Page 49 of Dark King (Advantage Play 2)

I wave her off. “You’ll be fine. Promise. Come on.” Grabbing her hand, I try to pull her into the house when she stops me.

“I’ll be right there. Do you think you could take Q in for me?”

I tilt my head in confusion before registering the undercover FBI agent in the back. Her skin is pale; her hair a tangled mess hanging around her hunched shoulders. There’s a cut on her lower lip and bruises scattered along her arms. Whatever she’s been through, it’s been hell. She looks lost. And alone. And in much worse shape than Gigi. Glancing back at her, I see the need for a minute alone with Dex written plainly across her face. I’d be a terrible wingwoman if I didn’t give it to her. With a knowing smile and a final squeeze, I turn my attention to the stranger in the back.

“Oh. Hi,” I start. “I’m Ace. And you’re Q?”

The girl stares blankly out the window, not bothering to respond. My heart breaks for her.

Tossing a wide-eyed look of helplessness toward Gigi and Dex, I wait for them to tell me how I can help, but they both stare blankly back. They’re as lost as I am. Hesitantly, I slide out of the passenger seat where I was practically sitting on top of Gigi then open the back door.

Offering my hand, I state, “Come on, Q. Let’s get you inside and out of those cuffs and dress.”

The promise of freedom is enough to get her moving. She slides out of the car and slowly follows me inside Kingston’s estate.

The silence is deafening as I open the front door and motion to the house. I assume she’s harmless since Dex left her with me, so I ask, “Would you like a tour?”

Silence.

Chewing my upper lip, I try to think of something I can say to help her. Her shoulders are hunched, and there’s a clear leave-me-alone vibe that she’s radiating, but I can’t help myself.

What would I have wanted someone to tell me?

“Hey.” I stop her with a gentle touch on her forearm. She jumps back but doesn’t run, so I take it as a sign that I’m okay to continue.

I look closer at the girl in front of me before taking a quick look around to confirm we’re alone. Rule #2: Always be aware of your surroundings. I smile as the rule flashes through my mind. It’s funny how they’ve all but disappeared since moving in with King. But as I look at the girl in front of me, I know I need to implement them right now. She needs the rules. The structure. The foundation to build her new life. Because she’ll never be the same. Not after everything she’s been through.

Thankfully, the open entryway is empty, reminding me of Rule #8: Don’t discuss private shit in public. It’s bound to screw you over. While the family might know my private shit, that doesn’t mean I enjoy discussing it in front of them. In front of anyone, actually. However, as I look at the ghost of a girl in front of me, I have a feeling she needs to know too.

“I want you to know something,” I start as she stares back at me. “I’ve been where you are. Not exactly…but close enough. I had my first run-in with Burlone when I was a little girl, and he broke me. I don’t know how many times Burlone hurt you, but—”

“It wasn’t Burlone.”

Digging my teeth into my lower lip, I hesitate before asking a question I’m not sure I want the answer to. “Then who was it?”

The broken girl looks over at me with absolute hatred and fury shining in her gaze. “Sei.”

I don’t recognize that name, but it doesn’t matter anyway because his outcome will be the same.

“Then we’ll make sure Sei gets taken care of,” I promise somberly. “But until then, I need to figure out where the keys to your cuffs are, and then we’ll get you showered and find you a place to sleep. Does that sound okay?”

“Hey,” Stefan calls from the staircase, interrupting our little heart-to-heart.

I try to hide my annoyance. “Yeah?”

“Kingston wants to see everyone in his office right now. We have some shit to talk about, and Diece is dying for a recap.”

“Okay. We’ll be right there.”

I dismiss him by giving him my back only to find Q a quivering a mess, making my heart hurt.

“Look at me, Q.”

She swallows bravely before tugging her gaze from the floor and holding my stare.

“Everyone in this house is a good guy. They would never hurt a girl the way you’ve been hurt. I promise. Let’s go have this little talk, and then we’ll get that shower and bed, okay?”

“How do you know they’re not going to kill me?”

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