CHAPTER 10
KANE
I was pissed as I leant against one of the SUVs we rented and watched local police take control of the warehouse we had just vacated.
We’d been in Vegas a matter of hours when we swept into the place, after an hour of observing the comings and goings of what seemed to be armed guards. They were pretty slack, patrolling the exterior of the building haphazardly every half hour or so.
We’d encountered five armed guys when we stormed the place, but they hadn’t even had time to put their hands on the guns they’d laid on the table they all sat around. In seconds they were on the ground, neutralized and I was pissed I hadn’t gotten to hit anything.
The warehouse had been filled with cages along one wall and inside those cages had been young women of varying ages, bloodied, beaten, and terrified.
Aleks and Harris had done a quick sweep of the place for any information we could use to get another lead. They’d found one laptop and the cells on the guards we neutralized. Aleks had made short work of downloading the data from all of them onto his own laptop, then Asher had called the cops. We’d tried to comfort the girls and reassure them they were safe but most of them were too terrified, traumatized, or both to even stop crying and cowering.
It had killed me to think of Addy being just like them, trapped in one of those cages in that freezing fucking warehouse, afraid and alone. Asher seemed to think it was highly likely that was the warehouse she had recalled during one of her flashbacks, so it was also likely she had been just like those poor women, only she hadn’t been lucky enough to be saved.
I was still pissed about what had happened back at the penthouse before we left. When Harris had started relaying the information they had learned, I had been forced to just stand back and watch the woman I cared so fucking much for, wilt before my eyes. She had tried to stay strong, but with every word spoken she had broken more and more, then she’d crumbled and all I had wanted to do was rip her from Jordan’s arms and take her into my own.
I wanted to take her away from all of this and to a place where she could be safe to just heal. I wanted her so much I could barely fucking think straight anymore, and the fact that I couldn’t have her was eating me up inside. Jordan and Adam seemed to be getting closer and closer to her and I was being left on the sidelines.
I’d kissed her. I couldn’t have stopped myself the other morning. She’d just been there, all sleep mussed and trying so damned hard to stand up to me when I got pissed with her. She was perfection and I had given into temptation. I couldn’t even regret it. It had been not just the greatest kiss of my life, but the greatest fucking moment of my life. She felt so right in my arms, and when she kissed me, with a little unsureness and naivety, it had sealed my fate. I was a goner for her and no other woman would ever do for me now.
Addy was it for me. She saw me, the good and the dark parts and she got me. I saw that every time those beautiful wide eyes locked on mine. She was made for me. I wanted to be that for her too, but I couldn’t. My loyalty to Asher – the man who had saved my life more than once – was even greater than my growing feelings for Addy, and I couldn’t betray him. I’d made a vow to him to protect Addy and I couldn’t do that if my feelings were mixed up in it all.
“Kane? You good?” I looked up guiltily as Asher approached me.
“Yeah,” I nodded and stood from the car. “What’d the cops say?”
“They’re bringing in more EMTs for the women. Most of them need medical attention. Those fuckers we took into custody will be arrested and taken in for questioning, but I doubt they’ll talk,” Asher sighed.
He looked just as stressed out as he had when we left the penthouse the day before. Who could blame him? He was going through hell with all of the shit being uncovered about his own fucking father, plus the threat over Addy. He had a lot to handle.
“Any sign of the asshole Addy thought was in charge?”
“Bull. That’s what she said he was known by, and no. No sign of him. The FBI have been called in, but they’re not going to get anything we haven’t already found. Let’s just hope there’s something in the data Aleks downloaded from the devices.”
“At least we saved those women. How many were there?” I asked.
“Thirty-six. I just wish someone would have been able to save my sister like that.”
“I know. We all do,” I sighed.
“I want to get back to her. I’ll check we’re good to leave, then arrange for the flight back home.” I nodded, fully on board with the idea of getting back to check on Addy. She had been so distraught last time I saw her, when Jordan carried her off to her room. It had killed me to leave without a word to her, but I had made myself do it. Now I needed to get eyes on her and know she was doing better.
Asher was walking away from me, when his cell phone ringing, stopped him. He pulled it from the pocket of the tactical pants he was wearing and turned to me with a look of worry.
“It’s Eli,” he told me, and I instantly tensed up. What if something had happened? What if someone had tried to get to Addy again and I hadn’t fucking been there to protect her? I’d never survive losing her. I’d never forgive myself for failing her.
I looked to Asher who had answered the call and tensed even more at the look of panic that crossed his face.
“What? What is it?” I demanded impatiently. He dropped his cell from his ear and hit speaker, then held it between us.
“It’s been hours Ash. She won’t open the door and Adam can’t bust in because we think she’s right behind it. She won’t talk to any of us. We’ve tried,” Eli explained, sounding frantic and upset.
“What happened?” I asked, trying to keep my cool.
“Addy freaked when she found out we’d come here. She threw Adam out of her room. He let her be, thinking she just needed some space, but it’s been four hours and they can’t get her to respond or come out,” Asher explained quickly.
“I don’t know what to do, Ash,” Adam’s voice came over the line. “Jord and I have both tried taking the lock apart, but you got the high end security locks up here. I could try calling a locksmith, but a stranger could make things worse if she hears them. I’d force my way in but I can hear her breathing under the door. I think she’s right behind it, probably laid on the floor.”
“Can you get to her room from the roof terrace?” I asked.
“I’m not fucking spiderman!” Adam snapped.
“Fuck!” I roared. I could get to her room from the fucking roof if I were there! I never should have left her!
“Put the phone to the door, let me try talking to her,” Asher said, sounding way calmer than he appeared.
“Okay, Ash. I’ve turned it right up on speaker,” Eli explained a moment later.
“Addy? Can you hear me, sweetheart?” Asher began. “I’m here with Kane. We can both hear you. We’re safe. We raided the warehouse and the guards were all taken down without a fight. We saved thirty-six girls from those cages. They’re all being taken care of by EMT’s right now, then they’ll get to go back home. You did that, Addy. These girls will all be spared what you suffered because of the information you gave to me.”
“Addy? Can you hear, Asher, princess? You hear him tell you how many lives you saved today?” Jordan spoke up loudly, obviously calling through the closed door.
“Asher?” Her voice was quiet through the door, but even so I could hear the rasp to it. She sounded exhausted and I wondered what she had been putting herself through for those hours in her room, all alone with her suffocating thoughts.
“I’m here, little dot,” Asher cried, so much relief in his voice.
“I’m sorry,” she said. She sounded so fucking broken.
“What on Earth do you have to be sorry for?” he asked.
“Everything,” she said even more quietly.
“You have nothing to be sorry for, shortcake. You haven’t done anything wrong. Why don’t you open the door so Asher can hear you better, okay?” Eli encouraged.
“Addy? Can you do that? Can you open the door? We can video call then, so we can see each other. I miss you, sweetheart. I’d really like to see your face right now,” Asher added hopefully. We waited for several minutes, but there was just silence.
“Addy?” I tried when she didn’t respond. “Addy, answer me right now!” I snapped, terrified, and praying she’d respond to some command.
“Kane?” Christ! The relief at hearing her say my name almost took me off my feet. Asher handed me the cell so I could talk more directly into it.
“That’s right, Angel. Talk to me now. Tell me what’s going on.” I kept my voice on the firmer side, hoping she’d respond to it.
I had dabbled in some power dynamic stuff in the bedroom, when I was younger, with a couple of my girlfriends. While I wasn’t really into the whole thing, the idea of being in control suited my nature. Addy was submissive by nature, though she could give as good as she got when you pissed her off. I just hoped I could tap into her submissive side and talk her into opening that fucking door.
“It’s too loud, Kane…i-in my head…too much noise.” She sounded confused and dazed, which terrified me.
“What did we say you needed to do when it got too loud?” I asked firmly. I tried not to look at Asher, not wanting to see his reaction to the way I was being so tough with his fragile sister.
“I can’t,” she whimpered so quietly I could barely hear her.
“Why can’t you? Aren’t Eli, Adam, and Jordan all waiting right there? Won’t they help you make that noise stop?”
“They will, but I…I can’t do it anymore. I can’t keep h-hurting them all, and you. I can’t.”
“Addy, listen to me now,” I commanded as I tried not to let the pain in her words affect the voice I was using. The voice she seemed to need right now. “Remember when we talked about the darkness? Remember when I said that darkness would try to get a grip on you and pull you under?”
“Yes. It has me, Kane. I’m lost…I d-don’t know what to do,” she was sobbing now, her words pouring out between gasps for breath and squeaking cries.
“I know. That darkness, it has you Addy and it’s trying to control your thoughts again, isn’t it? It’s making everything dark?”
“I’m scared…but I…I don’t want to hurt anyone anymore.”
“You have to let someone help you find the way out of the darkness, Angel. You hear me? Whatever you’re thinking right now, I want you to ignore it all and take a breath. Do it now for me.”
“She’s moving, Kane. Keep going,” Eli whispered to me.
“Good girl,” I told her. “Now you’re going to reach up and unlock that door. There’s nothing to worry about. Everyone’s safe.” I had no idea what she meant about hurting the others, but I had a feeling she was freaking out over Asher being in danger because of something she perceived as her fault. It wasn’t of course, but I didn’t want to waste time talking to her about that now. I just needed the others to be able to get to her.
“I’m scared, Kane.”
“You have nothing to be scared of. No one can get to you where you are. Everyone in that apartment is safe, and so is Asher. I’m here looking out for him, aren’t I? Do you think I’d let anything happen to him?”
“N-no.”
“That’s right. Unlock the door now, Addy,” I told her. The line was silent, then I heard the slight snick of what could only be the lock releasing.
“That’s it. You’re doing so good, pretty girl. Now I just need you to move away from the door, okay? There’s only Adam, Jordan, and Eli outside. You’re all safe,” I reminded her again.
“I want you and Asher to c-come home,” she said more firmly, and, much to my relief, sounding slightly calmer too.
“We’re getting on the jet in an hour, sweetheart. We’ll both be home really soon,” Asher spoke up.
“See? There’s nothing to worry about. Take another breath for me, then slide away from the door so the guys can open it.” I added.
“Kane? It’s open. Thanks man,” Jordan came on the line, the sound changing as he took the call off of speaker.
“Don’t let her out of your sight, Jordan. Last time she came to me as upset as that, she was talking about hurting herself. You have to keep her close. You hear me?”
“Why the fuck haven’t you told us about that?” Jordan hissed.
“Hit me later. Right now you have to watch her like a hawk. Am I clear?” I snapped.
“Fine. Just get your asses back here. She needs us all right now.” Jordan ended the call before I could say anything else.
“She spoke to you about harming herself?” Asher asked as he looked to me with horror.
“Yeah.” I handed him his cell back and took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. She’s safe for now , I told myself over and over again in my head. “She came to my place in the middle of the night. It was after the thing with her heart. She was a mess and she told me she had thought about ending her life. She didn’t want to do it, but her thoughts had spiraled and she came to me because she knew I’d get it.”
“Why the fuck did you not tell me? I need to know if she’s thinking about suicide, Kane!” Ash roared angrily.
“She didn’t want to die. She was just in a really dark place. We talked and I made sure she wasn’t a risk to herself. I don’t think she’d do it, Asher. You know I’d have come to you if I had any doubts.”
“And now? You’re worried now, aren’t you?”
“It gets really fucking dark in her head after everything she’s been through, and she can’t fight the darkness away some days. She wants to be strong, but she’s not. She’s exhausted and in pieces. We just need to keep a much closer eye on her for now,” I explained as best I could. It was so hard to explain to Asher the darkness that coursed through both Addy and me. It was a feeling you couldn’t know unless you had been wrapped in it so fucking tight that you felt sure it could kill you. I knew that feeling, and so did Addy.
“Should I talk to a medical professional? There are programs we could look into. They’d have people who know how to deal with this kind of thing,” Asher suggested.
“What Addy needs is people she trusts surrounding and supporting her. Lock her in a prison filled with strangers and you’ll lose her forever, Asher.”
“Not a prison. I’d pay to get her in the best place. I’m sure there are some wonderful facilities.”
“It would be a prison to her. Don’t you see that? She needs to feel free and in control. You take the small amount of power that she has managed to gain back from her, and it will cripple her. You can’t take her freedom from her again. The cage might be gilded this time, but it would still be a cage!” I barked, fuming that he would even consider sending her away.
“I just want her to be safe, Kane,” Asher sighed as he rubbed a hand over his exhausted face.
“She will be. Let’s just get home to her, okay? And don’t mention any of that facility bullshit to Addy. She’ll feel like you’re rejecting her, just like everyone else in her life has.”
“I wouldn’t do that. I love her.”
“I know that, but does she? You need to prove to her that, no matter what, you will always be there for her. Sending her away will break her fucking heart.”
“Do you have feelings for Addy?” Asher asked me as he stood taller and looked to me with a glare.
“What does it matter? I’m her protection. I made you a promise and I will never break it.” With that I strode away from him and to the other SUV. I was done fucking talking. I wanted to get home and check on Addy. I needed her to be safe and settled, even if I could never be what she needed.