Gabe

The warm sun hits my face as soon as I exit the hospital doors. I close my eyes for a moment and turn toward the light, the warmth washing over my skin.

Kayla’s doing well. She’s resting, getting her strength back while the hospital pumps her full of fluids. I’ve visited her every day since she was rescued.

Something about her is under my skin. Maybe it’s the fact that Alicia loves her so much, I can’t help caring about her, too. She’s a sweet girl who deserves a better shot at life than the ones she’s been given so far.

My mind still tries to wrap around everything that’s happened over the last week. All of it is haunting me instead of bringing me peace.

I should be in peace now that my uncle is dead and my brothers are locked up. But I can’t because three of my closest family members lost their lives.

I should be in peace this case is finally over, after months of false leads and false hope getting us nowhere. But I can’t because a couple girls lost their lives, and a few others were so malnourished. They’ll never be fully healthy, and all of them were abused badly. Different men using their bodies constantly, before being sold to the black market as sex slaves.

I jump inside my truck and head back to the townhouse. We leave in two days, and I need to pack and finish up paperwork.

I want to see Alicia before I go, but she won’t return my calls.

It’s a lot to process, and I’ve no doubt in my mind she’s traumatized.

But she won’t speak to me. Maybe she blames me for what happened to Kayla. Or maybe she’s upset I left without telling her. Or the fact she doesn’t trust me and thinks I’m acting sketchy.

Most of Alicia’s walls will never be broken, some completely impenetrable. But if I can chip away slowly, work my way in, maybe I’ll get somewhere.

I pull into the townhouse lot and see Anne waiting outside my door. Hopping out of my truck, I nod to her. “What’s up?”

Anne shrugs, but I can see it in her eyes. The red rims, the watery look. She’s been crying.

“Are you okay?” I ask, and she shakes her head, her tears now spilling over. “Let’s go inside.” I open the door, and we’re greeted by Luna, her wagging tail and happy face offering us a warm welcome.

Anne sits on the couch while I let Luna out into her area.

“Want a glass of water?” I peek my head around the wall from the kitchen, and Anne shakes her head. I grab myself one and sit down across from her in the living room.

“My boyfriend left,” Anne blurts out.

“Shit, that sucks, Anne.”

“Yeah, said he couldn’t handle my job. It’s too stressful.”

“Too stressful for him?” I eye her.

“Yea, never mind how I’m feeling, right? It’s my job, for God’s sake, of course it stresses me out. But it doesn’t help when your boyfriend stresses over you stressing. It becomes one big ball of stress until we explode on each other.” She wipes her eyes.

I can’t help but grin at the pun, Anne not catching on. “Maybe when we get back to town, you two can sit down and talk about it all.”

She shrugs. “If he can’t accept my job, he can’t accept me.”

I nod in agreement. It’s the truth.

“How’s Alicia?” Her question catches me off guard, and I’m left speechless for a moment.

I shrug, holding my palms out, face up. “Okay, I guess. I stayed by her side until she asked me to leave. All I wanted to do was keep her safe, but she refused. I haven’t heard from her since.”

“Give her some time. She’ll come around. This shit we deal with isn’t easy for people who’ve never dealt with it before. She just needs some time to work it out on her own.”

“Yeah, let’s hope so.”

Anne tilts her head to the side. “Were you guys serious?”

I look away and shrug. “To be honest, I don’t know. I don’t know what the hell we were. What I do know is I miss the hell out of her.”

“Can’t get her out of your head, missing her every second of the day?”

I nod and shift on the couch.

“That’s love, my friend. One hundred percent bonafide fuck your heart love.”

I glare at her, my nostrils flaring.

“It’s not love. It can’t be.”

Right?

* * *

Alicia

The walls in my apartment are bare, all of my photos and memorabilia neatly packed up. I glance around at all of the boxes, and dread fills me, like a lead anchor in the ocean, sinking to the bottom.

I wish I could be happier about moving, but it’s hard when it’s not the place you want to move to. Nor is your favorite person alive anymore. I’m moving to my mother’s house, staying to take care of it.

Aunt Mel keeps insisting I go, that she’ll take care of it for me, but she already has enough on her plate. I didn’t want to burden her even though she threw the offer out there.

Now that the salon is gone, I was thinking of starting my own place, but I’m not sure it’s the right fit for me. I could go back to my makeup and hair with clients.

I just don’t know.

My brain is running on overdrive, trying to make sense of everything.

I can’t believe the boss I worked for was such a disgusting waste of human. The things he did…all under my nose. How could I have been so stupid? My gut told me something was off, and I ignored it, hoping it wasn’t true.

And Kayla, my poor Kayla.

Abused and tortured.

I lost it. I lost it when I saw her locked up, unconscious and drugged.

Gabe had to pull me away kicking and screaming. Gabe. My heart lurches.

I close my eyes in pain at the memory. Staring down at my hands, my chin quivers.

Kayla’s doing well now. I visit her at the hospital, and I’ve spoken to Mia about fostering Kayla while a family is located for adoption. Another reason to stay here.

She deserves a chance, a good fighting chance, and I want to help however I can.

I rub the back of my neck and stand, moving to the kitchen. I grab a bottle of water, the only item left in the fridge. The kitchen looks sad and empty, lonely.

Leaning against the counter, I gulp the cold water, my fingers tapping on the counter.

My eyes are heavy. They burn and feel puffy. I can only imagine what I must look like. Running my hands through my hand, I discover my curls are a tangled mess, and I can’t remember the last time I showered.

What’s the point?

Mom’s gone.

Gabe’s gone or will be soon. And after what happened, it’s like I don’t know him.

Gabe. Butterflies fill my stomach, and I’m overcome with dizziness.

What is Gabe to me? A boyfriend? A friend with benefits? We never were anything. And he wanted me to trust him. He pleaded with me to trust him, and I let my guard down and did trust him.

The truth came out. His job, his partner. They weren’t lies.

But leaving without a word, not answering calls, and refusing to explain yourself—how can I forgive that?

While he was gone, my mother died. I didn’t get to say a proper goodbye to her. I never had the chance I wanted, never got to say the words I held inside for her.

I needed Gabe that day. I needed him so bad.

A shoulder to lean on during the services. The support only he can give me.

But he wasn’t there. He was gone, and I just have to accept it and be okay with it.

But, I can’t.

Dealing with this grief on my own has taught me a lot. Maybe it’s good he wasn’t here. I wouldn’t have healed the same way. On my own, strong for myself.

What am I saying? I don’t even know anymore.

A sob escapes my lips, my throat burning in agony.

Chocolate. I need chocolate.

Like any crutch, I crave something to mask the pain. Soothe it. Dull it.

Make it fucking hurt less.

Tears slip down my cheeks as I frantically search for the bag of chocolates in my purse on the counter. I start tossing shit behind my shoulders. I need it, anything to stop this pain.

My fingers slip through the insides of my purse, everything but the chocolates coming across my fingertips. “I need this fucking chocolate,” I mutter to myself as I still search.

It’s gone. I can’t find it. I pick up my purse and throw it across the room, the contents scattering.

I sink to my ass on the kitchen floor and cry until there’re no tears left.

* * *

Rushing around the house, I gather empty boxes and throw them down the basement stairs. I moved in three days ago, and I’m still unpacking the boxes. The house was in need of a good cleaning, and I’ve been busy setting it up.

Packing Mom’s things is another story. I’m not sure when I’ll be ready to pack them up. I may keep some around in memory of her. I like having her surround me in some way. It’s comforting.

My breath hitches when the pain strikes through me, as fresh as the day it happened.

Will it ever dull or go away?

I miss her.

The doorbell rings.

Yes, finally.

I swallow back my tears and fan my face with my hands.

Deep breaths. In and out.

Don’t cry.

I reach the door and my emotions overwhelm me. My eyes fill with tears.

I can’t wait to see her.

Taking a deep breath, I open the door and there she stands, a small smile peeking through.

“Kayla!” I yell and pull her into a hug.

Her body tenses but only for a moment, then she’s hugging me back, relaxing into mine.

I squeeze her tight while smiling at Mia, her own tears slipping down her cheeks.

Pulling back, I cup Kayla’s face with both my hands and stare down into her gorgeous face. “You’re a beautiful, strong woman. You’ll go on to do great things. I’m sure of it. Remember I’m always here for you, no matter what.”

My vision blurs, the tears sliding down my face and dripping off my chin.

I knew it from the start, this girl is special. She’s going places.

I’ll make sure she gets there.