Chapter 4
CHAPTER 4
S adie’s flight instincts were raging through her body. Seeing her sister approaching the man who wanted nothing more than to control and harm her had Sadie’s heart pumping in fear. Her body shook. She should have paid more attention to her surroundings when she left the restaurant for the short walk back to the motel. Now, her sister was exposed, and the only hope they had at this very moment was the stranger looking down at her, asking for her trust. That word...that action was very hard for Sadie. She trusted no one, especially when it came to her sister, but she nodded in agreement that she would, in fact, trust this man. What choice did she have? None. It was either this stranger or Lily returning to a brutal existence with this madman. It was a no-brainer.
Another man stepped beside her as she watched the man head straight for her sister. Glancing up, she noticed the resemblance between the two men. Both stood at least six feet tall, had dark hair, and were very muscular. She felt safe for the first time in a long time, shocking Sadie. Her eyes went back to her sister, who had stopped.
“I am not going back with you, Colton,” Lily announced with a proud tilt to her head.
“The hell you say.” He yelled, his face almost purple with rage. “You and your bitch sister have caused me enough trouble and embarrassment. You will go back, Lily.”
Sadie gasped as the man who had just left her side walked straight up to Colton and punched him in the side of the head. Colton staggered, nearly hitting the ground, but managed to catch himself. He violently retaliated, punching at the man, who deftly leaned away and countered with another perfectly landed blow. The fight continued back and forth, the stranger clearly having the upper hand. He took a few hits, but Sadie suspected it was intentional, fueling his rage. She had seen many men fight before, so she wasn’t immune to the sight, but she had to admit the stranger was highly skilled. Colton didn’t stand a chance, and she loved it.
Kile landed one last blow to Colton, who lay on his back, holding his bleeding nose and slowly moving his head from side to side, moaning. With a nudge to the man’s ribs, Kile turned to look at Lily.
“You do not want to go with this man?” Kile asked Lily, his voice rough from the fight but gentle as he talked to her sister.
“No, I do not.” Lily shook her head, then grabbed Kile’s outstretched hand.
Sadie was surprised that Lily took Kile’s hand without hesitation but was also relieved. Maybe these men could help them find the place they were looking for so Lily could get the care and protection she needed and deserved.
“You’re a Shifter.” The man named Kile stated when their hands touched. His eyes then scanned her with questions she knew would have to be answered.
“I am,” Lily replied proudly, which made Sadie’s lip curve into a small smile. Her face stung at the movement, but she ignored it. “As are you.”
Sadie frowned, looking from the man leading Lily toward her to the other three that stood over Colton’s men, who still lay on the ground, groaning and trying to stand up. Shifters. All of them? Sadie didn’t know if this was a good or bad thing, though they had been looking for a place that took in Wolf Shifters. Maybe they would help them. “You’re all Shifters?”
“Human,” the shorter one said with a shrug. “I'm just here for the food and fights.”
The other two chuckled, but the one named Kile was staring at her as her sister ran into her arms. She looked away from him and down at her sister's tear-streaked face. “I’m sorry, Lily. I thought I was being careful. I didn’t see them until it was too late.” She whispered, but they all heard her. “I told you to stay inside no matter what.”
“After seeing him hit you, I couldn’t hide anymore,” Lily said, pulling away and then looking up at Kile. “Can you please help us?”
Sadie started to open her mouth but stopped at the protective look the man gave her sister. She had to get a grip on her trust issues if they were going to survive. This wouldn’t stop Colton from coming after them again. She turned to look at Colton, who was getting up, glaring their way as his other three guys stumbled toward him.
“You will pay for this.” Colton looked at all of them before he spat blood on the concrete parking lot. “This is your fault. If not for you, she would be with me now. You will fucking pay bitch.” He pointed directly at Sadie.
“Alpha said not to touch her.” One of the men said, but Sadie didn’t know what that meant.
Kile started to pursue the man, but the man called Eric stopped him. “It’s not worth it, brother.” He looked around the parking lot. “There are too many witnesses.”
“Fuck that,” Kile growled, his narrowed eyes glaring at Colton’s retreating back.
“Think of Gemma,” Eric replied, which seemed to calm Kile down. “You are connected, and she doesn’t need this kind of trouble.”
Sadie heard everything, but her eyes stayed on Colton. Once at the truck, he pointed straight at her and ran his thumb across his neck. Kile had already turned away to stare at his brother. It was a message only for her eyes. Colton and his men got into the truck and peeled out of the parking lot, leaving black smoke in their wake.
“Fucking assholes who drive Chevy’s.” Cole snorted, shaking his head, then looked toward Sadie and Lily. “So what’s the story?”
“What do you mean?” Sadie frowned as all eyes turned toward them.
“We found material similar to the jacket you’re wearing outside of our...property,” Eric informed her, watching her intently. “You been running around the woods in the area?”
“And if I was?” Sadie wasn’t sure how this would go because she was, in fact, the one sneaking around. Had she finally found the right place? Hope filled her, but she tried to keep her emotions hidden and in check. Yeah, her trust needed a lot of work.
“It was her,” Kile said as he pulled a piece of yellow cloth matching her raincoat out of his pocket. “The question is why?”
“Tell them, Sadie,” Lily said, shivering as the rain started to pick up. “I trust them.”
God, how she wished she was more like her sister. Sadie wanted to trust them more than anything, but she had to think of her sister. Lily was her responsibility. She had promised her mom and dad that she would take care of her. So far, she had done a real shitty job, and it ate at her.
“Lily, go back to the motel. I’ll be there in a minute.” Sadie tried to push her that way, but Lily refused. “Go on, you’re freezing.”
“No,” Lily shook her head. “I’m fine.”
Sadie sighed, taking off her raincoat and giving it to her sister. ‘Then at least put this on.”
Lily did as she looked up at Eric. “Do you know anything about the Sanctuary? We have been trying to find out if the place exists, and so far, we haven’t been able to find any information about it.”
Sadie glanced at Kile, who was staring at her. A half-grin tipped his lips at Lily’s question.
“Why don’t we all go up to the motel and get out of this rain so we can talk without a crowd,” Eric said, then turned toward the other man who announced he was human. “Brad, I think we need to set up another meeting.”
“No need,” the man said with a laugh. “Whatever you guys need from me, just give me a call, and you’ll get it. I haven’t had this much excitement in years.”
The men shook hands with him before he took off, giving Sadie and Lily a nod. “Trust them,” Brad said, then looked at Sadie. “They’re good men.”
Sadie only gave him a nod of thanks before he walked away. Lily was already leading the men, Eric and Cole, toward their motel room. Her eyes went to Kile, who continued to stare, his gaze leaving her body and rising to her face. “Shall we?” He motioned with his hand toward the others.
Swallowing hard, she nodded and began to walk. “Thank you for what you did,” She whispered, knowing that if it hadn’t been for this man, her sister would be back with a monster, and there was no telling where she would be. The sudden shaking of her body was uncontrollable as the reality of what could have happened set in. Not wanting her sister to see her breakdown, she stopped as the tears began to flood her eyes. She was going to lose it in front of the stranger, and she had no power to stop what was coming—a total meltdown.