Page 7 of Ruined

Terry wanted me to move in with them too, but I told them they didn’t need me around. I like Terry for her. Vixen is stunningly beautiful, in her late forties, with platinum blond hair and electric blue eyes. She is tall, with a willowy, muscular figure. She is the longest-standing member of the DHMC in Alaska, and she helped not only me get into the club but also Riddler and Jinx.

Vixen took Riddler in when she got pregnant and had to leave Ptarmigan Falls to hide the fact she didn’t go through with the abortion. Then, when Jinx’s parents died, Vixen took her in too. She’s got strong maternal instincts, despite never having children herself. She always says the club is her family.

I look up at Terry, who reminds me a lot of Kevin Costner, with his rugged good looks. Vixen and he make a handsomecouple. I know he’s missing Poison, and Vixen keeps him grounded when the pain gets to be too much.

I think about everything Vixen and the others did for me. I was only seventeen when I was kidnapped and held captive for over a month. I was terrified of my own shadow after that. I had to endure several surgeries to repair the damage from a knife wound to my abdomen, along with cosmetic surgeries to help cover some of the worst burns on my body.

Vixen was there for me in ways no one else could be. She held me when I cried, never judging, just offering comfort. She understood when I had to sleep on the floor of her bedroom or next to my door.

I prospected the Handmaidens because I wanted to help fight the never-ending insanity of human trafficking. Children, men, and women are all victims of it. But young girls are the most extensively trafficked. I was in the prime age grouping of fifteen to seventeen when I was taken.

Poison is older. So to keep control of her, they’ll have to use drugs and more. That scares all of us, but I know we will be there for her when she comes home. The last time Jinx saw her, Poison was drugged up. On the surveillance footage Titan and Keys found, she was unconscious when they put her on the plane. That plane had only a partial flight manifest, so the authorities and our hackers still don’t know where Poison ended up.

Titan is Reaper’s brother, and he’s better at computer hacking than Keys, which is saying a lot. He’s so good that the government now controls him. He’s part of some agency, but won’t say which one. He can’t go far without them tracking him down.

“Hello, ladies and gentlemen.” Terry’s voice echoes from the speakers. “I’m Terrence Abbot. As many of you know, I’m the former North Star Borough mayor. My daughter was kidnapped six months ago, and according to the Alaska State Troopers, it’sstill an ongoing case. But they have no new leads and are putting it on the back burner for now.”

Vixen holds my hand as Terry pauses. Standing at the podium with him are Riddler and Thad. They just got married on New Year’s Eve and are expecting another baby in August.

“My daughter, Stormy, is only twenty-three. The last time she was seen her hair was deep purple,” Terry continues, giving a more thorough description as he holds up a picture of her. “We just want Stormy returned home safe and sound.” He pleads, looking into the cameras. “Together with several businesses and organizations, we are offering a large reward for her safe return. My son, Thad, would like to make a statement.” Terry steps to the side, and Thad moves forward.

“I’ve given my notice with the Alaska State Troopers. I’m going private so I can focus all my attention on my sister’s case.” He pauses for a moment and looks directly at the cameras. Riddler holds his hand, comforting him. “I will find you, Stormy, and bring you home.” Thad’s voice cracks, and Riddler wraps her arms around him.

Jinx steps up next and talks about the men who kidnapped her. She gives descriptions of the men who took Stormy. She killed a couple of them, but not many people know that. Thad returns to the podium and talks about the plane and asks for the public’s help in finding it.

The press conference continues for a few more moments, allowing reporters to ask questions. Ryder is getting restless. He’s five and can only deal with so much inactivity before he needs something to do.

“Dada, Mama,” he hollers and starts to take off toward the podium.

I grab him back before he makes it to the platform. When I look up, a camera is focused on me. I turn away quickly, causing my blond hair that is loose around my shoulders to fly into myface. I brush it away, and when I look back over my shoulder, the cameraman is still focused on me. I don’t worry about Wilder finding me because I do believe he’s dead. He would have come after me before now if he were alive. Vixen grabs me and pulls me away, leading me to where the other Handmaidens are standing. Violet, Vixen’s sister and Riddler’s mom, takes Ryder from me, and Ginger gets Sky.

“You know you can’t be photographed,” Keys scolds me, and I get distracted when my watch pings on my wrist.

“Shoot, I have a class on campus.”

“We got the kids,” Violet says.

I nod and make my way over to my car. I look back and see Dylan is watching me, his jaw set tight. I don’t know if it’s because a question was asked or because of me, but I head out toward campus.

I barely make it in time for my class and arrive just as the professor is walking in. I take a seat at the back and slip my tablet out to take notes.

Dylan

As soon as Thad takes the last question, I head for the cameraman who took pictures of Minuet.

“I’m going to need any footage you have of the blond woman.”

He smirks and shakes his head. “There’s a lot of blond women around here. You’ll have to be more specific.” He taunts me. He knows exactly what woman I’m talking about.

“Don’t push me right now. That woman is under protection and can’t be photographed.”

“Get a warrant,” he says as he slips the camera into a bag. “Besides, it was being broadcast live on the internet.”

I’m ready to punch him when he chuckles, but Reaper rushes over and wraps an arm around mine and spins me around.

“Don’t do it, lawman. I’ll get Titan to take care of it.”

I watch as the cameraman jumps into his car and takes off. I’m pissed and spin back toward Reaper.

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