Beautifully damaged boxs.., p.57
Beautifully Damaged Boxset, page 57
Opal settled next to Kassandra and tucked a strand of her salt and pepper hair behind her ear. Diamonds sparkled from every manicured finger. She slid her hands down her white blouse and navy slacks.
I gulped, unsure where this conversation was going. Once I was returned to my cell, I would allow myself to process everything, but not yet. I couldn’t afford to lose my shit now. I’d been so wrong. I wasn’t here because of Dan, Logan, or even Tim. I was here because of Michelle, along with Holden’s aunt and grandmother. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
“How long have you and Holden been together? From what Michelle said, you two were serious,” Opal said.
For a second, I looked at her blankly. Were? More like are, you crazy bitch. Opal was insane and intelligent, which made her incredibly dangerous.
“Five months.”
Opal glanced at Kassandra. “I see.” She offered me a tight smile that didn’t reach her cold, emotionless eyes.
“Does Catherine know?” I blurted. “That her sister and mother sell children?” I slammed my mouth closed, chiding myself for not being careful with what I said.
Kassandra laughed. A beautiful melodic sound that made me want to punch her in the throat. She was a twisted, sick fuck and didn’t deserve to have a nice laugh.
“Catherine and I are . . . estranged. We haven’t spoken in nineteen years.”
“Opal, what about you?” I figured if I’d been blunt already, there was no harm in asking more questions.
“Catherine thinks I’m dead.” She ran her palm over her thigh, her sharp gaze assessing me.
“That makes sense why Holden never mentioned either of you.” My attention bounced between them as I attempted to assess their intentions.
“Barrett says you’re pregnant. I’m assuming it’s Holden’s?” Kassandra said nonchalantly.
“Of course it is.” I placed my hand protectively over my lower abdomen.
“Have you had an appointment with a medical professional to confirm?” Opal asked.
“No. As I told Kassandra, I took the test only minutes before a needle was jabbed into my skin, a bag was pulled over my head, and I was thrown into the back of a delivery truck. It made it a smidge difficult to schedule an appointment.” Apparently, my hormones were playing with me. Normally, I knew when to shut my mouth, but this time I didn’t seem to have control over what spilled out.
“Well, we’re about to do just that. I’ve called a doctor to examine you and verify that you’re, in fact, pregnant,” Opal said.
Instincts did their best to protect me, sending my heart hiccupping before catapulting into an all-out sprint.
“For your sake, let’s hope you are. I hate liars. Liars are severely punished here.” Kassandra flashed a pearly white smile at me.
I nodded, terror pulsing through my veins at what that might mean.
“Why?” I asked softly. “Why would two women run a sex trafficking ring?” I was struggling for something to make sense.
Opal and Kassandra looked at each other before they broke into laughter. “Money, darling. I know you’re young and in love, but one thing that’s been available through the years is sex. Men and women will pay handsomely to feed their illegal fetishes. Luring young girls in is incredibly easy. Girls don’t trust men. They’re warned against them. Stranger danger.” Kassandra added air quotes to her last words. “But society doesn’t warn against women, so girls blindly talk to us, befriend us.”
My nostrils flared, and I wondered if I could aim the rising puke in my gut to land on Kassandra. “Michelle. That’s her job, isn’t it?” I fidgeted in my seat, squelching the overwhelming desire to run for my life.
Kassandra’s expression gleamed with dark thoughts and deadly secrets. She was lethal, sneaky, and made Tim and Logan appear angelic.
“She’s one of our best,” Opal confided. “After all, she brought us you.”
I shot off my chair, unable to pretend any longer. “Fuck you. You both disgust me. Innocent boys and girls are being beaten and raped, and you’re proud of your business? How do you sleep at night?” My chest heaved with anger and fear.
“Like a baby,” Kassandra crooned.
“I like this one,” Opal said to Kassandra. “I have the perfect man in mind for her. He’ll pay millions for a feisty fighter.”
Kassandra’s dark eyebrow rose. “Hmm … it would probably be best to sell her to someone overseas. I don’t trust that Holden will ever stop searching for her.” Kassandra’s attention returned to me. “The answer to your question, River: I sleep very well, thank you. With millions and millions of dollars at my disposal, I can afford the best beds and security.” A cold, calculating expression twisted Kassandra’s features.
“Well said, daughter.” Opal chuckled. “Now, let’s find out if you’re actually pregnant with my great-grandchild, shall we?”
Fisting my hands at my sides, I stared at them, not giving a response. They weren’t asking me anyway.
“You will comply, or I’ll have a few of my men drag you to the doctor and strap you down. Either way is fine with me.” Opal rose from her seat, an air of hostility swirling around us.
My mind whirled with options, but I was at an impasse.
“This way,” Opal ordered, sensing my cooperation.
I obediently fell in behind Opal, and Kassandra after me. We walked to the back wall, and Opal paused in front of a keypad near the door. She blocked my view, then punched in a code. A soft click reached my ears, then Opal pulled on the handle and led us down a hallway. Once we reached the end, she turned right and into a room filled with light.
A medical office. I glanced around, eyeing the table with stirrups, cabinets, and several medical machines.
“Hello, River. I’ll be with you in a moment.” A blonde in her late forties sat at a desk, scribbling notes. When she was finished, she rose from the chair and offered me a cheery smile. “I’m Doctor Austin.” She held her hand out to me and my gaze cut to Kassandra and Opal.
I didn’t want to touch this woman. She worked for monsters.
Kassandra cleared her throat and tilted her head toward the doctor, indicating that I needed to mind my manners. I shook the doctor’s hand, her slender fingers cold to the touch.
“Have a seat.” She waved to a chair with a small table that rested on the arm while she snapped on a pair of white latex gloves. “This won’t take long. I’m just going to do a bit of blood work.”
I eased into the seat and propped my arm up, my attention landing on a tray of tubes. The doctor was definitely prepared for me.
She touched the inside of my arm. “You have nice veins,” the doctor assured me as she tied a red-colored rubber band around my bicep.
I stared at the floor as she inserted the needle and withdrew a few tubes worth of blood. When she was done, she folded a gauze pad, placed it over the pinprick, then applied the medical tape.
“That’s it. I’ll run the pregnancy test first. If it’s positive, I’ll test for any deficiencies or concerns. We’ll give you a full workup.”
I couldn’t stop my frown. “You’re going to be my doctor until I have the baby?”
“We’ll discuss a plan once we have a firm answer. Don’t worry about anything. After all, we’re practically family,” Opal explained. “For now, we’ll wait a few hours.”
“Until then?” I stood, my legs wobbling with fear.
“Let’s eat. I’m famished.” Opal slipped her arm around my shoulders as if I were her best friend.
I fell into step next to her while Kassandra followed. As soon as I thought I understood these women, they changed their approach. I didn’t have a fucking clue why I was with them, though. If the test confirmed the pregnancy, would they keep me locked in the cell until delivery? If so, I wondered if the baby and I would be trapped in this hell for the rest of our lives.
Bile crept up my throat, and I choked it down. For now, I had to play the game and figure a way out of this mess. And when I was face-to-face with Holden again, safe in his arms, I would beg his forgiveness for ever ditching Zayne when all they both wanted to do was protect me … from situations like this.
***
When we returned to the same room as earlier, I noticed that the table had been cleaned, the snacks replaced with three covered plates.
After a hot meal of meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, and fresh rolls, I was stuffed. Opal and Kassandra had even allowed me to have a Dr. Pepper. Since I was pregnant, they didn’t want the baby to have too much caffeine. At this point, I didn’t mind. I was mentally and physically exhausted.
“Thank you for the food.” I wiped my mouth with the cloth napkin and wadded it into my lap, secretly hating myself for thanking them for anything.
“You’re welcome. It’s important that you eat healthy right now.” Opal’s phone vibrated and she retrieved the cell from her lap. She quickly checked the message, then set it down again.
I stifled a yawn as the food settled in my stomach.
“Do you want a boy or girl?” Kassandra asked.
“I don’t care. As long as the little one is healthy and happy. That’s all that matters.” I clenched my teeth in an attempt to not yawn again.
“Nothing like a good, hot meal to make you sleepy.” Opal reached out and patted my hand.
I nodded, suddenly feeling lethargic and dizzy. My gaze narrowed as I stared at my empty plate of food I’d gobbled up. Unsure of when I would eat again, I hadn’t given it a second thought.
The room spun, and I clutched the edge of the table. My ears rang as I attempted to bring my vision into focus. I tried to lift my arm, but it refused to cooperate.
“You drugged me.” My tongue felt dry and thick in my mouth. I should have been in a full-blown fucking panic, but my brain was too foggy to fully register the situation.
Kassandra’s mouth was moving, but I wasn’t able to make out what she was saying. My chair jerked back, then someone scooped me into their arms. My head lolled backward as I tried to make sense of what was happening, but the harder I tried, the worse I felt. I blinked rapidly, trying to decipher what I was looking at—who.
“Holden, help me,” I whispered as my world faded to black.
Chapter Nine
Holden wrapped his arms around me as I snuggled my back against his chest. This man was my entire world. He’d opened his heart to me, his life, and invited me in. The more his secrets were revealed, the more I realized we were both survivors. He’d lost his sister, Hannah. I’d lost my brother, Alan.
“I love you so much, River.” Holden smoothed my dark hair, then placed a kiss on my temple.
“I love you more, baby.” I wiggled my ass against him, his erection pushing against my butt. I rolled over on my back and peered into his deep brown eyes. “Before I met you, I never knew life could be so good.” I raised up and kissed him.
“It’s crazy how you walked into my life, and everything made sense again. It was dark and full of pain before you … slept in my recycling bin.” He offered me a beautiful smile.
I slapped my hand over my face. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure I didn’t choose a trash container and think that it would lead me to love.”
Our laughter filled the air.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would find my future wife sleeping outside, either.”
My brows shot up while I sifted through his words, ensuring I was hearing him right. My tongue darted across my lower lip. “What?”
Holden brought my knuckles to his lips and kissed them softly. “I love you, River. My world is so much better with you in it. Stay with me forever.”
I searched his passionate gaze, looking for a hint that he was joking. There was none. Nothing but love and adoration.
“I’m not proposing, but I plan to at some point. When I do, I want to do it right. I want it to be something we cherish for the rest of our lives.”
“Me, too.”
Holden turned onto his back and opened the drawer in his nightstand. He rolled back to his side, facing me, and propped up on his arm, then flipped open a velvet ring box. “Until we’re engaged, I’d be honored if you wore this ring. Each time you look at it, know that you’re mine and I’m yours.”
Holden slid the half-carat diamond ring on my finger. Tears welled in my eyes as I traced my finger around the circle of sapphires that surrounded the diamond.
“Do you like it?”
“I love it.” I giggled and looked at the ring. “For the record, I wouldn’t care if you gave me a ring from a gumball machine or a Ring Pop. As long as it had the same meaning … all I want is you, Holden.” I slid my arms around his neck.
He pinned me down on the bed and dotted my face with kisses, his hand sliding between my breasts. I laughed as Holden trailed his fingertips down my stomach. He glanced up at me as he pressed his soft lips against my lower abdomen. “I’m ready to start the rest of my life with you … and our baby.”
I stroked his hair and swallowed hard. “I’m scared.”
“You’re going to be an amazing mother, River. Don’t ever question that.”
Holden flickered in and out like a lousy hologram of Princess Leia in Star Wars.
“Holden? What’s happening?”
I sat up in our bed, the sheet falling to my waist. His bedroom began to dissolve, crumbling away from me. “Holden!” I screamed.
“I’m coming for you, River. Hang on,” he whispered before he disappeared.
***
I attempted to peel my eyelids open. My head pounded, and my throat was ungodly dry.
“There she is,” Dr. Austin said with a gentle smile.
I stared at her, trying to figure out what the hell had happened. “I … where am I?”
Dizziness swept over me as I attempted to look around. After a minute, I realized I was in Dr. Austin’s medical room.
“Here’s an ice chip.” Dr. Austin held one between her gloved hands, then placed it on my lips.
I allowed it to melt and trickle over my tongue and down my throat.
“You’re still groggy, so I’ll repeat this again later. No sex for two weeks. Your body has to recover from the procedure. Although I was careful, sometimes there are complications.”
I frowned. Hard. “Procedure. What procedure? I don’t understand.” Glancing down, I realized I was in a dark green-and-white-checked hospital gown.
Dr. Austin pursed her lips. “When I told Opal that the blood test indicated you were indeed pregnant, she said that you’d opted to terminate the pregnancy. She instructed me to prepare immediately for the abortion.”
Anxiety slithered into every part of me, and I shook my head, my eyes filling with tears. “No, there’s been a mistake. Don’t do it. She … she never told me the test came in. I would never say that I wanted a … a … I want my baby!” I sank my teeth into my bottom lip, using the pain to break through the muddy waters of my brain. Suddenly, the details came rushing back. Opal, Kassandra, and I had eaten dinner, then I started feeling dizzy and tired. I jackknifed up in the bed and looked around, my breathing ragged as a shiver danced over my skin.
“Wait. It’s over?” Tears streamed down my cheeks. “You took my baby?” I hiccupped through my cries. “You fucking bitch! You had no right to take my baby!” A sharp cramp in my lower abdomen doubled me over. “What the hell?” My fingers gripped the mattress as the pain subsided.
The doctor adjusted a bag on the IV pole, wearing a detached expression. “You’re going to need to rest for a few days since you’ve been under so much stress. You’re also dehydrated and undernourished. We’ll need to make sure your health is back on track before you start training. While you were under, I gave you fluids in your IV.” She pointed to the needle in my arm—the thin, clear line connected to a few bags hanging on an IV pole. “Right now, I’ve given you a bit of pain medication. I’ll be back to check on you in a few hours.”
A scream tore from my throat, drowned by my tears. My shoulders uncontrollably shook as I turned away from her. The second the door closed, and the lock clicked, my wails echoed off the white, sterile medical room walls. Opal’s face flickered through my mind. If it’s my last fucking breath, I’m coming for you, bitch. That includes your demented daughter and doctor as well.
***
Broken and exhausted, I mentally checked out over the next few days. My strength was returning, and according to the doctor, I had color in my cheeks again. I spent hour after hour either zoned-out on the drugs the doctor was giving me or trying to plan my revenge. Opal, Kassandra, and that doctor took my child from me without a second thought. My sorry excuse of a mother abandoned Alan and me and obviously didn’t give two shits about us, but me? I was shattered. Once again, my choice had been stripped away and replaced with pain.
When my brain was clearer, I was determined to plan exactly how I would expose Opal and her crimes. When the right time presented itself, I would destroy her, Kassandra, and Doctor Austin. As soon as I started to contemplate how to accomplish my goal, defeat and depression pumped through me with every beat of my broken heart.
The only light I could see in this darkness was that my body had bought me two weeks before I would be raped, beaten, and trained to serve. I had to use my time wisely.
The dream I’d had about Holden returned front and center to my groggy brain. I wondered if my subconscious was dealing with the forced abortion, giving me hope that I would be in Holden’s arms again. But I wasn’t sure I’d make it out of this hellhole alive. Plus, Opal and Kassandra had talked about selling me overseas to a monster that loved a girl with a fighting spirit. I wasn’t stupid. Men like that wanted to strip a female of her power and will to live. Break her slowly and draw off the pain to feed their sickness.
One thing was for certain: I had to figure a way out and fast.
Chapter Ten
The next thing I knew, early morning sunlight filtered into my room, waking me. I rubbed the sleep from my bleary eyes, then scanned the area. I was still at the medical clinic, but my mind was clear, alert.
