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“Okay,” he says softly. “Do you remember anything else?”
Biting my lip, I think back to what I saw. “Someone was going to take me.”
“Take you?” he clarifies.
“Yes. Like I was for sale or something.”
Drew’s eyes widen. “You were being trafficked? Holy fuck. Holy actual fuck!” His eyes stare into me for a moment before his mouth drops open. “Did I save you from the house of the monster who bought you?”
“I-I think so. I can’t remember the face from when I was in that cell. It was so dark. The voice sounded weird in my head, but maybe that’s just because it was a dream. I-I don’t know.”
“We need to let John know.” Drew starts to get up, but I pull him back down.
“No! Please! No more. Not right now. It’s all too much, and everything is so spotty I don’t want to be retelling this twelvemore times. I don’t know if it was real. It could just be my imagination.” I grab onto his arm and will him not to go running to his FBI friend.
“Okay, fine.” He lets out a long sigh. “But the minute you’re sure that it’s real, Rae, we need to tell him. This, what you went through? It’s serious.”
“I am well aware of that fact, Drew. But my head is a mess. It feels like some pieces don’t fit where my mind is putting them. I don’t even know if that makes sense.”
He nods. “A little. Asher said you may remember things out of order or jumbled up. The mind is complex. So, we will wait until you are absolutely sure you remember an actual moment or telling situation, and then we will go to John. Deal?”
“Thank you,” I say softly. “Can you please…” My voice trails off. I feel bad asking.
Without hesitation or asking me to finish, he climbs into the bed next to me. “Of course. Is this okay?”
I nod. Drew wraps his arms around me and pulls me down onto his chest. His hand smooths my hair down, his heartbeat soothing me.
My mind tries to float back to the visions I’ve had. Trying to put the missing pieces together. But the calming effect of Drew is more powerful than the visions.
So instead, I embrace the feeling of safety. I embrace the calm. Because I am not naïve enough to think that any of this will last.
This is just the calm before the storm.
Chapter Seventeen
ASHER
These four are fucking idiots.I shake my head as I watch them argue about what to do with Raelyn. Well, it’s really Drew and Cam fighting it out. Cam is anti-Raelyn. He’s worried this is going to mess with Drew’s game.
And I get that.
But this is Drew. And for as long as I have known him, seen him interact with people, this is who he is. He’s a protector, a savior. He instinctively will protect people. I’ve seen him with Phoenix and her husbands. Even with those three guys around her, he still looks to protect her. It’s just ingrained in his soul.
“She’s getting in your head!” Cam slams his hand down on the counter.
“The hell she is! Dude, she was fucking trafficked. She was kidnapped and sold.” Drew leans over and narrows his eyes.
“And how is that your problem, exactly?” Cam fires back.
“It just is. Because I’mmakingit my problem. She needs help and support!”
“When did you have time to join the police academy? Jesus fucking Christ! Fucking call John and get her the help she needs. We are not that help. He can find the guy. This is a goddamnlaw enforcement matter.” Cam throws his hands up in the air in frustration.
“And I will when she’s ready for that. But right now, she isn’t. The best chance she has of her memories coming back is her being relaxed and in a safe environment. Everything up until now has been a shit show for her. She isscared, Cam.” Drew frowns.
“I have to agree with Drew,” I jump in. Cam shoots me a sour look, his eyes glaring at me. “For now, it’s better to just let her heal with us looking over her. Once she remembers enough, then we can get her the help she needs. The facts are that they will interrogate the hell out of her. She could even decide to run.”
“Jesus, all of you are just all about this chick. Not one of you is thinking straight. Fuck. Am I the only one worried about any of this? We have no idea who took her, who did this. And yet, we are just welcoming trouble. I’m the only sane voice in this room,” Cam scoffs. “What are we going to do tonight? Bring her to the stadium? We have a fucking game. We can’t be watching her.”