Page 163 of Crimson Tears

“On it,” Lev says over the comms. “I’m almost finished breaking through their security, then I can scan the area for heat signatures.”

My anxiety still spikes. I look back at Nessa as she steps off the bus. She and Evie both seem so relieved, and I don’t want to take that from her. If her father’s here, then that would be a shit show.

He’s a coward though, so I’m sure if he was here, he’d be long gone by now.

The bus heads off and the armored cars follow along closely. Kai stays behind with us. This kid is quickly becoming part of our group.

“I think there’s one more thing I need to show you.”

Kai looks down at the ground.

“It’s pretty awful, but they deserve to go home too.”

That’s when his words register. Their sponsor was just here and got rid of the weak links.

As Kai begins to direct us, we hear faint cries coming from inside the girls’ building.

“How many girls got on the bus?” Kai asks Nessa.

“Twenty one.”

“There were twenty three.” His eyes widen but I pat his shoulder.

“Take Nessa and Evie with you. Damien and Az will watch your back. Alexi will have another car come around. Tell me where I need to go.”

Kai gives me instructions for where to find the children we were too late to save. Alexi has a drone follow us to scan the bodies so we can get them back home, and Boris calls someone to help us transport them.

I have a feeling I will never be able to unsee what we are about to walk in on.

Chapter 50

Faint crying echoes from the back of the bunker.

“Kai, do you know who’s in here?” I ask.

Anyone could be faking those cries, but I triple counted the girls. I should have checked with Kai to make sure we had them all, but the hushed conversation he was having with the guys made me think we were good to send them off.

“I think it’s the twins. That’s why the guards were trying to kill me. A few of them threatened to hit the girls if they didn’t wash up in the hose water out back. They were crying and refused. So, when one raised their hand, I broke it.”

My stomach turns, and Evie looks like she might be sick. Kai moves forward, but the room ends.

“I told them to hide,” he says. “I should have made sure they got on the bus, but so much has happened in the past twenty minutes…”

I place a hand on his shoulder and am taken aback when he turns and wraps his arms around me.

“I didn’t even thank you,” he says as his body begins to shake.

As much as I want to push him off and get to these girls, I know this is a normal response. So instead, I pull him closer, letting him feel that he’s safe and protected.

“It’s okay. I’ve got you now,” I tell him, running a hand through his hair the same way Cillian does to me when I’m stressed.

Evie starts looking around, but we can’t seem to pinpoint where the crying is coming from. It’s almost as if it’s behind a wall.

When Kai steps back and wipes his face, he looks at me with remorse.

“Sorry.” I touch his cheek and look into his eyes.

“Kai, you have nothing to be sorry for.”

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