Page 36 of Filthy and Dirty with my Captors

“I don’t know. I had to see you. I can’t explain it. It’s like the second I saw your picture, there was this connection. I had to meet you.” I reach out for her hand, noticing her nails are bruised and worn as though she’s been working them over.

“Yeah,” she stares down at them, and I feel bad for having looked, “there was a board near the bed that was giving light to the outside. I tried prying it up every single day.”

Anger pushes up my throat as I think about the torture she must have gone through at the hands of that piece of shit asshole. The cop that stood in plain sight every day on my way to work. The man I smiled at. The man Jen and I thought was kind of hot.

I want to vomit.

“I’m so sorry. He’s—”

“He’s going to prison for a long time, and I’m happy to be home.” She smiles softly. “All of that is because of you.”

“No. I didn’t do anything. I would’ve gone out there. I—”

“You didn’t, though. You didn’t go, and from what the cops told me, it was you that held the gun to his head. Please tell me you got your money.”

I glance down at the cracked pine floor on the porch. “That’s why I’m here.”

She narrows her brows and tilts her head to the side. “You didn’t get it?”

I pinch my lips together and stare toward her. “I got paid, but it was sort of unconventional. I had a gun to his head and… anyway, that’s why I’m here.”

Her face lights up. “Oh my God! That’s the best thing ever. What did he do? I’d have loved to see fear on that guy’s face.” There’s enthusiasm in her voice when she speaks, and I believe what she says. Hell, I wish I remembered the look on his face.

“That whole thing was an out-of-body experience. I went to bed for like sixteen hours after it happened, but… I’m here because I want to offer you the money.”

Faint shadows crease under her eyes. “Why would you do that?”

I hadn’t realized that this might sound insulting until right now. Maybe it’s rude to assume she’d want the money. I mean, she’s been through hell and back. Three hundred thousand isn’t going to make any of that better.

Shit.

“You endured that man over a year, and I’m sure you didn’t get any of your payout. I… I just thought you deserved it.”

Her eyes grow dark with intensity. “He pressed the button, then took my bank card, and withdrew the money he ‘paid.’I’m sure that’s what he used to pay you.”

My stomach turns. “Oh my God. Well, it’s all yours. The money is… I don’t want it.”

“No,” her stare softens, “Fantasy Drivercalled this morning and offered me a payout so I wouldn’t sue them. It’s okay. You earned your money too. Trust me.”

“A payout?”

Her oversized sundress blows in the breeze. “Yeah, I know I could sue them and probably make monster bucks, but the news is already sharing my story. I’ve got reporters calling me for book deals, and if someone Google’sFantasy Driver,this story is going to show up. Plus, I don’t think I could ever shut a place like that down. The settlement comes with a promise that they’ll upgrade their background checks and create a wellness program where folks have to check in after they’ve left the meetup, or the company will call local law enforcement with a location. Those are the kinds of changes I’m excited about. I want to stop this from happening again.” She smiles accentuating the sharp line of her cheek bones. “Five million dollars will definitely change my life.”

My throat tightens.“Five million dollars?”

“Five million.”She continues rocking back and forth. “I think we’re going to move further into the mountains. I need a break from people for a while, but you’re very kind to come over and offer me your money.” She stands and holds out her thin arms for a hug. “I hope we can stay in touch, and I don’t know… maybe be friends.”

I squeeze her gently and release the hug. “I’d like that, a lot.”

“Good,” she says, reaching for the screen door with a twitch in her right shoulder as though her body is holding memories she hasn’t fully released. “I’ll look forward to hearing from you soon.”

“Same,” I say, stepping off the porch and onto the gravel driveway.

She grins wide and steps into the house. “Stay safe out there.”

“You too.” My stomach is still tight as I walk back toward the truck.

The second he sees me, Owen hops out and makes his way around to my door, helping me up inside the truck with his big, strong hands on my hips. “You accomplish what you came here to do?”

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