by Brooke Page
“She’s safe in her room.”
“Her room?” He kissed my forehead sweetly. “Come on, she’s down the hall, I’ll show you.” Taking my hand, he led the way, and sure enough, there was Tessa in her bathing suit, playing with a doll house. She turned her head when we were in the doorframe, and I ran to her, falling to the floor and scooping her up in my arms, kissing her cheeks and holding her close. “Tessa!” I couldn’t stop the tears of relief from streaming down my cheeks.
“Daddy saved me from the bad man! I told you he was real!” she exclaimed, giggling and leaping out of my arms to his. He lifted her and held her close, kissing her hair.
“You weren’t seeing things, baby girl,” he rocked her in the air. Tessa laid her head on his shoulder, and a peace settled in my heart, until Colby spoke again. “I wish I were seeing things when I was at the Fair.” Pain struck his eyes, and I knew what he was referring to. “Tessa, you play in here while Mommy and I talk, okay?”
She nodded and undraped herself from him, running past me and back to her new toys.
Colby held his hand out for me to take, and for the first time, a hint of uncertainty washed through me by his invitation.
“I’ll be right back, Tessa.”
Colby took initiative and stepped forward, grabbing my hand and pulling me into another room down the hall. It was a bedroom, a normal room with oak furniture, the walls painted white with framed artwork, and a television was on across from the bed.
The door clicked shut, and I turned back to face Colby, he grabbed my head with both hands, planting his mouth against mine, kissing me like a starved man.
“I’ve dreamed about doing that for two years,” he breathed, letting go of my face and wrapping his arms around my back, running his once calloused hands that were now soft, down my bare spine. He stopped at the tie to my bikini top, his thumbs working on the knot.
He kissed me again, but I set my hands on his pecs, gently pushing him to get his attention. “Colby, I’m shocked, and I don’t know how to describe how happy I am that you’re alive, but what’s going on? You’ve been dead for two years, and now you’re standing in front of me.”
He smiled, pressing our foreheads together. “I told you I might go away for a while.”
I laughed under my breath. “I didn’t think you meant dying.”
He grinned, but mine faded into a frown. “Do you know how awful it was to bury you? To explain to Tessa that her Daddy was never going to come back?”
He stroked each cheek with a hand catching a rogue tear. “I know, I know. I can’t imagine having to do it in reverse, but I promise you, baby, it’ll all be worth it.”
I took his hands from my face and squeezed his palms. “That’s where I need you to explain.”
He let out a low groan of frustration, but his grin came back. “You’re right, I do owe you an explanation.”
We took a seat on the bed, and he kissed me again before he started talking. “My dad reached out to me, Lo.”
My eyes widened. “I thought you didn’t know who he was? I thought he was dead?”
Colby shook his head. “My mom lied. He’s alive, and offered me a lump sum of enough money to keep us safe and well off for the rest of our lives. Enough to send Tessa to college, even though she won’t need a job to support herself.”
“So you had to die for this to happen?”
He licked his lips. “I had to go off the grid.”
“Obviously.”
He shushed me with his finger. “You’ve had so much bullshit in your life, a lot of it stemming from this shithole of a town. I wasn’t making enough at that stupid engine store to get out, and I didn’t want to sell drugs on the side for the rest of my life.”
“We were fine with what you were making at the small engine shop, before you started selling on the side.”
He shook his head in disgust, holding both my hands in a vice grip. “No. I know what you want and where you want to live, and it’s far away from here. We can live where ever your heart desires, whatever school Tessa wants to go to, she can. You could homeschool her if you wanted. She can have a stable of horses. The possibilities will be endless.”
I stared down at our hands, my thumb rubbing against his. “You’re still not answering my question.”
He sighed, letting go of my hands and rubbed the back of his neck.
Finally, I met his eyes. “Are you selling… people?”
He wasn’t shocked or upset, and I knew my prediction was right. “Colby,” I choked, shaking my head drastically.
“No, no, no… it’s not as bad as you think it is. The girls aren’t being hurt.”
Tears fell from my eyes. “How are they not suffering? Because you’re drugging them?!”
He scowled at me, his hand finding my chin. “I’m doing this for you and Tessa.”
“And what about the girls down the hallway? What about them? What damage have you caused them and their families? They’re people, too, Colby!”
Colby narrowed his eyes. “They’re nothing but a bunch of sluts who wanted to sell themselves to the highest bidder. They don’t have any sense of self-preservation or esteem, and most of them fell into this. They won’t be missed, and as far as I’m concerned, you and Tessa are more important than those women living a life of drugs and welfare just to overdose and die, leaving the few people who do love them in turmoil.”
I covered my mouth with my hand, hating his harsh words. He was describing my mother and the life I grew up in, and he knew it too. He knew what he was doing, and I trembled, so much that he took me in his arms and began kissing me again.
“Everything is going to work out,” he hushed, kissing every piece of exposed skin he could.
“Have you been here? The whole time? In Harris? Living in this bomb shelter next to your victims?” I bit, rubbing my nose with my arm, wanting space from him, but he wouldn’t release me from his hold.
“I’ve spent a lot of nights here, some visiting other places to learn, and I found a nice spot in Brazil for us to spend some time in, the three of us. Maybe we could even spend some time together only the two of us once we’re settled,” he kissed the shell of my ear. “I’m sorry for putting you through what I did. Leaving you to raise Tessa by yourself for those few years.” He tugged on one of the straps to my swimsuit top, but I nudged his hand away. I was so shocked and at loss for words, that I stayed numb, my arms crossing over my chest and stomach.
He hummed while he stroked my skin, his eyes wandering up and down my body. His breathing became more focused, the intent in his eyes obvious. “I’ve missed you so much.”
I glared at him. “And your slaves were never generous?”
He scowled. “They’re not slaves, especially not to me. You know I’m faithful to you. I wish I could say the same about you.”
My eyes watered, the guilt unbearable. “I thought you were dead.”
He shook his head in disgust. “Vance Everett comes to town and you turn into a big pile of mush.”
I lowered my head with shame, but Colby tilted my chin. “I know you love him, that you always have. It’s the only reason you’ve worn that stupid bracelet.” He left his gaze on the new necklace, his jaw tensing. “I am a little offended the bracelet is still there and your wedding ring isn’t.”
“I didn’t want to lose it,” I pleaded. “I’ve kept it with me, just not on my finger. I was at the beach, I don’t bring it with me when we go there—”
“Don’t lie to me. I know you were with Vance,” he snapped. “And you’ve been with him every night for weeks.”
My eyes found the ceiling, my lip quivering uncontrollably. I hugged my chest, covering my breasts. I felt so exposed, both physically and emotionally.
“Yeah… you were so ga ga over that piece of shit that you almost lost our daughter!” He rose from the bed along with his voice. “What if it had been some other sick fucker who got Tessa’s attention?”
“The only reason Tessa went
was because it was you she saw!” I pleaded. “She would never have run off!” I stood from the bed now, my arms still wrapped around myself. “Which how could you do that? Leave her alone in the cemetery? What were you thinking?”
Colby’s hands found his hips. “Oh, please, do you really think I would do that?”
The sarcasm was evident in my voice. “Oh, I don’t know, you did fake your own death for money!”
“I had my eyes on her the whole time!” he shouted back.
“So you saw her grieving for you, and you sat back and watched?”
“At least someone grieves for me! Since my wife goes and fucks the same guy she’s been hung up on for seven years in MY bed!” He screamed, his face red with anger and frustration.
My eyes were as wide as saucers, guilt and confusion running through my veins. He had every right to be upset with me, I would have felt the same way, but I thought he was dead. If Vance had come into town and Colby were still here, I’d had stayed faithful to my husband.
I think.
“Did you never put the pieces together about him?” Colby growled. “I was the one to tell you about his dad trafficking women. Did you really think he wasn’t involved? That he was just some innocent surfer boy?”
I was at a loss for words, the pain of my harsh reality kicking in, causing my chest to tighten.
“Let me guess, he was always gone late at night? Went away for days at a time over those weeks you were with him at The Shore?”
My head stayed down while I swallowed the lump in my throat.
“You probably caught him with some bitch he was trying to bring to his dad, or hell, he was probably planning on bringing you in,” he looked me up and down, “Because seven years ago I sure as hell would have.”
My head shot up to meet his hard stare. I narrowed my eyes. “I wasn’t proud of how submissive and closed in I was, but I’m not that person anymore. Yet you still wanted to fuck me then?”
Colby put his hands on his hips, his teeth clenching. “Because I loved you, Lo. I gave you all of me, and I still want to give you everything. It’s not a game to me like it is to him. Why can’t you see that?”
Colby rubbed his face vigorously, breathing in and out, then finally dropped his hands and opened his eyes. “I don’t want to fight. I may be alive, but having to hide from you and Tessa, I might as well have been dead. I’m not going to hold anything against you. We’ll pick up where we left off, and make the perfect life for Tessa.”
I cried into my hands, because damn it, Colby was still the same sweet, caring man who was always too kind when I didn’t deserve his love.
He broke the barrier of space between us, pulling me in to his chest. He only hugged me while I cried in his arms, my body shivering for more reasons than being in my bikini. His arms caressed up and down my back, and soon my tears faded, Colby kissing them from my cheeks.
“All I want right now is to have dinner with my wife and daughter, play a game or watch a movie, then go from there. I’ve missed you, Lo, so damn much.”
“I’ve missed you too.” I wasn’t lying. He was my best friend, and life sucked without him, but I learned how to survive on my own.
But this new side to him wasn’t going to fly.
Colby smiled, his shoulders sagging some with relief. “I’ve got some clothing for you in the closet.”
I followed his line of sight and was surprised to see a well-established wardrobe. “Wow.”
“Anything and everything you need.”
There was a row of drawers and I began opening them in search for under garments. “Yours are on the left,” he informed. “Hopefully everything fits okay.” He ran his fingers along my hips. “You’ve lost weight.”
“So have you,” I mentioned, finding my drawer and grabbing a pair of underwear and matching bra. He was thinner, his skin pale. Hiding from the world had taken a toll on him. I hesitated to take off my bottoms, well aware Colby was watching me. It was a simple task that as a married couple I wouldn’t think anything of, but the discomfort was alarming. I shouldn’t feel awkward changing my clothing with my husband, even though he’d been out of my life for two years. I turned to face the wall, keeping my front out of view while I changed.
His sigh was evident, and I knew he could tell I was uneasy. “I’m gonna go back by Tessa.”
My eyes scrunched closed, upset with myself for being so confused. My once pronounced-dead husband was alive and well, and I should be excited beyond control, thrilled that I was getting a second chance at the perfect life, but my mind wouldn’t drift away from Vance. I was worried sick about him, wondering if he was still lying on the ground, if he had even woken from his injury.
Then it hit me while I stared at the walls caging me from the outside world.
Colby had every intention of keeping Tessa and I locked away until he was done with his father’s demands, until he finished what he started.
I might have lost the love of my life again, and surviving that heartbreak would suck something fierce.
Chapter Twenty
Vance
There it was, a wooden cabin surrounded by trees and tucked back five miles into the woods. I drove passed the dirt road four times. The entrance was almost non-existent by the overgrowth of weeds. I only pin-pointed it because of a small reflector on a tree. Colt’s advice made sense after I saw the shimmer of green in the trunk of the tree.
“Are you seeing the location?” I asked Riley. He was on speaker phone, cranky as hell, but he was excited. I could tell in the attentiveness of his voice. He loved the chase as much as I loved Lauren.
“Yeah, the wooded area is good for the team to hide. The hike in won’t be easy, but that’s what they’re trained for.”
“I’ve gotta go. I’m leaving the phone inside. I’m sure the entrance is being manned, and electronics are off limits.”
“I’ll keep a watch. We won’t bring the crew in until the sun is down. They know they’ve got a job, but they need to spend some time with this footage. I’m live streaming it to them now.”
“I know,” I muttered, irritated yet understanding of the process.
“Good luck, kid,” Riley encouraged, hanging up the phone.
I tossed the phones in the dash and climbed out of my truck.
I scanned the perimeter of the cabin. There were overgrown bushes surrounding the front porch, and I made a point to notice there were two doors off the front of the building, readjusting my hat for a few seconds longer in that direction for Riley to pick up on. Two subtle shakes up and down meant pay attention to this direction.
It was eerily quiet out, only the sounds of leaves rustling from the summer breeze. This was different than my other bust locations. More people were involved, and when no one answered when I knocked on the door, I was even more uncertain. There was always someone guarding the fortress, and I was beginning to think my hunch was wrong on the holding cells for the missing girls.
Giving up on the door, I went down the stairs from the porch in search of another entrance around the side of the house. There were windows, all opened, no shudders or blinds to keep people in or out.
“Can I help you,” a young guy greeted from the front door. He had long hair that swooped over his forehead, if it were any longer he wouldn’t be able to see.
I back peddled, unsure what to say. “Hi, I’m looking for someone.”
He raised a brow. “Do I know you?”
I gulped, trying to recognize his face in the plethora of photos Riley had sent me.
“You work at the arcade, for Pete, right?”
I nodded, and sucked in my lower lip. “I hear this is the place to come, if you’re looking for someone.”
He studied me, confusion on his face. He looked at my empty hands and cocked his head.
The card.
“Oh, right, you probably want to see this—”
I reached in my back pocket, pulling out the piece of hunter green cardstock.
He s
cowled. “Who gave you that?”
“I’m not supposed to tell you.”
He stared at me while I held my breath, then a huge grin spread across his face, revealing missing teeth. “Come on in, I’ll hook you up.”
I exhaled, following him to the front door. When I stepped foot inside, I knew I was in the right place. The atmosphere was typical, but I still didn’t understand why the windows weren’t boarded up.
“Come this way. How much you looking to buy?” he asked, leading me through a hallway passed a set of fancy couches and a stage. This must have been where the girls were sold. I kept my eyes peeled for more people, but no one was in sight.
I cleared my throat. “Depends on what you got.”
He brought me into a room, piles of drugs stacked on a table. Did they really leave it all sitting out? This would be one hell of an easy drug bust by how out in the open everything was. I should have checked to see if the door was even locked.
“Where is everyone else? I heard you had more than weed.”
The guy chuckled. “Pussy doesn’t come out until midnight, but feel free to stick around.”
He tossed me a baggy with pre-rolled joints. “Assume you like them the same as the dude who gave you that card. First ones on us, especially being who you are.”
I scrunched my eyebrows.
“You know, the guy who gave you the card. We don’t like to piss him off.”
I knew then why he was so relaxed with me. Colt might not be a regular, but he wasn’t one to be messed with. He must know about their operation and kept it at bay. I wonder how much he really knew?
“Come on, I’ve got a bowl ready to go on the deck.”
I put the baggy in my back pocket. “Anyone else going to join us?”
“Nah, man, just you and me. No one comes out here until the sun goes down.”
When he strolled passed me, I debated knocking him out, but this guy was a stoner. I could tell by his eyes, and I knew he’d be hitting something harder, especially if I asked for it and would pass out soon enough.
