Chapter 8
River
It’s been five days since we rescued Jack and Sophia. Yesterday, Sophia started helping in the kitchen. She’s healing fast. She seems to have taken a liking to Miss Ella, and I’m grateful for that.
A lot of the people we rescue cling to Miss Ella. They see her as a mother figure. She plays a big part in their recovery.
Jack should be up and about soon. He’s eating on his own, and last night he slept right through, without having to wake for painkillers.
I walk to the kitchen and find Sophia busy peeling potatoes.
“If you’re not careful Miss Ella will make you peel potatoes every day. She hates to do that.”
Sophia smiles her brilliant smile. Even with all the welts and wounds, she’s still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Not a day has passed, where she hasn’t smiled. I don’t know how she does it. How does she look past what’s been done to her, and find a reason to smile?
“I don’t mind,” she says softly.
“Hush, child,” Miss Ella says. “You know my old hands can’t peel and grate anymore.”
I chuckle. It’s easy to get a rise out of Miss Ella.
“Actually,” I say, walking over to Sophia, “I wanted to steal Sophia for an hour. I think it’s time she meets everyone.”
“You can have her for an hour, but bring her back so she can finish helping me.”
I take Sophia’s hand so she’ll follow me.
“Thanks, Miss Ella.”
We slip out the back door and walk in the direction of the farmland.
“We farm our own vegetables and fruits here,” I start to explain to her. “We have some cattle and fowl, as well, but that falls under Tristan and Miss Ella.”
We approach a group of girls and they all smile when they spot us. Diane is still careful around us all. She was the last slave we saved. She’s only eighteen and her life has already been so hard. I don’t blame her for being careful. The other girls, Lizzie, Varsha, Jane, and Kgomotso have all settled in. They work the piece of land we grow our vegetables on.
“Girls,” I say when we get close. “This is Sophia. Please make her feel at home.”
Varsha is the one with a bubbly personality and also the first to step forward. She’s gentle as she hugs Sophia.
“You’re going to be so happy here.”
Varsha has been with us for seven years. She was taken as a child. We think she’s from the Middle East. Most of the people come here with only their names. They have no past and no family.
Kgomotso is an African beauty. She also hugs Sophia.
“Welcome,” she whispers. She’s not one to talk much, but when she does have something to say, she doesn’t hold back. Not that any of us understand her when she lets us have it in her native tongue.
Lizzy and Diane just smile at Sophia. For some reason Diane has taken to Lizzy. I think it’s because Lizzie is only seventeen. With them being so close in age, their similar dark hair and grey eyes, they could have been sisters in another life.
“The girls tend to the vegetables. We have potatoes, carrots, peas, pumpkin, tomatoes,” I take a breath and let out a burst of laugher. “We grow all kinds of vegetables here. You can get to know them better over dinner. Let me go introduce you to the others.”
We find the other girls picking apples. This group is really tight. The two groups are polite to each other but it’s seldom that they socialize.
Jamie is another young one. She just turned twenty, but she’s been with us four years. She’s one of the cases that broke my heart. It’s her friend, Lolla, who died. She took the blow really hard.
Savannah, Beverly and Julie are glued to each other. They were freed from the same asshole. I suppose they’re a little family. Jack and Sophia might be the same. Usually if people are freed together, they cling to each other.
April is the oldest of the women. She’s a year older than me. We got to her just in time. They were going to kill her because she was too old for the sex trade.
When everybody has had a chance to meet Sophia, we walk in the direction of the cattle.
Kevin, Joe and Theo look after the cattle. Then there’s Maddie. She stays away from the other girls. The person who took her sold her to a bitch of a woman, who took great pleasure in hurting her. She fears women so we leave her with the men. She feels safe with them, especially Christopher. He guards this side of the plantation, making sure to keep a close eye on her.
On the way back to the kitchen, I notice that Sophia is deep in thought.
“Do you have any questions?”
She drops her eyes to her feet, a puzzled look on her face. “Are they all your slaves?”
I shake my head quickly. “No, Lovely. No one here is a slave. They were all slaves at one point, but just like you and Jack, they are free. You are no longer someone’s property. Here you can make eye contact with anyone. You are no longer a slave.”
Sophia frowns and I can see something is worrying her. I take her hand and hold her back. I need to make her understand that she is free of that hellish life.
“You are not a slave, Sophia. No one will use you for sex, or beat you again. You’re safe here. You can now live your own life. You can make your own choices.”
Tears well in her eyes and she whispers, “I don’t know how to live my own life. My whole life, I’ve only been a slave. It’s all I know.”
“I understand, Lovely. With time you will adjust to this new life. There’s no rush. Take it one day at a time.”
When I start to walk again she says, “Mistress…”
I swing back, shaking my head hard. “Your first lesson is that no one is the boss of you, Sophia. I’m not a mistress. No one is. There is no such thing as a mistress or master. I’m River Sinclair.” I cup her cheek with my hand. “Say my name.”
I see her swallow and then she whispers, “River Sinclair.”
“You’re going to be just fine. If you need anything just ask myself, Adam or Miss Ella.”
She nods, looking a little calmer. A hard road lays ahead for Sophia and Jack.
Just before dinner, I run into Adam. I’ve been meaning to talk with him. “Do you have a few minutes?”
“Sure,” He says, and I follow him out on the patio where we both take a seat on the comfy chairs.
“I’ve been thinking of getting some supplies for Jack. You know, for when he’s better, so he can work in the garden.”
“I’ll send one of the men to town to get a few things.” Adam gets up, “Is that all?”
He’s always like this after we return with people. It hits him hard to see all those slaves and to leave them behind. It grates away at me too.
Another week or so, and he’ll be back to his old self.
Dinner is a weird affair at the manor. Some will have their food out on the patio, where others sit at the table with Miss Ella. As long as everyone eats, I don’t care where they eat.
I grab two plates of food, and go to Jack’s room. We’ve moved Sophia in with Diane and Lizzie. I don’t think it’s a good idea to have Sophia and Jack sharing a room. I have nothing against any of them dating, but when they’re raw like this, I try to keep them away from anything sex related.
I nudge the door open with my elbow and walk in. I’m surprised when I see Jack standing in front of the window. He’s wearing a pair of jeans and a black shirt.
I’m very careful around him.
“I brought you dinner.”
Jack turns his head slightly, giving me a view of his handsome profile. He doesn’t talk much. There are times I worry that Cameron broke this beautiful man.
“Please come eat with me, Jack.” I sit down on the chair. I fork some mashed potatoes and start to eat.
It takes a few minutes of eating in silence before Jack sits down on the other chair. His movements are stilted with pain. I wish there was more I could do for him. He starts to eat and that’s all we do until our plates are empty. I’m glad he’s eating all his food. That’s one relief, at least.
Jack wipes the corner of his mouth, and with his eyes on his plate, he says, “Thank you.”
“My name is River Sinclair. Use my name and the same goes for Adam, Miss Ella and the rest of the people living here. I meant it when I said you’re free. You’re not a slave anymore. There are others here who were slaves, just like you and Sophia, but they have made a life for themselves. I hope you’ll be able to do that too.”
Jack glances up and his eyes pin mine with a challenging look.
“So what now? No more sex?” His voice is deep and every word calculated.
This man is far from stupid. I still don’t understand how Cameron managed to hold him as a sex slave. Something just doesn’t add up.
I force a smile to my lips. “There will not be any sex against your will. You’ll never be raped again. The only sex you’ll be having from here on out is the kind you really want.”
He shakes his head and a sardonic smile pulls at his perfect mouth. “Never again.”
“It’s your choice, Jack.”
There’s a spark in his eyes, making them shine for the first time since the beating.
“Was it the truth?” he suddenly asks.
I frown, not following him. “What, Jack?”
His eyes are locked on mine with a great intensity, and it makes a nervous tension flutter in my stomach.
“Are you really celibate?”
A sad smile pulls at the corner of my mouth. “I am.”
He stares at me for a while, as if he’s trying to find the truth in my eyes.
I clear my throat and break the silence. “On a happier note, one of the men will go get you some supplies tomorrow morning. You can start with the garden as soon as you feel better, if that’s what you’d like to do.”
His features soften for the first time since we’ve met.
“You’ll let me work with plants?” I can hear the suspicion in his voice, and I don’t blame him.
“If you don’t want to you don’t have to, Jack. I just thought it was something you would love to do.”
“It is.”
I gather the dishes and get up. “Well then, it’s settled. As soon as you’re up to it you can start with the gardens. I’d like to introduce you to everyone.” His features tighten with wariness, so I quickly add, “Just so you know who else lives here, Jack. You don’t have to interact with them. You can keep to yourself if that is what you want.”
I walk to the door but stop when he asks, “Why would you allow me to stay here but not expect sex from me?”
My heart bleeds for him. He’s so used to people only wanting him for sex. It makes me cringe that he doesn’t think of himself as worth more than just being some monster’s fuck.
“The Sanctuary is a place where lost souls can find themselves. It is the one place on Earth you are safe. No one will dare to hurt you as long as you stay with us. I want you to remember that you’re free to go, but once you choose to stay here there is no option of leaving. Everything we do here, and every rule we have, is for the protection of those who live here.”
Jack’s gaze burns on mine, as if he’s dissecting every one of my words to see how much truth lies in them.
He turns his back to me and I take it as the conversation being over.
I feel hopeful after talking with him. He’s not lost to us. He’ll find his way back and it will be a beautiful sight to see the whole of him.