Chapter Twelve
Crash moaned but before he even opened his eyes, he felt something heaving on his chest. The first thought was that being rescued had been a dream and he was back in that cage. His heart raced and he struggled to get the person away from him.
“Crash!” Barbie’s voice cut through his haze. “Crash, it’s me. It’s Barbie.”
He blinked up at her and when the daze cleared, all he could do was lurch upward and pull her into his chest. Crash buried his face into her neck, inhaling her scent and trembling with relief.
“I’m right here.” Barbie whispered. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Crash said nothing. He hung onto her until she eased him back against the pillow. In that moment he looked around to see the room was packed. Aside from Barbie sitting beside him, Beast held Anya in his arms, her tiny arms tangled about his neck. Eden stood at the head of the bed with Miracle and Benny. At the foot of the bed stood Pitbull, Mouth and Zero.
He exhaled and smiled. “Hey guys.”
They grinned at him but Anya clamored from Beast’s arms until he placed her to sit astride Caleb’s legs.
“Crash?” She asked. “Are you okay?”
He nodded. “I’m okay.”
She fell into his chest making him grunt. Anya spoke in rapid Dutch, a language he didn’t understand. She spoke English but it was as if in that moment she couldn’t remember how. He looked around for some help and Barbie stepped in.
“She’s thanking you for saving her and her sister.” Barbie swallowed. “She says that she was scared you wouldn’t come back.”
“Tell her I did promise I would.” Crash hugged her and caressed her small back.
Barbie spoke to Anya who sat up and looked down into Crash’s eyes and spoke again.
“What’d she say?”
“She tends to ramble in Dutch when she’s really upset,” Eden said.
Tears trickled down Barbie’s cheeks. “She—she wants to know if you’re going to keep her and Eden.”
Crash gritted his teeth and pushed to sit up. He cradled her face silently, trying to fight the burning in his eyes. “If I can,” he replied. “It would be my honour.”
Barbie translated and Anya grinned brightly. When he looked over at Eden she too was smiling.
“Girls, can you go with Uncle Benny?” Crash asked. “I wanna talk to the guys for a bit.”
The girls were reluctant to leave him. Crash promised he would be right there when they returned—that he wasn’t going anywhere. After kisses to their heads, they finally agreed to go with Benny.
It didn’t escape Crash the wide grin that spanned his friend’s face when Crash had called him Uncle Benny. He made a mental note to tease Benny about that later—mercilessly.
“I’ll see about getting you something to eat,” Miracle said.
Crash nodded to her and she left after dropping a kiss to Beast’s lips.
When he was alone with CIRO, he shifted with a pillow behind his back and turned serious eyes to Beast. “Okay, what did you find out?” he asked.
Beast stepped forward and folded his arms across his massive chest. “It’s not good.” He warned. “We went into this thinking their parents were victims. Turns out—well, they weren’t. Their father gave Anya to these perverts so he could get re-elected.”
“What?” Crash growled. “Wait. I was hoping Eden had been wrong—that she was mistaken. He did that on purpose…handed over his little girls…what kind of man…”
“Crash—breathe,” Zero said.
“No! This is bullshit!” Crash snapped. “This is complete bullshit.”
“It gets worse.” Pitbull picked up the story. “Basically, what was happening, it seemed they had a deal with these guys. The mother gets pregnant and when the kid reaches Anya’s age, they hand her over. Only with Anya, the mother got attached and wouldn’t so…”
“She had to die,” Crash said on an exhaled breath.
The others nodded.
“Beast, what did the medical on Eden say?”
Beast hesitated but then cleared his throat. “She’s been raped. She had scarring from repeated…”
Crash pressed his eyes closed. “Did you guys find anything in the house?”
“No,” Pitbull replied. “It seems Eden was the only one they were holding at that property.”
“Bullshit.” Crash muttered. “What about Yuvgeny?”
“I put a bullet between his eyes,” Barbie said, bitterly. “It’s the least I could do.”
“You mean the guy who had me cornered?”
“Yeah.” Barbie shifted. “What was he saying to you anyway?”
Crash chewed on his lips, eyes locked with hers trying to see if he really should tell her or swallow that. “He said I would fetch a good price.”
“Wait—he wanted to sell you too?” Zero asked.
“Apparently. He thought I was pretty.” Crash felt sick. “And Yuvgeny likes pretty things.”
“For fuck’s sakes.” Beast grumbled. “Well, that part is over and we’ve managed to give KORPS a lot to work from. With Yuvgeny gone, they have some time to root out more of his organization.”
“But we all know what’s going to happen.” Crash rubbed the back of his neck. “Someone else is just going to take his place.”
“Sadly, yes.” Barbie agreed. “But for now, we’ve managed to strike a huge blow. I think we should just focus on getting Eden and Anya settled and you healed.”
“Beast…” Crash turned to his friend.
“Tex and I will call in some favours,” Beast said. “But you might have to stay in Germany for a while.”
“Fine. I need to make sure these girls are safe and I think the best person for that, is me.” Crash tilted his head. “I’m so damn tired.”
“It’s the side-effects from the painkillers.” Pitbull said. “We should leave you to it. But the doctor says you should be going home by soon.”
“I need to find a hotel—”
“Stop talking foolishness.” Barbie sounded irritated. “I have plenty of space—for you and the girls.”
Crash turned to look at her but said nothing. One by one the others hugged him and muttered words of encouragement before leaving. Benny and Miracle returned so the girls could hug him and soon he was alone with Barbie.
“You should get some sleep,” Crash said.
“I’m staying right here.”
“Barbie, darling, I’m not going anywhere.” Crash extended a hand to her. When she took it, Crash pulled her toward his bed. “Like I told the girls, I’ll be here when you come back.”
“I feel like if I take my eyes off you, I’ll come back and you’ll be gone.”
“Sabine—I promise you, I will never leave unless I tell you.”
She sighed and leaned over to kiss him. Crash exhaled with the kiss then sighed. “I want to give myself to you,” Barbie whispered. “But…”
“But?”
“You were hurt.” She smoothed his hair back and met his eyes. “I think you should talk to one of our shrinks before—we, you know?”
“Barbie, I’m fine. Sure, I’ll be having nightmares for a while but as long as I have you…”
“For me—I mean, some guy wanted to sell you into sexual slavery. That’s not something that happens to you on a regular basis, right?”
He smiled. “Right.”
“Then do this for me. It’ll make me feel much better.”
Crash exhaled in surrender then nodded. He turned his face to kiss her hand. “For you.”
When she smiled at him, Crash nodded and pouted at her while pointing to his lips. “Now, give me some sugar then go home and get some rest. The doctor is still waiting for a couple more x-rays.”
“Okay.”
After another couple of kisses, Barbie headed for the door.
“Barbie?”
“Hmm?” She turned to look at him over a shoulder.
“I’d enjoy you giving yourself to me.” He admitted. “When I get out of here—we’re going to revisit this.”
She smirked at him. “You promise?”
“Oh hell yes.”
Barbie left the hospital room, her head filled with a million and one thoughts. She had to take a taxi so she stopped in the hospital’s gift ship and picked up a set of scrubs. After changing in a nearby bathroom, she folded her uniform and shoved it into the shopping bag. The last thing she wanted to do was get into the backseat of a cab with Elite Force stamped across her forehead.
At home, she quickly dusted the apartment. There were two bedrooms, one for her master and the other was used regularly if one of the guys decided to crash there. Mostly, she just used the walk in closet because hers was jammed full. Then again, if Crash decided to stay, she was hoping he wouldn’t need her guestroom.
Honestly, Barbie had been lonely in her King size bed.
Instead of sleeping, Barbie busied herself making some food. Crash’s first night out of the hospital was going to be great—she was determined. Though she knew they had to have a hard conversation soon, she was focused on making sure he healed up before anything else happened.
“Barbie?” Tex’s voice echoed through her bedroom. “I know you’re there. Zero told me you went home.”
Barbie frowned and walked over to where her laptop sat, on her bed, facing the wall. She turned it to see Tex’s face on the screen. “You’re an ass.”
“But a lovely ass, don’t you think?”
She glared at him.
“I’m checkin’ in on you,” Tex said. “How are you?”
“I’m fine. Tired but I’m okay.”
“If you need anythin’—we’re here.”
“I know, Tex. Can I talk to you later?”
“Sure, but you know Crash wants to adopt the little girls, right?”
Barbie nodded. “I know.”
“What are your thoughts?”
She smiled. “I want him, Tex. I’m in love with him and I’m not going to lose him again. And besides, I never thought I’d be a mother.”
“You like this idea.” Tex smirked. “I can see it in your eyes.”
“You know something, John Keegan?”
“Wha-zat?”
“No one likes a know-it-all.”
He laughed, a boisterous sound that warmed Barbie’s soul. “Well, damn. You should have told me that years ago. Too late to back out now, Sabine Henson.”
She crinkled her nose at him but chuckled.
“We’ll talk later.” Tex winked at her.
Barbie promised she would keep in touch and soon Tex’s face was replaced by the GSG 9 CIRO logo.
It was in the early hours of the morning when she finally showered, picked out her clothes for the next day and then collapsed in bed. She thought her brain would be too busy for sleep but the moment her head hit the pillow, she was out.
Barbie was pretty sure she had dreams. But, when she woke the next morning she couldn’t remember them. That meant she’d been practically dead to the world. Rested, she took a shower, dressed then made some breakfast. With the food packed in a carry away container, she grabbed her car keys and hurried down to where her car was parked beside her motorcycle. Soon, she was speeding from the underground lot and back toward the hospital.
Time passed.
—slowly.
The whole team returned for a visit with Anya and Eden. This time, Crash was up and moving about with the girls. They even ventured into the courtyard at the back of the hospital so Crash could get some sunlight. It was hard for Barbie to let him go but she remained at the window, staring down at them. He would glance up at her and she’d either wave or smile. It was almost as if he could feel her there and that drew her even closer to the man Caleb Pope truly was.
“You’re staring,” Beast said from behind her.
“I can’t help it. I’m afraid he’ll disappear.”
“You know, you can’t protect him from everything.” Beast’s voice was soft yet hard from behind her. “I’ve had to learn that.”
“It sucks.” Barbie frowned. “He’s always been open with me, from day one. Crash has never hidden anything from me, not a single thing, not even a part of himself. And today when he was getting dressed it was like he was ashamed of his body.”
“The burns?”
She nodded.
“Barbie—you care for this guy, right?” Beast asked. “This isn’t just a fling, right?”
“How can you ask me that?” She whirled to glare at her commanding officer and friend.
“It’s an honest question.” Beast moved his large frame to stand beside her and looked out to where Eden and Anya were busy chasing Crash around a tree and a large statue. “He’s broken now. And he’s going to need to heal. If I know Crash at all, he won’t show it in front of them—hell, he probably won’t want to talk about it. You’re going to have to learn his weaknesses and help him see the strength in them.”
“And how am I supposed to do that?”
“Love.”
Barbie laughed. “No—wait—you’re serious?”
“As a heart attack. Listen, when Fleur came through that whole ordeal with Loft, she couldn’t take a shower by herself. Every time she wanted one, I’d have to strip down and go into the tub with her. She was scared all the time. Sure, she saw the doc. But that only helped so much. She would wake up at nights, terrified, digging her nails into my chest.”
“What about now?”
“She still has those moments.” Beast shifted to look at her. “I don’t suppose they’ll ever go away. But when she’s having one of those days, she climbs into my bed. And I wrap my arms around her and give her whatever she needs—silence, my body—anything. When I’m having a bad day, I depend on her love too.”
“But guys always think showing weakness makes them—well, weak.”
Beast laughed. “No. Little boys think that. That man has loved you from the moment he laid eyes on you two years ago. He’s going to need your strength in the next little while. You have to decide now if you can do it.”
“Of course.”
“It won’t be easy. And you’re going to want to protect him from everything. But you won’t be able to. Like Miracle said, the monsters will come. Some we won’t be able to stop.”
“Watch me.”
Beast laughed. “That was my answer to Miracle too. Now, I’ll take the girls back home and you can have tonight with Crash. Sort it all out with him. Once you’re finished, I’ll drop the girls off so Miracle can practice giving her dissertation.”
“Oh damn. With everything, I forgot that was coming up!” Barbie sighed. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. We don’t mind.”
Barbie nodded. She accepted a hug from Beast and followed him out the door and into the back courtyard. The girls fussed over leaving but in the end lost the battle. Crash didn’t want them to go either—Barbie could tell. Once they were alone, they went back in, received his walking papers and she drove him back to her place.
“Thank you for doing this,” Crash said. “I know we have to talk.”
“After you’ve rested.” Barbie followed him into the apartment and flipping on the lights.
She busied herself making snacks while Crash watched her then the two of them sat around the table.
“Barbie, I love you.” Crash admitted after a silent forever. “I have loved you since the moment I saw you at GSG 9’s headquarters. It didn’t stop because my heart was broken. It didn’t stop because I was away from you. But—”
“But? Why is there a but?”
Crash tilted his head. “But—my situation has changed. Tex and Beast has managed to pull some favours for me to adopt the girls. We had a talk while you went home from the hospital. The only thing is I have to stay here for the first year after the adoption. That means I will have to get a place and fall into daddy-hood right now. This is a lot more complicated than when I was a single man wandering the planet.”
“It’s not hard at all. I love you, Caleb Pope.”
“And the girls?”
“I’ve always wanted to be a mother.” Barbie smiled. “This is not going to happen overnight. I’m not going to lie. But I’m willing to put in the work if you are.”
Crash nodded. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yeah.” Crash whispered.
“Does this mean you’re finished having children?” Barbie asked. “I know it’s a weird time to bring it up but I don’t want to go into this and a few years down the road, I’m ready, my clock is gonging and you tell me then you don’t want any more kids.”
“Me? Not want a child or six, with you?”
“Six? Damn.”
Crash laughed. “The answer to your question is, no. I’m not finished having kids. I’d like to have more kids—especially if it’s with you. But first, let’s get through this whole adoption thing.”
“Agreed.”
Crash eased his plate to the side and leaned in. “I’d like to give myself to you, Sabine Henson.”
Barbie trembled. “Yeah?”
“Yes. What do you think?”
“I accept.”