Elijah

I was seething inside. It took everything in me to not pound my fist into their faces. Erick was smug, able to get one up on me and touching what didn’t belong to him. I knew he would try to do something.

Morgan at least had the decency to look ashamed. I knew he wanted more than any man should from Dawn, but at least he’d tried to not keep looking at her while all of us were in my office. Erick, on the other hand, couldn’t keep his eyes off her—or his thoughts, I’m sure.

I knew something was going to happen when Erick said he needed to answer a phone call, as did Galvin, and he sent Morgan out just a few seconds later.

I didn’t want these men in my house, but there wasn’t anything I could do about it if I didn’t want any questions asked about what I was really up to. Dawn had taken the news well, surprisingly. I didn’t expect her to be so calm. At the same time, it was who she was trained to be by these men. I could tell she had shut down, closing off her emotions.

I hated seeing her having to do that, but understood why: it was her way of protecting herself. I quickly shot a text off to Kaleb, letting him go ahead with our plan while I followed Galvin to the kitchen. He wasn’t happy, either.

I didn’t want to let Dawn go, but I wasn’t sure what would happen to her if she was close when Kaleb showed up. All our planning was shot out the window, but we’d make it work to the best of our ability.

Knowing Mike had been taken into custody this morning after trying to find something in Kaleb’s office hadn’t helped my sour attitude after Galvin had called.

I sadly watched her hurry away like her tail was on fire. I knew she’d be safe, as long as she did what I told her. It was the closest place to keep her safe—for the time being.

“Sorry about these two,” Galvin said, turning back to me. “They both know better than to touch what doesn’t belong to them.”

“She belongs to me,” Erick said with a glare as he walked past me. “She’s a slut. I enjoyed taking her that first time, and I will take her again and again once I get my hands on her.”

I couldn’t stop my reaction. I turned around and punched him in the face. The sound of my fist hitting his jaw echoed around the kitchen. He also got couple punches in before Morgan pulled him back. My cheek stung like a motherfucker.

“Boys, boys, boys,” Galvin said, shaking his head. “Erick, I will deal with you when we get back to the compound. Morgan, you may go wait in the car.”

Morgan left, not saying anything, but I knew he was looking around the house. He had something up his sleeve—I just wasn’t sure what.

“Now, Erick, please apologize to Mr. Hunter, since you were threatening his property. We’ve had this talk before,” Galvin said in his high-pitched voice, sounding bored.

“Sorry, Mr. Hunter,” Erick mumbled, looking anywhere but at me. He would have a few sore bruises, as I got more hits in on him.

“Now, back to why we are here today,” Galvin said, taking a cookie off the abandoned plate. “She’s done well, cooking wise.”

“She’s a fast learner,” I said. “I was glad to see she was able to have some learning tools to help her do her job here.”

“All the girls are required to have some knowledge of reading and writing, since most are meant to cook meals. That’s why I have an age limit. Normally, I don’t take ones so young, but due to her mother's . . . . debts, I didn’t have a choice,” Galvin said sadly. “I’m glad she is doing well here.”

Dawn had taken well to the change, better than I would have expected. She wasn’t as skittish as many girls would have been after living in such an abusive situation.

“She’s just what I needed,” I said.

“Perfect,” Galvin said. I could faintly hear two cars coming up the driveway, but only because I knew they were coming. “Are you by chance interested in another? I have another auction coming up in a week.”

“Possibly. Where will it be? The same place?” I asked, taking a stand against the counter to make it seem like I was calm. It would be perfect to get men in that building and get those girls out after these men were taken to jail.

“As it always is,” Erick mumbled.

“Hush, boy,” Galvin said, giving Erick a look. I could tell Erick wanted to be anywhere but under the watchful of this man. I didn’t blame him, really. Galvin was full of power and could end his life easily without a thought.

“I didn’t do anything!” Erick said, agitated, flinging his hands up.

At that moment, Kaleb and two officers came barging into the kitchen, yelling, “hands up!” I instantly put my hands up, watching as Erick and Galvin were handcuffed behind their backs and told their rights. I made sure to keep my face in a state of shock.

“Where’s Dawn?” Kaleb asked once he got the two men into the police cars, saying he needed my statement. He already had my view of what went down, since it was mostly completely planned out.

“Upstairs, hopefully not panicking. Did you get Morgan?” I answered, walking away to go find my girl, knowing he’d follow.

“No, he must have left as soon as he went out, but at least we got those two. The others will fall in easily, and we have a team at the compound as we speak getting most of the other men,” Kaleb said.

“He’ll show back up here, and probably with Joan,” I sighed, not sure how I would deal with that. Morgan already left a threat on my voice mail about doing anything to get to Dawn. I of course, told my FBI team about it.

Getting to the closet after unlocking the door, I saw my girl hugging a pillow tightly to her chest. “Dawn?” She was rocking back and forth, her arms wrapped around a pillow, her knees pulled up as tight as they could be.

“Dawn?” I repeated, easing my way into the room, hoping not to scare her. I called her name louder, and she finally looked up at me with wide red eyes.

“Elijah?” she whispered, but seemed confused.

“Come here, sweetheart,” I coaxed. She began to slowly move, still not quite herself, as the panic was still full force.

“Will you be okay if I leave? I have to be back at the office to oversee the ones that will be brought in shortly,” Kaleb said once I had Dawn in my arms.

“That’s my girl,” I said to her, before nodding at Kaleb. “I’ll be fine. Make sure the doors are locked before you leave, please.”

“Of course, brother,” he nodded before leaving me.

“Dawn?” I asked again. She still seemed to be in a daze. What was she thinking, or remembering, in the short time that she was in that room? “Can you talk to me?”

“Elijah,” she said again as she laid her head on my shoulder.

“I’m sorry I had you go in there, but it was safer. Galvin and Erick won’t ever hurt you again,” I said, hoping my voice would bring her back from her thoughts. “Morgan ran off before Kaleb and his fellow officers got here.”

I had never seen her like this, but I knew whatever she was remembering had to be worse than her dreams that she’d woken up from many nights in a row. I just knew that she wasn’t truly with me, as her eyes were glazed over in a dazed-like panic state.

I gently picked her up and carried her to the bed, where I tried to lay her down, but she only hung on as tight as she possibly could, and her breathing picked up. Not wanting to cause her more panic, I easily slid onto the bed with her wrapped around me.

I somehow maneuvered a blanket from the end of the bed up around Dawn’s shoulders, to help with the shaking that was wracking her body. I was at a loss of what to do for her, other than hold her and comfort her. I slowly ran my fingers through her hair while I talked to her.

“You’ve done wonderfully today,” I soothed quietly. “I am so proud of you.”

I leaned back against the headboard and pillows with Dawn curled up in my lap and her head on my shoulder. Her knees were still pulled up to her chest, but at least her breathing began to even out some.

Looking down at her, I saw her eyes were closed, but her face was still saddened with worry and fear, even as she slept. My heart hurt, knowing I couldn’t do anything about it right now.