Chapter Twelve
Dre
H aving to tell the guys everything that I’ve been through and everything I’ve heard isn’t an easy thing.
Reliving it all is hard, even with the knowledge I’m now free and safe.
The only thing that helps me to get through it all is Rex.
His steady presence next to me and his comforting touch on my leg all ground me here in the present.
It stops me from falling back into the memories.
From actually feeling like I’m back in those moments.
Instead, it’s more like I’m telling a story, and I can get behind that.
I don’t want to feel like I’m back there. Alone and pretty much helpless.
The more details I reveal, the more tension I can feel entering Rex’s body.
That connection with his hand on me gives it away.
His grip tightens slightly every time he hears a new detail about how Beau would try to beat me daily to get me to work for them.
To use my skills with numbers to increase their wealth.
To help them with their records so they could ensure they were making the most money possible.
It’s always been about money with them. I don’t think they ever got the memo that money can’t buy happiness.
“I don’t suppose you remember any of their account information?” Phantom asks, interrupting me as I’m explaining about their original reason for taking me from my life.
“I know them all. The ones from when I was younger and the ones they tried to get me to work on here. Numbers have always been my thing, and memorizing them has always been second nature.”
“Take this.” He says, passing over a notepad and pen. “Write down all the ones you can remember. They’ll come in handy when we start dismantling their network.”
“That’s fine with me. Am I okay to carry on while I do it? There’s a lot more for me to tell you.”
“Go ahead, Dre. We’re all listening.” Rex answers before Anarchy or Phantom can.
So, I do just that. As I write down every account number my parents have ever asked me to work on, I start going into all the shit I’ve learned from them when they gave those stupid, idiotic villain speeches.
From the fact that they have a drug-running business to their exploitation of those less fortunate and, obviously, everything I know about my little darling and their clear involvement in trafficking.
“That’s enough for now, Dre. You’ve given us so much information, and it’s all really helpful.
I can tell this is taking a toll on you.
” Rex says, stopping me when he sees I’m getting overwhelmed by my emotions now that I’m talking about my little darling.
I can’t help it, though. Just thinking about what could have been is soul-destroying.
“Thank you. What’s next then?” I ask.
“We make a plan for when Patrick arrives. You go and grab some of the sandwiches I made earlier out of the fridge and eat. You’ve got to be hungry.
Then when you go upstairs to crash or whatever, we’ll be getting some answers from those two.
Don’t worry, we’ll make sure to find out exactly where your charge came from.
They won’t be keeping that to themselves for much longer.
” Phantom’s last words are spoken while staring directly at Beau and Annmarie, and there is no missing the threat of violence in his voice.
Actually, it might best be described as the promise of violence.
I already know these men are going to do whatever they need to.
Phantom’s words set us all into motion. It doesn’t take long for me to grab some food, and I’m thankful for his suggestion.
I inhale sandwich after sandwich. Finally realizing how hungry I really am as I begin to eat.
While I munch away, the guys get down to business.
I can’t help but watch and listen in awe as they work on their plan.
Fuck, these three men are in sync on a crazy fucking level.
You can tell they’ve worked closely with each other in the past. The way they bounce ideas off each other with ease and finish off one another’s ideas.
I’ve never seen anything like it. From what I can gather by listening to them talk, they haven’t worked together in a long time though, so the way they interact is even more impressive.
I’m one hundred percent confident in their abilities to handle getting the additional information they require from Beau and Annmarie but also in their abilities to end the threat this Patrick poses to my little darling.
I can tell they’ve got everything hashed out and are just waiting for me to head upstairs so they can begin spending some quality time with Beau and Annmarie.
How do I know? They keep repeating the same things to each other, and I very much doubt any of these men need to be told anything more than once to remember it.
I know they’re being polite and considerate of the fact I’m still here, and I appreciate that more than they could know.
I have no issues with anything they plan to do to Beau and Annmarie.
They both deserve whatever they have coming to them.
I just don’t feel all that comfortable watching it.
I am not the biggest fan of blood, okay.
I can deal with it if I have to, but only in small amounts.
Anything more than a minor cut and my stomach will revolt, and I become lightheaded.
I know for a fact that whatever they end up having to do to get Beau and Annmarie to talk is going to be a lot more gruesome, messy, and bloody than I can handle.
There is no way that Beau or Annmarie are going to willingly tell them anything they want to know.
They aren’t that type of people. They’re going to try and make this as difficult as possible.
The thing I don’t think they realize, or maybe they’re just too stubborn to accept, is that these men will do whatever is necessary to make them talk.
No matter the lengths they might need to go.
“I’m going to head upstairs. Little darling will be awake soon and hungry. Let me just make her up a bottle, and then I’ll be out of your way. You can start getting some answers from those two. I won’t be coming back down. I’ll probably feed her and crash when she goes back off.”
“Okay, Dre. I’ll come up and check on you both in a little while. Shout if you need anything. I’d prefer you not come down here and see what we have to do.” Rex says.
“I’d rather not see it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m fine with whatever you have to do to get them to talk, but I’m not that great with blood and gore. You don’t need me coming down here and fainting or some shit.” I say, laughing lightly.
My words earn me a chuckle from all three men.
Before I can get to my feet and move to make my little darling’s bottle, Rex is up and in the kitchen making it himself.
I watch him in shock, not sure what the hell to do or to make of his actions.
I’m so used to caring for her myself; having him help out without me even asking is mind-boggling.
He looks absolutely breathtaking the way he moves around, helping care for my little darling.
I knew I was attracted to him before; he’s a fucking stunning man, but now he’s even more appealing.
It isn’t just his looks and the way he makes me feel safe that’s drawing me towards him.
It’s his natural caring nature, his protectiveness—it’s him as a whole.
I’m fucked. Only I would find the man of my dreams in such a ludicrous and crazy way.
Oh, and I still do not know if he is attracted to men. I really fucking hope he is.
I need time to think. To figure out what the hell I’m going to do about the growing feelings I have towards him.
I don’t think I’m going to be able to just walk away from him when all this is said and done.
At least not without having said my piece first. That’s something I know I’ll regret for the rest of my life.
Sometimes we just know when we have to take a chance, make that leap of faith, and hope everything turns out for the best. We may have met under the worst sort of circumstances, but in the grand scheme of things that means nothing.
I know what I’m feeling has nothing to do with the fact he’s the one who rescued me and everything to do with who he is as a person.