Page 72 of Marked

Charlie takes the blanket and scoots over to her sister, wrapping one around her naked body.

“See, Jackie, you’re gonna be fine. We’re going home.” Charlie hugs her.

Sharon pushes herself up to her feet and staggers over to her daughters. Tears roll off her cheeks.

“I’m so sorry, girls.” She sits between them, pulling them to her.

“Did you do this?” I accuse her with a hard tone that I can’t hide.

Sharon turns her exhausted eyes up to me. “What?”

“Did you sell your girls to these people?”

“No.” She shakes her head. “The man I’ve been seeing…I think it was him. I’m positive it was him.” Her expression hardens. “He can’t get away with this.”

“He won’t,” Charlie promises. “Who is coming? Your boyfriend said he has people coming?” Charlie asks me.

“I have two men coming, Jax and Casper.” Zack squats down by the huddled women. “They are going to take you to the hospital, and they’ll stay there until you feel safe. If you tell them to leave, they will. If you ask them to stay, they will. Their job is to protect you until you’re ready to be without them. For however long that takes.”

“You said they’re all dead, though.” Charlie turns her eyes to me.

“They are. But that doesn’t mean you’re done being scared.” I frown. The fear lingers. It stains your soul if you try to ignore it. When you shove the demons beneath the bed, they’ll haunt your dreams. It’s better to let them into bed with you. Let them keep you safe.

She nods. “They’ll stay with us when we go home?”

“They don’t have to stay with you inside, but they’ll keep watch on the house, on you girls,” Zack explains. “You’re the boss. You tell them what you need. It’s their job to do it.”

“And what about Steven?” Charlie’s voice hardens. It’s easy to see the strength in her. She’s kept them strong during this nightmare.

Zack looks up at me over his shoulder.

“When you’re ready, if you decide you want to deal with him, Casper will tell you how to get in touch with us,” Zack says.

“Are you not staying now?” Jackie asks when Zack gets back to his feet.

“There’s one more monster to deal with,” he tells her.

The door opens behind us and the girls gasp, huddling together even tighter.

“Hey guys.” Zack walks off to greet his friends. They’re all just as tall and big as him. And dangerous looking.

“This is Casper,” Zack introduces the bald one. He wears the same cluster of black and red roses on his forearm.

“That one is Jax.” Zack points to the dark haired one. His tattoo is on his neck, right over his Adam’s apple.

If I didn’t know they were the good guys, I would be frightened.

“You’re not the police then.” Charlie tightens the blanket around her shoulders as she stands next to me.

“No. We’re not the police. But, if you want them, we can call them,” Casper offers.

“No.” The word is given hard, without hesitation. “They’ll get in the way.”

I wrap one arm around her shoulders.

“You did good, Charlie. You kept them as safe as you could.” She needs to hear it, and when her body softens, I know I was right.

“I wish I’d been there when you cut off his dick,” she says.

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