Page 12 of Guarded from Corruption

“No, Jade, that’s not true.”

“It’s okay. I mean… I’m not happy about it, but?—”

“Jade.” My tone is gently firm. “That is not true. At all. I am so glad you called me. That you reached out to me. That you’re letting me help you. That you’re here, and safe.”

There’s a long silence before Jade says, “You were the first person I thought to call.”

Oh.

There’s that kick again, but this time it feels different. Not painful; but shocking, just the same.

Looking at Jade seriously, I tell her, “Thank you for calling me. I mean it. And we’ll talk about that other part. Get it cleared up. Not now, because you have enough to deal with. But soon. Alright?”

Her small smile appears again. “Okay.”

“How is she doing?”

Dante casts a quick glance at the mostly closed door, left open a few inches so I can hear Jade if she needs me. His brows are pulled down in a deep V, and there’s a tension to his posture that mirrors my own. Now that everyone knows why Jade is here—or at least the general idea of it—we’re even more determined to protect her.

“Not great.” My jaw clenches painfully, and I blow out a slow breath before continuing. “She’s scared. Exhausted. She barely ate, and I didn’t want to push her. She’s trying to stay strong, but… fuck, Dante. The things she said. I can’t stop thinking about it.”

“Damn.” He makes a low sound of dismay. “And she’s adamant about not going to the police?”

“Yeah. She wouldn’t say why, but Jade… I just don’t think she’d say that if there wasn’t a good reason for it.”

“You don’t think it could just be trauma? A reluctance to admit what happened to her?”

A rock settles in my gut. “It’s possible. But I know her. She’s one of the most level-headed people I know. If she thought going to the police was the best thing, she’d do it even if she was afraid to.”

Dante frowns, his expression darkening. “I guess we’ll find out when she tells us everything. Is she going to be alright with that? Talking to us?”

“Yes. I wasn’t going to mention it right away, but she brought it up. Said she figured the team would want to hear everything. I told her we could wait until tomorrow. Give her some time to rest first.”

“Good idea.” He pauses. “Who are you thinking? You’ll be there, obviously.”

“You and Rhiannon, I think. Since Jade knows her already. And I think it’ll be helpful to have another woman there. Just—” Fuck. Thinking about what Jade went through fills me with such rage it’s hard to speak past it.

“I’m sorry, man.” Dante regards me solemnly. “I know this can’t be easy. When it’s someone you know… How long have you known Jade?”

Thinking back, I take a moment before answering. “Twelve years. Since Shea’s freshman year of college. I’d see her at least a few times a year when I’d visit Shea.”

Until the last couple of years, at least, when Jade started making every attempt not to see me.

Dante claps me on the shoulder. “We’ll keep her safe. And we’ll figure this out.”

“Yeah—”

I’m cut off by a terrified scream.

My heart rockets into my throat.

Even though I know rationally Jade is safe inside my apartment, I can’t help the initial surge of panic.

Is she hurt worse than we thought? Is it possible someone…

I fling the door open and burst into the apartment, already sprinting toward my bedroom as another scream sends my pulse into the stratosphere.

Fuck. Why is it taking so damn long to run less than thirty feet?

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