it out of here alive, but most if not all of those girls will as long as I can keep these two distracted long enough.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  DOMINIC

  Using a hand signal, I tell the SWAT lead, Maverick, to get his team into place. They’re all ready to storm the place, taking down the guards at the front and getting any girls out they find. These guys know what they’re doing. They have four men guarding the front door. The way Lochlan glares at the warehouse, I know he would easily take down all four of them by himself if given the chance.

  Maverick is a good guy. We help each other out all the time without question, and I know his team is like family to him. He’ll do anything for his family, and he knows I’ll do anything for mine. He didn’t even bat an eye when I asked him to come help us out with a slightly rogue mission. We didn’t exactly go through the proper channels in executing this mission, but where Parker is concerned, none of us give a fuck about protocol.

  With Maverick and his SWAT team on our side, it allows my dads, brothers and I to focus on Parker only. Mom kept Greyson home, of course, and somehow we convinced Austyn to stay at the house with Mom. Rebecca promised to send them updates as we get them. Declan refused to wait in the car, the fucking idiot. I ended up giving him the pistol I keep in my glove compartment and made him promise to stay behind us. Everyone gets into position, and I watch Pop raise his hand, ready to signal us to move. Seconds before he gives the go ahead, two girls with bare feet and barely dressed come running our way. Some of the guys draw their weapons, not understanding what’s happening at first.

  “Hold your fire!” Dad shouts, holding up a hand signal to those who don’t hear the shout. We watch as over a dozen girls rush into the wooded area we’ve been using as cover. They stop dead in their tracks when they notice us, nearly running each other over. Their eyes widen at the sight of us all, and a few fall to the ground meekly.

  “How the actual fuck did they get out here?” Maverick mutters next to me, his eyes not leaving the girls in front of us.

  I shake my head, showing I don’t have a clue. If I was a gambler, I’d put money on our Parker having something to do with this. “Declan, bring them to Rebecca. She would be better suited to deal with them. They’re not going to trust us right now.”

  Declan nods his understanding and walks slowly up to the group of girls. He keeps his hands at his sides and loose. “Ladies, I’m Declan. We’re here to help you. If you would just give me a small bit of trust and follow me, we can get you out of here and some place safe. I won’t touch you, I won’t come near you. I’ll simply guide you all to my friend, Rebecca. She’ll drive you to safety. You’ll be okay with us, I swear.”

  The girls don’t need to be asked twice. Apparently, whatever hell waits inside the warehouse is worse than following a stranger into the woods. Knowing Parker might still be inside makes my stomach turn, and my resolve harden. The men who did this will not make it out of the building alive.

  “Th-There…” One of the girls, she can’t be more than sixteen years old, stutters out. She looks from Declan to the path behind her. “There’s a girl. She help-helped us. She’s sti-still there.”

  Parker. Declan’s eyes dart to mine, and I nod. He’s guessing the same thing. God damn it, Parker. Of course, she would get these girls out and not herself. My girl is selfless, and I want to lock her up for her stunt. The one good thing about this news is it means Parker should still be alive, and she’s for sure in there.

  “SWAT, move!” Pop calls out. They don’t hesitate. Their job suddenly changed from knock the fuckers out and get the girls to take the fuckers out and make sure they don’t get up again, ever. It’s good to have allies on SWAT. Maverick takes point, leading his team toward the building at a
quick and silent pace.

  With SWAT taking care of the yes-men up front, we’re able to storm right past and into the building. We split into our assigned groups, making sure we cover the entire building. Maverick and three of his men make their way up the stairs. Maverick and a guy named Allistar go left while two other guys I know as Marak and Syn go right. They plan to search every corner then meet in the middle. Once the top floor gets cleared they will join us downstairs. Pop and Dad go left on the first floor while Lochlan and I go right.

  Lochlan and I silently sweep the whole right side of the building, checking every room. We find a few more girls, sending them out with Declan who now stands by the front door. A few more make their way down the stairs, and I’m vaguely aware of Declan guiding them from the warehouse. Knowing the girls will be safe, we continue on our search for Parker.

  Lochlan and I clear the rest of our area, and then make our way back to the middle of the building where we all agreed to meet. We lucked out when Maverick and Syn managed to get old blueprints of this place, even luckier when those blueprints proved accurate.