“They did!” he roars. “Why?”
“They just want to know what you’re doing.”
“I searched you. Where’s the recording device?”
My heart pounds, but I don’t flinch. “What device?”
“They wouldn’t have sent you in without one.”
I narrow my eyes. “They did.”
“Bullshit.”
“Well if you’ve searched me, you’ll clearly see I don’t have one.”
“You’re a poor liar.”
“I’m not lying.”
He stands and slams his hand down on the bedside table next to me. “Where is it?” he roars.
“I don’t have one.”
He reaches down, curling his fist into my hair and jerking my head back. I scream in agony as my body is wrenched into a painful position. “Where is it?”
“I don’t know,” I scream. “I don’t have anything.”
“You’re going to pay for this,” he snarls, leaning down close. “You’re going to suffer for this mistake.”
“I didn’t do anything,” I try again, but even I don’t believe me.
He raises a hand and clicks his fingers. “Mathew, call in eight men. This girl needs to be purified.”
Purified? What the hell does that mean?
“Let me go,” I scream, trying to get my knees up beneath me.
Someone takes my legs and jerks them down, tying them to the bed. Josh forces my face into the pillow so hard I can hardly breathe, then he jerks my dress up over my waist. No. God. No.
“No,” I scream into the pillow. “No, please.”
His hand comes down over my bottom so hard the slap radiates through the tent. I bite the pillow to stop my shriek of pain. I keep trying to fight, thrashing my body as best I can, but I have nothing, I can’t fight when I’m restrained like this. Josh’s hand goes back to my hair, and he jerks my head back again. “You’re going to wish you didn’t do this. Mathew, you can go first.”
Go first.
No.
“Please,” I beg. “Please, don’t.”
Fear unlike anything I’ve ever felt gets trapped in my throat, I can’t breathe. I can’t think. I can’t move. I’m helpless and he’s got all the control. I wish I’d never come in here. Heath was right—this was a deadly and stupid idea. What did I think I was going to achieve? Who did I think I was going to fool? Tears run down my cheeks and soak the bed, and I plead over and over for them to stop.
They don’t listen.
Someone touches my spine, running a calloused hand down until they reach my bottom. I beg and plead, my voice hoarse, but there’s no point—it’s as if they can’t hear me. The sound of a belt buckle undoing can be heard, then I feel his pants brush my legs as they are drop to the ground. Vomit rises in my throat and fear prickles my skin as I internally plead for a miracle, for something to come along and stop this moment, this awful, life-altering moment.
My prayers are answered.
Shouts can be heard in the distance and the presence of the vile man behind me disappears. My skin is left cool and exposed as frantic voices can be heard around me—Josh’s mostly. I hear the word “cops” and then “Heath,” before they all disappear out of the tent, leaving me tied and alone.
“You need a warrant!” I hear someone shout. “This is private land.”
Sirens fill the space, and my tears turn to broken sobs.
The tent flaps, and a familiar voice rasps, “Jesus Christ.”
“Tank?” I croak.
“I’m going to pull your dress down and cover you up,” he says, his voice hard and icy. “I’m sorry.”
He quickly covers me with my dress and then makes light work of untying me. The second I’m up, I throw myself into his arms. He catches me. I don’t think he wants to, but he has no choice the way I lurch towards him. His arm goes around my waist, and I shove my face into his chest.
“You came.”
“One question before we do anything else,” he says, his voice so scary I flinch. “Did they hurt you?”
“No,” I whisper. “Not like you think—you came just in time.” I lean back and look up at him.
He hisses when he takes in my face. “Who did that?”
“Josh.”
“I’ll kill him. I’ll fucking kill him.”
He scoops me into his arms and strides out of the tent.
And right into chaos.
CHAPTER 30
Moments are strange in the sense that they happen so quickly.
One second I was about to have my life forever altered, and then I was being carried out of the tent by a man I’m not even sure likes me.
Police are everywhere, throwing cuffs on any man who gets in their way. Women are huddled by two officers, and they look terrified. I feel for them, because sadly they believe that their entire worlds are being turned upside-down right now. They don’t truly understand that what’s happening is their lives are being saved, because they love this world and would honestly tell you they don’t want it to change.
Josh is nowhere to be seen. Neither is Heath, and that scares me.
“Put me down,” I say to Tank.
He obliges, placing my feet firmly on the ground.
“Go to the police; they’ll keep you safe. I need to see if there is anything I can do to help,” he orders, and then rushes off.
I duck behind a tent and fix my dress, then I crouch low and run from tent to tent, looking for Josh. Has he made an escape? Have they already taken him?
I peer back out and see Tank looking around, desperately. I can only assume Josh is still out there. I turn and glance into the thick trees when I hear the grunting sounds coming from my left. I spin around and see they’re coming from the woods beside me.
I rush in and stop dead when I see Heath and Josh in a full-on wrestle on the ground. Fists are flying, blood is everywhere, and they’re without a doubt in a death match. My heart races and my eyes dart back and forth as I try to find something to stop this—anything. Aside from a few large logs, there is nothing. Josh is on top of Heath now and as if in slow motion, I watch him reach into his shirt and pull out a knife.
“No,” I scream, rushing forward.
He raises it just as I slam into him from the side, taking the full force of his thrust into my stomach. Pain unlike anything I’ve ever felt in my life rips through my body and I topple backwards, mouth open, silent scream on my lips. Heath roars and then cops are everywhere, three of them tackling Josh to the ground. I can’t move. I can’t breathe. I can’t even feel my body anymore.
“Lucy, no,” Heath gasps, crawling to my side and lifting my head into his hands. “Baby, say something. Please say something.”
“We got him.” I gasp, and it comes out gurgled. “We got him.”
Then I let darkness take me.
~*~*~*~
“Why won’t she wake up?”
“She will when she’s ready.”
“The doctor said she should be awake by now.”
“She’ll wake up soon. Stop stressing.”
“Both of you stop stressing. Let her rest.”
The faint sounds of my mom, Dad and Heath’s voices flitter into my mind as my body slowly starts becoming aware of what’s happening around me. I hear beeps, and I can smell something that resembles a chemical of some sort. It takes another few moments before I can feel my body and I curl my fingers, making sure this isn’t a dream.
“Lucy?”
It isn’t.
I focus on my eyes, begging them to open.
They do.
“She’s awake. Get the doctor.”
“Lucy girl.”
Heath.
My eyes move in the direction of his voice and slowly he comes into sight, silver eyes locking with mine.
“Hey,” I croak.
His face looks pained, but he smiles. “Hey yourself, honey.”
“What . . . what happened?”
He narrows his eyes. “Yo
u don’t remember?”
I close my eyes a second and small snippets of memories come flooding back. They flick back open, and I look to him. “Josh . . . is he . . . is he . . .?”
“He’s locked away and facing some charges that’ll make sure he stays that way.”
“And everyone else?”
“Hopefully getting the help they need, though it can’t be forced on them. At least they’re free of his brainwashing now.”
“Hayley?” I croak.
His eyes grow sad. “She’s okay. In a bad way, but okay. She’s in here and so are a few of the other girls.”
“Can I see her?”
“I’ll find out.”
“Will she be all right?” I ask, my eyes begging with him to say she will.
“I don’t honestly know, but she’s going into the care of a wonderful older couple who have years of experience with traumatized kids. I think it will all work out.”
“And all those other kids?”
“Child services has stepped in. That’s all I know so far.”
I nod, swallowing the thick lump forming in my throat.
“What I do know is that if it wasn’t for you, none of them would be where they are now and they’d still be being subjected to that horror. You saved their lives, beautiful girl.”
Tears roll down my cheeks.
“I was so fucking scared when I saw that knife go into you. I thought . . .”
“Hey,” I whisper, reach up to cup his cheek. “I’m okay.”
He puts his hands either side of my face and presses his forehead to mine. “I love you, Lucy. I wish you knew how much. I’m so proud of you, and I’m so damned grateful you’re in my life.”
He catches a tear with his thumb and we hold each other’s gazes for a while until my mother’s sob can be heard behind him. “They’re so beautiful together.”
Heath grins and murmurs, “I think she’s waiting for her turn.”
I smile weakly up at him. “She can wait a little longer.”
Then I bring him down and press his lips against mine.
Because I’m never letting this man go.
CHAPTER 31
“Hi there,” I whisper, stepping into Hayley’s room. “Remember me?”
She looks over to me, her dark hair falling over her forehead and spilling down her cheeks. Her eyes aren’t as dark as I remember and her cheeks have some color in them. There is an older couple sitting beside her bed, and they smile at me as I enter. I’ve been in the hospital for a week, and I’m leaving today. It’s the first time I’ve been able to come and see Hayley. She wasn’t allowed visitors other than her foster family until now.
“Lucy,” she says, her voice soft. “Of course I remember you.”
“Can I come in?”
She nods, and I move into the room and stop beside her bed, looking down at her. “How are you feeling?” I ask.
She shrugs weakly. “I’m not sure.”
I smile in understanding. “It’ll take time. I’ve heard you’re going home with a lovely couple.”
She gives a little half-smile and turns, glancing at the older couple. “This is Margret and John.”
“It’s lovely to meet you,” I say to them both.
“Likewise, dear,” Margret says, her soft brown eyes locking with mine. “We heard you did a very brave thing getting these girls out.”
I shrug lightly. “I did what was right.”
“You saved their lives,” John says. “Not everybody would have taken that risk.”
I look back to Hayley. “I’d do it again.”
I reach for her hand. She flinches a little, but lets me take it.
“Thank you,” she croaks, “for helping me. Not just to get out of there, but to realize that the feelings I had inside were right and what was going on was bad.”
“You should always trust your instincts, Hayley, no matter what you’re doing in life because they’ll always lead you right.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m going to leave my number with Margret. When you’re better, you can call if you like.”
She smiles, and it makes her even more beautiful. “I’d like that.”
“Maybe we can go and get ice cream together.”
Her eyes light up. “That would be lovely.”
“I think so too.” Margret smiles as I hand her Heath’s number so she can contact me. She takes my hand and squeezes it, and I understand the gratitude she’s expressing.
“I should get going,” I say, smiling back at Hayley. “Take care of yourself.”
“I will,” she says softly.
“Talk soon, Hayley.”
I leave the room and press my back against the wall, looking up to the ceiling and smiling as I exhale the deep breath I feel as if I’ve been holding onto since this started. After a few minutes, I push off the wall and move down the corridors until I pass the reception desk.
Then I see him.
Heath. Standing there, waiting for me, looking gorgeous and perfect and everything a man should be. He smiles when he sees me, and I take in his dimple, and his silver eyes, and the way his whole face lights up, and I send a silent prayer of thanks to whoever put him in my path. Seeing him there makes me realize that some moments are good, and others are bad, but they all matter in one way or another.
Even when we don’t realize it, even when we think that things couldn’t get any worse, life will throw us a moment that suddenly helps it make sense. It pieces it all together, it puts it all back into perspective, and you start to wonder how you ever wished for a different path.
As I stare at Heath, I know he was my moment. He was placed into my life at the exact time I needed him the most. Not just to love, but to help me discover who I am, and he’s done that every second since he’s been in my life. He’s helped recreate me. He’s made me better. He’s fixed what I didn’t even know needed fixing.
My man.
My love.
My moment.
THE END
Bella Jewel, Fleeting Moments
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