Page 17 of The Perfect Escape
“We need to get out of here. Do you think you can walk?” Davian placed a tender kiss on my head before helping me to my feet.
When we reached the door leading to the garden, Axe pulled it open and scanned the area before walking outside. Night had fallen, and the only light to guide us through the garden came from the moon. Before we reached the house, Davian pulled on Axe’s arm. “We need to find another way out of here. We can’t leave the same way.”
It was then that I remembered the gate near the pond. “There is a gate by the pond. I’m not sure where it leads, but it might take us out here.” The gate might lead nowhere, but it was worth a try.
In a low voice, Davian said, “Can you take us to it?”
Turning away from the house, I led Davian and Axe back to the bench near the pond. When we reached the fountain, I pointed to the shrubs on the other side of the pond. “It is over there. Behind the tall bushes.”
Axe held up his flashlight and walked over to the area I pointed at. Shoving the branches from the bushes out of the way, he searched between the leaves until he found the gate. “Found it. There’s a lock on it, but I think I can pry it open.”
My nerves were having a heyday. I worried that soon someone would find us and it would be too late. Looking around the garden while Axe continued to work the lock, I was comforted when I saw no one coming. Davian squeezed my hand, giving me an extra dose of reassurance that I needed. “We will be okay, Reyna. We will get away from here.”
As I smiled up at Davian, Axe appeared from in between the branches. “Got it. It looks like it leads to a road.”
Everything that happened over the past three and a half weeks felt like nothing more than a bad dream. Soon I would be away from this place, far away from Rui and his men. The only thing good about this place was meeting Helga. Helga!“Wait! We have to go back.” I pulled on Davian’s hand, trying desperately to pull him back through the gate.
“Reyna, we can’t go back.”
“We can’t leave her behind. We have to find her.” The tears jerked at my heart as I pleaded with Davian to turn around.
“Who, Reyna? Who can’t we leave behind?”
“Her name is Helga. She is the one who brought me to the shelter. She saved me from Rui.”
“Reyna, look at me.” I could only see Davian’s masculine lines in the dark as I tried to find his eyes. “Helga is safe. We found her at a compound five miles from here. We really need to go.”
∞
It wasn’t until after we boarded Davian’s plane that I felt safe. When we left Rui’s country mansion, Davian found out from the authorities that Rui was nowhere to be found. Their thorough search of the compound and the mansion only turned up three more of his men. In total, five of Rui’s men were taken into custody. Three women and six children held captive in the compound were taken to the hospital for evaluation before reuniting with their families. Helga was among them. She was examined and released.
“Why can’t she go with us? She has no family. I’m the only friend she has.” I couldn’t allow her to be alone, so I pleaded for Davian to take her with us to the States. After all, we were going to the same place.
“Reyna, princess. Helga will be safe with Axe. He is going to take her to the warehouse where she will be safe. Kenzi is also being taken there. Rui Salko is still out there, and I can’t take the chance that he will try to take you again.”
Davian was right. I knew firsthand how dangerous Rui Salko was. He was a monster and would do anything to get what he wanted. I thought about what I went through while under Rui’s control. My stomach became unsettled, the bile already making its way to my throat.Would I ever be able to tell Davian what took place in the mansion?How could I tell him about the marriage license?Rui maintained it was legal and not a fake. It would kill Davian if he knew Rui and me were married.
Drawing me away from my thoughts, Davian reached across my body and took hold of my seatbelt. “We are about to take off, princess.”
Ever since we left Rui’s country mansion, the tension had been growing between Davian and me. At first, I thought it was because of the chaos surrounding the need to get me to safety, but even in the SUV, it was like he had put a wall between us. Placing my hand on his as he snapped the seatbelt into place, I met his eyes. “Is everything okay? You haven’t said a word since we left Rui’s mansion.”
“Everything is fine. You’re safe.” Davian pulled his hand away and placed it on the armrest of his leather chair.
I couldn’t let this go. What happened to me was unspeakable, but the way he was acting toward me was much worse. “Davian, if your mood has to do with me leaving The Regency after you told me to stay put, I am so sorry. I didn’t have another choice. If I hadn’t gone, I would have lost my class enrollment for the next semester.”
“You should have told me what was going on with your classes. I could have made other arrangements. You should have trusted me. I should have been there to keep you safe.”
I opened my mouth to say something when Jeannie walked toward us. “The captain advised me that we are clear to take off. Is there anything I can get you?”
With everything going on, the last thing I had thought about was food until my stomach roared. “I could use something to eat.”
“How about a sandwich and a bowl of soup?” Jeannie smiled as she looked at me and then at Davian.
“I’m good,” Davian replied, his tone more abrasive than normal.
Pulling my shoulders back, I smiled back at Jeannie. “That would be wonderful. Thank you, Jeannie. Davian and I can share, should he suddenly become hungry.”
Watching Jeannie walk back to the serving station, I waited until she was out of sight. “What is up with you?” I looked over to Davian, weighing in on his crappy mood.
