Page 107 of Rescuing Sophia

“What do you mean?”

Sophia’s hand absently strokes Luke’s hair as she continues. “When I was first taken, they put all of us on birth control. Pills for the women, condoms for the men we... serviced. They were meticulous about it, but I was part of the 1% where it failed.”

My fists clench at the mention of the things she endured. Fury bubbles up inside me, but I force myself to stay quiet, to let Sophia continue.

Gabe notices our conversation. He jerks his chin toward Walt, and the two of them slowly approach. We’re all curious. Not in a morbid way, but because the things that happened to Sophia impact our next steps.

Greaves and Malfor are both going down for the atrocities they’ve committed.

“When Jonathan Greaves discovered my pregnancy, I thought…” Sophia’s voice breaks. “I thought he’d force me to get rid of it… Get rid of Luke. But he didn’t. He kept me healthy and treated me well. It was as if I was somehow… special. I received the best medical care and was treated exceptionally well. I didn’t have to…” She pauses, unable to continue. We all know what she means. “Anyhow, Luke was delivered, a healthy baby boy.”

Luke stirs at the sound of his name. Violet, who’s been hovering nearby, steps forward. “Here, let me put him down.”

Sophia nods gratefully, and Violet takes Luke and settles him on a makeshift bed of jackets. Once he’s settled, Sophia continues, her voice even lower.

“For the first year, I wasn’t forced to... serve others. Just Jonathan. He allowed me time with Luke. It wasn’t freedom, but it was... bearable.” Her eyes cloud over. “Then, one day, something changed. I still don’t know what happened, but suddenly, Luke was taken from me. Used as a weapon to control me.”

My fists clench, and fury bubbles up inside me. I force myself to stay silent and let her finish.

“I was loaned out again, forced to serve other men. My access to Luke became increasingly restricted with each passing year.” Sophia’s voice is hollow, her eyes distant. “Then Malfor showed up on Jonathan’s yacht.”

Ethan, Hank, and Rigel join us, settling in a loose semi-circle around Sophia.

“Malfor?” Ethan leans forward, his face grim. “What did he want?”

“Jenna,” Sophia says. “He wanted the girl who got away. He and Jonathan concocted this plan to get Jenna back, but it wasn’t just about her. They decided to use me. Not to get to Jenna, but to infiltrate Guardian HQ.”

The implications of her words settle over the group like a heavy blanket.

Walt breaks the silence, his voice gruff with emotion. “So the rescue from the yacht, that was all?—”

“A setup,” Sophia finishes, her eyes finding mine. “An elaborate series of events to place me exactly where they needed me—on Guardian HQ grounds. Once Malfor got involved—I don’t know all the details—he took Luke from Greaves. From me.”

The implications of her words felt like a dagger to the heart. Our entire relationship, the foundation of trust we’d built, suddenly feels like it’s built on lies.

“So, us… Was any of it real?” I hate how vulnerable I sound, but I need to know.

Sophia reaches out, grasping my hand. Her touch is warm and familiar, sending a jolt through me. “Please believe me. My feelings for you—they’re real. They’ve always been real. That’s why this was so hard. I fell in love with you while being forced to betray everything you stand for.”

I want to believe her. God, I want to believe her so badly. But the doubt gnaws at me, and it’s relentless.

“I tried to leave clues,” she continues, pleading. “Malfor was watching me the whole time. I left notes in the coffee beans at the Grind. I was so scared Malfor would figure it out, but I had to try something.”

“We found them.”

The plane’s intercom crackles to life. “We’re beginning our descent. Please secure all loose items and prepare for landing.”

The announcement stops that conversation. We move to secure equipment. As I help Sophia with Luke, I can’t help but notice Ethan glancing at Violet, his brow furrowed in thought.

The landing is smooth. We’re home, but nothing feels the same.

The next few hours pass in a blur of medical checks, preliminary debriefings, and hushed conversations. Sophia and Luke are whisked away for thorough examinations, while Violet and her daughter, Zephyr, are taken to a secure area for questioning and care.

Debriefing occurs immediately. I lean against the wall, arms crossed, watching my team gather around the long table.

Watching Sophia.

She sits at the foot of the long conference table, her fingers absently tracing the wood grain. Her eyes, red-rimmed, dart to the door where Luke sleeps just outside, watched over by Guardian personnel.

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