Page 46 of Out to Find Freedom

“She can stay here,” I volunteered without even thinking, then snapped my mouth shut knowing it was wrong. They all looked at me. “Actually, she should stay with you, Julian. She seems comfortable.”

He smiled. “Isn’t everyone.”

“Nope,” Lan said.

“No,” Killer clipped.

“Not really,” I admitted.

Julian rolled his eyes. “Stop it, you’ll make me blush. I know you all love me. But you’re right, Loki. She should stay with me and Mattie. I’ll see if I can get her to talk to someone professionally as well, but it’s also doubtful.” He dragged out his phone from his pocket. “I’ll ring my man now and let him know.”

“I’ll head out and talk to the rest. Get Vi to grab her change of clothes from the car for Emmie.”

Julian winked. Lan and Killer gave me a chin lift. Before turning, I caught Julian heading into the kitchen to call Mattie. I went out the front, closing the door behind me. On the porch and lawn stood Violet, Travis, Butch, Talon, Griz, Blue, and Stoke.

“How is she?” Violet asked. She moved closer. Travis was right behind her, curling an arm over her chest for her to rest back against him.

“You got that spare change of clothes in the car?” I asked.

She nodded. “I’ll get it.” Someone must have gone to get her car because it was parked alongside another couple of cars and Harleys.

I waited until she was back and had placed the folded items in my hands before continuing. “You all know I found a book Emmie had written while in the basement. Those fuckers will be going away for a damn long time for the evidence she’s given.” I met Violet’s eyes. “They’re the ones involved in kidnapping, drugging, and raping the young girls. Worse, what I read was that the events had been recorded. They probably sell them on the black market.”

“But how is she?” Violet pressed.

“Not good.” I glanced at my feet, shaking my head. Once more, the fury resurfaced inside of me. “She witnessed two people get murdered. Blamed herself for them.” Understanding dawned in Violet’s eyes. That was why Emmie didn’t want anyone else to get hurt. “She’s afraid of women right now because her motherfucking aunt did a job on her. She has bruised ribs from being kicked. She has scars lining her thighs, arms, and chest. The woman cut her own niece. Sliced her up.”

Curses went up around me.

I cleared my throat. “I have to get these clothes back in. Julian’s done his magic and got her in the shower, and she’ll be going to stay at his place. There was a picture of a guy in the book of Emmie’s we don’t know. If he’s heard about the shit going down, she’s better to stay close to the compound.”

Talon spoke up. “I’ll have the brothers rotate shifts, keeping an eye on the place.”

“That’d be good.”

“We’ll peel out. Get it sorted now. Tell Killer to escort Emmie to Julian and Mattie’s.”

“Done.” I went to go back inside as Talon and his crew left, when Violet called my name.

I turned back. She got close. Her voice was soft, quiet. “You sure she wouldn’t be better here?”

I ground my teeth together.

“You have a system that no one could break into. She knows you more than Julian.”

“She’s not stayin’ here. She’s comfortable with Julian.”

“She is with you as well.”

“I haven’t been around her for more than a minute.” And yet, I wanted to talk to her more. I wanted to fucking hug her, but I didn’t. I also ignored the fact that I’d lost my breath when I first saw her. Attraction had slammed into me so damn hard, I’d had to quickly walk away from the basement. Away from her. It was the right thing to do. She looked twenty, tops, but her eyes said she was so much older. None of it mattered though. The texting, the small connection. Staying away from Emerson was the best option.

“Yet you and her have been talking over text for a while.”

I shook my head. “She didn’t text back. She refused help.” She was probably pissed I’d butted in, but it had to be done. For her and the others. She’d accept it one day.

“But—”

“Vi, enough. She’s stayin’ with Julian and Mattie. She’ll be safe there until we get this last guy. Then she can be wherever she wants to be.”

---