Page 12 of Hidden Echoes

I hate violence. But sometimes, violence has a way of finding me

I gesture for Mia to follow me, and she looks at me in surprise before her expression softens into a sweet smile, as though she hadn’t just snapped a guy’s arm in half a few seconds ago.

“Cute,” she mumbles, a faint blush creeping across her cheeks. I blink at her, confused. There’s something off about this girl.

Maybe she’s been through more than I can even imagine, and it’s messing with her head—but I’m not here to judge. The thing is, the way she acts is really throwing me off.

She doesn’t even care that she’s covered in blood. It’s almost like this is just a normal part of her day.

“Mia, we need to get you cleaned up,” I say, trying to keep things calm. “I have a friend in Dallas I need to meet in a few minutes. You can come with me, get cleaned up there.”

“Okay,” she replies, but there’s something strange in her voice. She looks around, her gaze taking in everything like she’s seeing it for the first time—like a curious, wide-eyed child.

I lead her to my truck, and the moment she sees it, she freezes, her entire body tensing. There’s a shift in the air, something like a switch being flipped inside her.

“Before you knock me out, can I look at the sun one more time?” she asks, her voice soft and sweet, but the words throw me off even more.

“Knock you out?”

“Yeah. And then you’re going to take me back to the Cage. For that, I need to be unconscious so I don’t hurt anyone else. I know how it works.” Her tone is steady, almost eerily calm. “You don’t have to lie to me. I’ll go with you. I just want to look at the sun a little longer, okay?”

Something in my chest tightens at her words. The girl who was ready to tear someone apart only moments ago now looks so small, so vulnerable. There’s a void in her eyes that makes my heart ache.

“I have a better idea,” I suggest, trying to shift the mood. “How about this? I drive slowly to my friend’s house. It’s not the Cage—it’s a regular house. You can stay awake, look at the scenery while I drive, and not hurt anyone in the process. How does that sound?”

“So, you’re not going to take me back to the Cage?” she asks, the word sounding foreign in her mouth, like it’s something she can’t quite understand.

“No, Mia. I’m not taking you back there. You’re free from there.”

“Free?” she echoes, sounding puzzled, as if the concept itself is strange to her.

I look at her, my voice soft but firm. “You’re not going back there. I know we just met, but trust me. I won’t hurt you.”

Her smile returns, a small, tentative thing, but it’s enough. “Okay.”

I open the door for her, and she climbs in, still cautious, but now, there’s a spark of trust.

I decide to stay quiet on the way to Carter’s, letting Mia take in everything around her. But she can’t help herself.

The entire drive, she comments on how beautiful the trees are, how nice the wind feels against her skin.

It’s like I’ve taken a little girl to Disneyland for the first time. The awe in her voice is so pure, so unguarded. She’s mesmerized by the simplest things, and it makes me feel guilty for running her over—a tightness in my chest, a feeling of responsibility I wasn’t expecting.

Fuck, I guess I’ll be sticking with this girl after all.

The moment we reach Carter’s house, I notice it’s completely empty, which is odd since we were supposed to meet here in a few minutes. I need to get Mia into proper clothes, though, so I step inside and dial Charlie’s number.

“I need your help again,” I tell her.

She huffs into the phone. “Did she kill someone? If yes, don’t worry, I’ve set up a clean-up team in case that happens.”

“Almost,” I admit. “But that’s not why I’m calling. I actually need some proper clothing for her, maybe some food, and—well, a bit of a female touch. I don’t think I should be alone with her right now.”

“Gosh! You’re really scared of her, aren’t you?”

“It’s not that,” I answer quickly, but deep down, I know it is. “She seems so lost, Charlie. She asked me if she could look at the sun a little longer. I mean, this girl is seriously messed up.”

“I’ll send the clothes and food over,” she says, and I hear her typing something. “As for the company part, sorry, but you’ll have to figure out how to deal with her on your own. She seems to like you, so you’ll be fine.”

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