Page 87 of Intertwined Souls

She looks up at me through her watery green eyes, but there’s no hope there. There probably hasn’t been in a long time.

“Can you tell me your name?” I ask. She shakes her head as her lower lip trembles. “Alright, that’s okay. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. Can I undo this wrist restraint and then you can undo the others if you don’t want me to?”

She watches me for a moment as she blinks slowly. The trembling has settled slightly, and she gives me a very small nod.

“I’m going to put my hands on this wrist.” I point to the one closest to me. “Once I get it undone, I won’t touch you again unless you want me to,” I promise.

When she doesn’t protest, I move my fingers gently against her wrist as I undo the buckle on the strap. I take a step back when she raises her arm and shakily moves it over her body to the other wrist.

Glancing up at the guys, I lock eyes with Ryker, and he mimics inhaling, holding it, and then exhaling. Following what he did, I take a deep breath, realizing that I had been holding my breath while watching the girl.

The buckle on her other wrist strap clanks together as she tries to undo it, but with how hard her hand is shaking, she can’t get it undone. Taking cautious steps to the other side of the table, I look into her terrified green eyes.

“Would you like me to help you?” I ask quietly.

She just stares up at me, tears streaming freely down her cheeks, but she lays back flat and moves her free hand to rest on her stomach.

I reach forward, making sure that she can see everything I do, and undo the buckle. I then slowly move to her ankles and do the same thing. When she is fully free, she doesn’t make a move to sit up or move her legs. She just lays there stunned—petrified.

Moving back up towards her head, I do what I wish someone could’ve done for me when I was hurt and scared.

“Okay so, whenever you’re ready, you can sit up. I can help you if you’d like me to. But again, it is all your choice. Until you're ready, I’d like to tell you who these guys in the room are. Is that okay? They won’t talk to you unless you want them to, but at least you can know who they are.” I offer a comforting smile.

She stares up at me, still not speaking or moving, but the more I talk the more her body seems to relax.

“So, the guy on the far left is Gabe. He is actually my dad. Then the guy right next to him is Grayson, and he’s a very good cook. Well, he’s trying to be anyway. Sometimes, the things he makes don’t always turn out amazing.” I chuckle lightly. “Then the guy on Grayson’s other side is Ryker. He can’t cook to save his life and honestly, it’s best if he just stays out of the kitchen at all times. Everyone is safer that way.”

My heart stutters as the first reaction besides terror finally comes over her young beautiful face. Her lips tilt up just the slightest.

She puts her hands palm-down on the table on either side of her and starts to push herself up slightly, but her arms shake under the weight, and she drops back down with a small grunt.

“Can I help you up?” I ask, furrowing my brows.

Her body jolts, but the brave girl nods anyway.

“Okay, you try to push up again, and I am just going to place an arm around your back and guide you up, okay?” I meet her eyes with mine, asking for permission.

She gives me a look of fierce determination and pushes up again. With my help she is able to sit up, and then I help her slide towards the end of the table so her legs are dangling off the side. Her slip dress barely reaches her thighs and shows just about everything through it.

Looking up at the guys, I ask, “Can someone find something for her to wear? I don’t want her to have to walk around in this any longer.”

Grayson and Ryker nod and walk off while Gabe stays close by. Stepping in front of the girl, I bend over slightly to catch her eyes. “How old are you, sweetheart?”

Her eyes roam over my face as panic begins to set in and her body begins trembling.

“Okay, take a breath. If you can’t or don’t want to talk, that's okay. Are you fifteen?” She shakes her head. “Sixteen?” Another shake. “Younger?” Nod. “F-fourteen?” I stutter slightly. She nods again. “Okay, sweetie, what do you think about getting out of here?” My voice sounds strained as I try to hold in my anger. “I know it might sound scary, but we just want to help you. So, if you think you can keep being super brave, then take my hand and we will leave here, get in a van, and head to a big building where a really nice nurse named Brielle will make you feel all better.”

As she stares at my outstretched hand, I give her all the time she needs to accept it. After a while, she gently places her ice-cold hand in mine. I keep my grip loose and let her hold on.

When she slides off the table, her legs wobble slightly, but she is able to right herself and show how fucking strong she is by raising her head and walking with me. When we get towards the door, I notice that they got the two others out of the cages. One girl and one boy. The girl is in the same white slip while the boy is in tight briefs. They have to be around the same age as the girl holding my hand.

Vance and one of his guys come through the door with sweatshirts, sweatpants, and socks. Raising a brow at Vance as he hands me a set for the girl holding my hand, he explains, “We learned to always keep clothes in our cars a long time ago when we started to do jobs. Never know who will need them or for what reason.”

Nodding in understanding, I glance at the girl still holding my hand. “I have these clothes for you.”

Before I can say more, she anxiously raises her free hand to grab them. She slowly releases my other hand, pulling the sweats up her legs and then putting on the socks followed by the sweatshirt.

I glance back towards Sammy, where someone has now laid a sheet over her and then look up at Cade, who is standing a few feet away from me. He gives me a sad smile. “Vance and his guys are going to take both girls.”

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