Page 82 of Jenna's Protector
“I waited. I waited for him to become complacent.” A flicker of her old defiance sparks in her eyes. “And when an opportunity finally came, I ran. I’ve been running ever since, never staying in one place too long, always looking over my shoulder.”
She looks up at me, then, her gaze boring into mine, a desperate intensity burning in their depths.
“Tonight… I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw you through the window. I thought I was hallucinating, but I stood out there all day, watching you.”
It wasn’t my imagination. Ifelther gaze on me.
Not Lucian.
Not the man who bought me.
But Sophia.
Scared and all alone, how long did it take her to work up the courage to come to me?
My heart clenches, tears prickling at the back of my eyes. I squeeze her hand, trying to convey everything I can’t put into words. The solidarity, the shared pain, the fierce, unshakeable bond born of surviving the un-survivable binds us together.
“I have friends, people who can help. You’re safe here. I promise.” My voice is rough with emotion.
She a tentative smile ghosts across her lips, but it’s fleeting, chased away by the shadows that haunt her eyes.
I know that look, the constant vigilance, the fear that the next moment will bring the nightmare crashing back down around you.
I glance at the clock, realizing how late it’s gotten. Carter should be here by now, should have arrived to walk me home as he does every night.
A flutter of unease stirs in my gut, but I push it aside. He’s probably just caught up with the case and lost track of time.
He’ll be here soon.
“Why don’t you come home with me tonight? My place is just a few blocks away. We can get you cleaned up and get some food in you. Carter will be here soon.”
“Carter?” Sophia’s eyes widen at the mention of his name.
“It’s okay,” I reassure her. “Carter’s a detective. He can help.”
Sophia shakes her head, her gaze darting to the windows, to the darkened street beyond. “No police. I can’t… I can’t trust them. Not after everything.”
I reach out, laying a hand on her arm. “Sophia, listen to me.Carter’s different. He knows what happened to me, to us. He’s trying to bring down the people who did this.”
She meets my gaze, her eyes frightened and uncertain. “I want to believe you, but I’m scared. I’ve been running for so long, I don’t know how to stop.” She gestures to the windows. “I don’t feel safe with all the glass. Anyone can see us.”
An idea strikes me: a way to ease her fears. “We’ll leave now. My apartment is close, and the streets are quiet. We can be there in minutes, and then we’ll be safe. Carter can meet us there.”
Sophia hesitates, biting her lip. Her eyes dart around, filled with a tumultuous mix of desperation and fear, the desire for safety warring with the ingrained fear of trusting anyone.
“We’ll be there before you know it. No one will know you’re there.”
Something in my words must reach her because she nods after a long moment, a single, jerky motion.
“Okay,” she whispers. “But let’s go now. Before I lose my nerve.”
Relief floods me, mingled with a sudden, urgent need to get her out of here and somewhere safe. I turn back to the café, my hands shaking slightly as I finish locking up.
The night air is cool against my skin, and the silence is broken only by the distant hum of traffic and Max’s soft breathing beside me. Sophia hovers close, her eyes wide and watchful in the dim light.
“This way.” I set off down the alley. “It’s not far.”
We walk quickly, our footsteps echoing off the brick walls. Every shadow seems to hold a threat, and every corner hides a hidden danger. I glance over my shoulder repeatedly, my heart pounding in my chest.