Bayou Bishops Box Set: Books 1-12

CHAPTER 5

Sahvrin woke to fingers stroking along his arm. He tensed at realizing he’d fallen asleep, and Ma Petite was now awake, tracing patterns on his skin. And he was aroused. Something he was not accustomed to being.

He took in a deep breath, and she went completely still, telling him she preferred him not knowing what she was doing. That was good, he would happily pretend ignorance for her. Since she feigned sleep, he carefully moved her hand off his and sat up. He made his way outside to relieve himself in case she needed the bathroom, realizing it was the next morning. Mon Dieu, he’d slept long and hard.

His cock jerked as pieces of a dream came. Of her. He closed his eyes as his mind replayed him doing sexual things to her, craving to make her feel good. His cock ached with the real memory of it and how she’d responded in the dream, craving it, needing it just as much as he needed to give it.

This was… so fucking not good.

He quickly slammed the door shut in his mind, focusing on what was next with her. Protecting her was the most important thing. And that external threat came with enough danger, he’d have no problems fixating on that alone.

He made his way back in, seeing the bed empty. “I will put on coffee. You want some?” he called.

She opened the bathroom door and he attempted to inspect her facial injuries while not seeing her beauty. “Healing nicely,” he said, failing on the latter while getting the small jar of ointment on the shelf near him and handing it to her. “Apply liberally.”

She looked up and that smile shattered his focus. She was not a child, this was more obvious than ever in the morning sunlight. He realized that when she healed completely, she’d become that beautiful woman he’d first met. Mon Dieu.

The sound of a boat spun him around. He was suddenly torn between reaching for his gun and his phone. Had to be his Pah-Pah.

“Somebody’s coming?” she seemed to just realize.

“Yes, Ma Petite. My Pah-Pah.”

“Are you sure?” The panic in her voice brought him to her, only to face the new problem between them. She’s your baby sister.

With that, he kissed her forehead like he’d done to Juliette so many times. “I am sure. He is the only one who knows the way here.” He checked his phone anyway and let out a breath of relief at seeing his I’m on my way to you. “It’s him.”

“What do I do? What about the dress?”

He regarded her, not understanding the reason for her distress. “He knows what happened, the dress is beautiful on you Ma Petite.”

She eyed the screen door then him. “But he’s your father. I just…this is a first impression.”

She was becoming more confounding to him with every exchange. “He does not care about impressions, Ma Petite.”

“But I do,” she fretted, sounding more distraught as the boat drew closer.

“Do you want me to stay outside with him?”

As though thinking that strange, she sagged a little and looked around. “If you’re sure… I can…maybe cook, or…make coffee.”

The sight of her tears brought him back to her. “Ma Petite, why are you crying?” He wiped the tears from her cheeks, and she pushed his hand away.

“I don’t know, I’m…I probably just need coffee myself.”

She said this in a tiny wail, and for some reason it made him smile. What a peculiar little thing she was. “Go take a shower, Ma Petite. By the time you are done, he will be gone, yes?”

She suddenly shook her head and wiped her eyes. “That’s silly,” she said in a shaky whisper. “I’ll cook breakfast for you and…” Her words trailed as she stared at his kitchen. “You don’t have a stove?”

“It’s right there, Ma Petite.” He pointed to it, smiling. “It’s a wood burning one and I will need to show you how to use it.” He pointed next to it. “That’s the coffee pot.”

“Oh,” she muttered. “Is that what that is?”

At hearing she had no experience with a drip pot, he couldn’t help but chuckle, oddly okay with her ignorance. It wasn’t a spoiled by modern conveniences kind of ignorance, but more never having been introduced to it before.

His phone buzzed when his Pah-Pah’s boat came to stop at the pier. He looked at the screen. I have your brothers too. Can we come in? We have more clothes for her.

Mon Dieu. “My brothers are with him.”

The suck of her breath said her limit had just been pushed too far. And he was suddenly sure he didn’t want his brothers around her.

“I will tell them now is not a good time.”

****

Get it together, you’re acting like a child. “Sahvrin, I’m fine, really. Just…quickly tell me how to work this pot at least.”

He studied her a moment, and the intensity in his dark gaze made her swallow. “We stay outside.”

His tone held a finality she’d not heard from him before and didn’t fight. “Whatever you want,” she said.

“Take a long shower for your muscles, Ma Petite. My Pah-Pah has brought more clothes. You can change if you want to.”

Change? Did he think she needed to?

She watched him walk off, taking in the sight of him. Blue jeans and white t-shirt was a stark contrast to that outfit he wore when she originally met him. She was torn between which was more drool worthy. The jeans and t-shirt took first place in that second.

She snuck a peek at the family unloading on the dock. She spotted silver hair and figured he was the dad. She was shocked to see what a lumberjack kind of man he was. Fit as a fiddle and wearing blue-jean overalls. Her heart went berserk as she watched them all exchange hugs. Did they always do that? How amazing.

She backed her way to the bathroom, not wanting to stop watching them. She measured the brothers to Sahvrin and wondered who was the oldest now. Several were a bit taller than him but only a little, and maybe thicker. Nothing fat about any of them. Like a pack of…swamp warriors.

The conversation suddenly turned serious, judging by the grave looks on their faces. She really wanted to know what they were saying. Would he tell her everything? She continued to study each of them, deciding they were all almost as handsome as Sahvrin. She was likely biased with the whole savior sickness plaguing her. That’s what it was. After having their chat on the pier, she’d confirmed it when he’d lay with her. It took all her will power not to repay that man in whatever sexual favor he wanted. How was that for angelic.

God, she couldn’t be that person. It was the trauma. She had all the symptoms. But she’d met him before the trauma and liked him—until he opened his mouth, but nevertheless. So, it wasn’t just the trauma.

While in the shower, a knock sounded at the door. “Ma Petite, there’s a bag of clothes hanging on the door for you. I am going to take a ride with my brothers and Pah-Pah, you will be okay here.”

It wasn’t a question but a statement. “I’m fine. Go on and have fun.” She cringed at her word choice. He wasn’t going have fun, they’re hunting human demons. No wonder he thought of her as a child.

Fear froze her. Were they going hunting now for them?

He hadn’t said anything more and she guessed he was gone. They wouldn’t be hunting them now. He said they were preparing to.

She finished her shower, getting nervous and eager at remembering the clothes. What kind were they?

She listened before opening the bathroom door. Hearing nothing, she turned the knob and pushed it enough to create a six-inch crack that she looked through. Pushing it more, she peeked around while reaching her hand out. Feeling the something on the door, she yanked it into the bathroom and shut it back, locking it. She smiled at the cute sack of clothes. Like you’d see in an old-time store filled with…rice or flour, maybe.

Opening it, she pulled out the first thing, something red. Her heart raced in hope. Could it possibly be another dress? She gasped with a laugh at finding it was. A beautiful red sundress with straps. And long, thankfully. Would hide most of her bruises.

She’d leave her hair down to cover anything that might show on her back. Her beautiful winter fur as Sahvrin referred to it. Did he like it? She wished there was a body mirror. She smiled at the soft red material. Please let it fit. She carefully pulled it over her head, every muscle in her body screaming for mercy. She was pushing too hard as usual. She never knew when to stop, when to quit. This was her personality every day, all her life. But that stubbornness helped her through every hard time, and she’d had plenty.

“Yes,” she gasped at seeing it fit perfect. The top was that stretchy, crimpledy material like the yellow one she wore, so she didn’t need her bra.

She remembered there was more than one thing in the bag and carefully lowered to pick it up. Opening it, she spotted white and a light orange, pulling them both out. Ohhhhh the white one! She dropped the red dress and held the white piece up.

“Oh wow,” she breathed. Another beautiful summer dress only it had more layers of material with a sheer lace on top. She loved it. Dropping it on the floor, she began the tedious, painful task of removing the first dress. She decided to get out of it in reverse, removing the straps then pushing it down her body.

She was ready to pass out by the time she got the white dress on. Thank God it fit because there was no way she could change again. She didn’t even care what it looked like at that point.

She saw the top was designed to wear on or off the shoulders. That was easy. Off the shoulders would be a loud and clear calling card and she was not about to stoop that low even if she actually did want to call him. She needed to nurse her dignity back to health, it was plum broke. Never in her life did she contemplate doing the things she now did with him.

*****

Sahvrin’s anger boiled. Boiled past the point of logical. His brothers and Pah-Pah were one hundred percent right, he just hated the idea of her being put on the stand about any of it while freshly battered. But time was not fucking on their side and if they were selling her to the highest bidder as a virgin, they needed to learn all the details surrounding that. The puzzle of how they even knew she was a virgin returned. If somebody close to her was involved in this, they needed to learn that, God forbid it be the case.

As if reading his mind, Jek said, “Her father is stacked. And an investor. I’m not saying he’s guilty of anything but if he is involved in any kind of way, whether knowingly or ignorantly,” he said raising both hands, “then it changes a lot.”

“I know this,” Sahvrin said, swatting the air in annoyance. “I understand all of it, the dynamics. I realize there are missing pieces and that her father may be a dirty player in this, and I realize we need answers that only she can give at this point.”

“We don’t like it any more than you do,” August offered in a low mumble. “But the sooner we find out the better.”

“If this turns into a ransom--”

“But they don’t have her, we do,” Sahvrin interrupted Lazure.”

“Yes, but her father doesn’t know this, does he?”

It hit Sahvrin what he was saying. If whoever took her was doing this as a ransom…. “But they were selling her, they were in the process of moving her to someplace? If this was a ransom, why move her at all?”

“If,” Jek began cautiously like he knew he was treading on thin ice, “her father is dirty in all this, then contacting him would compromise her safety.”

“So she doesn’t speak to him until we know more on that,” Sahvrin said, and they all agreed.

“The quickest answers would be through Brisco,” August said, not hiding his bloodlust. “And I know where to find him.”

Sahvrin knew there was no other choice where His Petite was concerned. “When we return, we will speak to her and learn whatever more we can. But I’m warning all of you,” he said to his brothers. “Watch what you say to her and how you say it. She is nothing like the women any of you associate with. Understood?”

They all agreed, and he ignored their smirks, not giving a damn what conclusions they drew. Just so they did as he said, then no heads would need to be ripped from shoulders.

****

The sound of a boat sat Beth up from a dead sleep. Her heart pounded as she remembered where she was. Crap, he was back. She scrambled out of bed, gasping through the pain as her stomach joined in the attack on her sudden frayed nerves. It was night already. She’d slept nearly the whole day!

She made her way through the darkness to the bathroom to check herself. Thank God the lights were off, she didn’t want to be seen floundering like a nervous bride or a guilty intruder.

She did her best to smooth out her hair then splashed water on her discolored face. She touched the few spots that were still a little swollen, hoping she didn’t look too much like a freak.

A soft knock sounded on the bathroom door and she nearly vomited. “Ma Petite.”

She almost didn’t recognize Sahvrin’s voice. Curious and concerned, she opened it two inches. “You’re back?”

“We are,” he said, his tone sounding…odd. “I’m sorry it took so long, are you okay?”

“I slept the whole time,” she said, not wanting him to worry. “What’s wrong?”

He gave a sigh. “Will you…be willing to speak to my father and brothers? They have questions, Ma Petite. I will be with you. Unless you’re not well.”

She tried to understand his tone. “I’m…well to talk. Yes, of course I will.” That was the only answer there was, it seemed. What did he mean by I will be with you?

“Meet me outside, Ma Petite. Okay?”

She closed the door, staring for several seconds. She panicked at realizing she’d rather walk out with him. Opening the door, she saw he was already halfway there.

What did they want to talk about? Why did she feel like this would be difficult? You’re not a child. You have training in dealing with people. These are people.

Despite the lecture, her legs trembled as she headed for the door. She suddenly worried how the dress looked. Without a long mirror, she could only guess.

She made her way toward them on the pier where they all stood with lowered heads, all but two. Sahvrin and one of the brothers. Sahvrin looked right at her with an intensity that made her nervous.

“Beth, I would like you to meet my family. This is my Pah-Pah, Lazure. My brothers, Jek, August, Bart and Zep.” He motioned to each one.

They all looked at her now and she smoothed her hands repeatedly over the front of the dress, feeling like a plague. “It’s very nice to meet all of you,” she said in her strongest voice. She looked at Sahvrin who stayed put where he was, making the plague feeling worse. The brothers all greeted her in nearly matching replies of hello, hey, hi but their tones were low and... something she couldn’t put her finger on. Guilty?

She fought with a full-body tremble while trying to figure out what bothered Sahvrin. “You can…ask your questions,” she said, wanting to get it over with.

Sahvrin spoke in low French and the brother who had looked at her, Jek, she realized, spoke something back to him. Then they were all speaking it, gradually getting louder as they went with Sahvrin moving closer toward the Jek brother as he did.

The father yelled something in French, and they all went silent, like a magic switch. The man finally turned to her and raked his hand through wavy silver hair that went to his shoulders, her tremble getting worse. “Forgive us Miss Beth,” he began in a deep voice. “There are things we need to ask you.”

She glanced at Sahvrin, not sure why this felt threatening. “Okay. Like what? I’ll do my best to help.”

The father began again. “If this…is bad people running the operation—” Sahvrin spoke French and his father said, “Yes, not if, we know these are bad people. But if…”

At seeing his difficulty, she looked at Sahvrin. “Sahvrin, what do they need to know? You have my father’s name and the names I gave? Ask what you need, I may be able to help, I…I want to, that’s what I told Sahvrin.” Embarrassment filled her at knowing she pronounced his name wrong. “Sorry if…I talk funny,” she muttered, not sure what else to call it.

They all spoke French again, obviously about her or they’d say it in English.

“How about we do more reconnaissance with what we do know and go from there?” She believed the one named August suggested it, looking like he had other places he’d rather be.

“Miss Beth,” the Jek brother said. “In their world, there’s trafficking and then there’s business as usual. And please…pardon this next question…” He eyed Sahvrin before going on, “But would you have any idea how these men would know what the…status of your sexuality is?”

“The reason we wonder this,” Sahvrin said, “is…” He suddenly seemed to consider something then lowered his head in a mumble of French which prompted his brothers to mumble back the same manner.

“I can’t really help you if I don’t understand what you need,” she said, hoping they realized that included the language barrier while wondering what the Jek brother was getting at concerning her virginity.

“Like I said before,” the August brother interrupted. “More time digging into the things we do know, run down that name? Pretty sure we’ll get plenty from that.”

They went back to murmuring like she couldn’t hear and the words her father froze her. “What about my father?” She looked at Sahvrin as he finally approached her, making her nervous. “Is he okay?”

“We haven’t tried to contact him yet.”

“How long did you say you were missing, Miss Beth?”

She looked at the father, her mind suddenly racing too fast. “Uh…” She closed her eyes, focusing. “I…how long was I here? I’m sorry, time has been…”

“Now don’t fret,” Miss Beth,” the father said in a gentle scold.

“You’ve been here three days this night. You told me they had you for two days?”

She nodded, her mouth too dry. “Yes, then…that’s right.”

“So, she’s been missing for five days,” Jek muttered, his tone implying that meant something.

“Maybe ask her when her father expected to hear from her,” the brother who seemed to want to be somewhere else mumbled.

“Well, you just sort of did,” Sahvrin muttered back. “She’s not deaf.”

“I was supposed to call him…when I got to my room. I-I had…a hotel room, a bed and breakfast.”

“The Breaux Bridge Inn,” Sahvrin said, remembering.

“Yes, that’s it,” she shot out, feeling out of breath and a little dizzy.

The French flew again, low but faster all while her mind fought to put together the fractured pieces they seemed to be playing with.

“How many days did you book this room for, Ma Petite, do you remember?”

“A week,” she said, nodding. “Seven days. I wanted plenty of time to…sight see.” The murmur of French buzzed with the rest of the confusion in her head. “When can I call my dad?”

Sahvrin turned from his conversation, looking at her. He suddenly strode quickly over and captured her face in his hands. “Are you okay, Ma Petite? You don’t look well. Do you need to lie down?”

She shook her head, fighting back the tears and losing the battle. “I need to call my dad.” The words strained out, only half audible. “He’ll be worried, and I don’t want him worried, he’s my only family,” she said, the words gushing out around a sob.

He pulled her into a hug and held her tightly. “Shhh, okay, Ma Petite. I hear you.”

“Is there something wrong?” she asked in his chest? “Do you think they might have hurt him?”

“No, Ma Petite, that’s not it.”

“Then what?” She pushed him away to see his face. “You’re not telling me something. Why? I’m not a child.”

“We’re not sure if maybe this was a ransom type situation given who your father is, Beth.”

She stared at him, blinking. “Ransom?” She considered that. “You think…that’s possible?”

He nodded and she searched his face for signs he was hiding something. “What else? I want to know everything.”

“Ma Petite,” he said, quietly. “Somebody knew you were a virgin, yes? We can’t understand how anybody would come by this type of knowledge.”

Wait… “Are you saying… you think my dad…”

“No, no, that’s not what I think.”

“But you’re saying it’s possible!” She pushed him, so angry and hurt he’d think that. “You don’t even know him! He may have been a… shitty husband but he was a good dad! Is!” And why was she sobbing? She fought out of his embrace that seemed to only make her weaker. “I’m fine,” she insisted, holding up a hand between them. “I’m…not a child,” she said. “I was abducted, and I was beaten, okay, fine. I escaped. I’m alive. There were other women… girls,” she corrected. “Who did not. I will do whatever I can to help, I’m not afraid. I mean it,” she said, making the words hard and wrapping her arms around herself. “I don’t need or want pity.” She was sick of being useless and broken.

“And as far as how they knew I was a virgin, your guess is as good as mine.” She said this to the brothers and father. “How do you determine that? I have no idea. I don’t recall filling out any resumes that asked about my virginity. The only people that knew that was me, I didn’t have long chats with girlfriends over such…private things. How would they prove that to a buyer? A hymen test? Mine was ripped to hell at my first pelvic exam thanks to a jerk of a doctor who didn’t know what he was doing.”

And now there were twelve eyes of concerned judges glued to her. She stood there shuffling her feet, all her pride in shreds. “You have any other questions?” She was ready to be alone.

Silent humility hung in the air when the Jek brother saved her from basking in it. “Can you tell us from where exactly you were abducted?”

She thought back. “I attended the festival and had some drinks. I don’t even normally drink, but in a stupid attempt to fit in, I did and then I was invited to a party by some kind people—or I thought they were kind—and I don’t have much memory after that.”

“Do you happen to remember the name of the bar?”

She wasn’t even sure which one asked that. “It was…No, I don’t know, I don’t remember.”

They began listing names of bars.

“That one,” she shot out.

“The Roulette?” Sahvrin asked.

“Yes, I’m sure of it.”

They exchanged extra heated French now.

“I even remember the layout of it. I can draw a map.”

“Thank you, Ma Petite. And that was the last bar you remember going to?”

“Yes,” she said, nodding again and hugging herself.

“Do you remember at what point you realized you were…abducted?” Bart asked.

“I woke up tied to a bed in a room. There was…tape…over my mouth,” she said, her voice lowering.

“You said there were others?” Zep asked.

“Not at first. But later, I was put with other girls. We couldn’t talk because of the tape. On our mouths. Sometimes they…removed it to ask questions.” Sickness churned her stomach at recalling the one girl she tried to protect. “They did…really bad things to some of the girls.” She fought the shake in her voice as she shifted on her feet. “I was tied, but I tried to…to stop him, he was…hurting her so bad and…” She pushed Sahvrin away when he tried to come to her. “I don’t want comfort!” she yelled. “I don’t care if they beat me half to death, I’m free and she’s not, she’s stuck there and she…” The painful memory closed off her throat. “She was so… so young.” She covered her mouth and turned with a sob, not able to fight Sahvrin’s arms from behind her, holding her tight. “I’ve never had a sister, but she seemed just like a little sister…” He spoke French over his shoulder and not long after the sound of the boat signaled they all left, but Sahvrin never let her go. He held her and shhhh’d her until exhaustion won and dried up all her tears.