31. Flora

31

FLORA

W alking steadily toward our trailer, my heart hammers against my ribs with each step. The gravel crunches beneath my feet, echoing in the quiet night air. Every shadow makes me flinch, but I keep moving forward.

The texts from Tommy and Jake flash through my mind. Their threats. Their plans. I know they’re waiting, thinking they’ll catch me alone.

My hands tremble as I clutch my bag closer to my body, the familiar weight of it offers no comfort.

The carnival’s usual vibrant atmosphere feels muted now, most workers having retired for the night. Only a few distant lights illuminate my path. The space between trailers creates dark pockets perfect for an ambush, but I continue forward. Each step brings me closer to where they plan to grab me.

A twig snaps somewhere behind me. I jump but don’t run. Instead, I lift my chin higher and keep walking, remembering Nash and Colt’s words about being strong and trusting them.

The wind rustles through the trees, carrying the faint scent of cotton candy and popcorn from the shuttered concession stands. Our trailer comes into view; its familiar outline is a beacon of safety and the designated spot for their attack. My pulse quickens as I approach the location they mentioned in their messages.

Movement flickers at the edge of my vision. Footsteps crunch behind me, getting closer. I feel their presence before I see them, the same suffocating dread I lived with for years creeping up my spine. But this time is different. This time, I’m not their helpless victim.

Putting one foot before the other, I fight every instinct to run. The footsteps grow louder, more deliberate. They’re close now—so close I can hear their breathing.

A hand clamps over my mouth, muffling my scream as strong arms wrap around my body from behind. Panic surges through me, freezing me in place. The scent of sweat and cheap cologne assaults my senses, and I know instantly who has grabbed me.

Jake. My foster brother. My abuser.

Jake drags me backward, his grip bruising. I thrash against him, trying to break free, but he’s too strong. Fear chokes me even though I know Colt and Nash are waiting nearby.

“Thought you could get away from us, you little slut?” Tommy hisses. “You belong to us. Always have, always will.”

Tears sting my eyes, but I blink them back. I won’t let them see me cry. Not again. My heart pounds as they haul me further into the shadows.

Jake laughs, cruel and cold. “We’re going to remind you of your place, Flora. Remind you what happens when you try to escape us.”

Their words make me want to vomit. Memories of pain and humiliation flood my mind. Years of abuse, of being treated as their personal sex slave with no say in what happened. I want to scream, to fight, but terror has me frozen in its grip.

Suddenly, they stop. I hear the approaching footsteps. Jake’s hand tightens over my mouth, cutting off my air. Tommy grabs me around the waist.

“Well, well, well,” a familiar voice drawls. “What do we have here?”

Colt’s voice cuts through the darkness. Relief floods me, even as Tommy and Jake’s grips tighten painfully. Even though I knew he was there, hearing his voice immediately eases my terror.

“Let her go,” Nash commands, stepping out of the shadows beside Colt. They both have tranquilizer guns trained on my captors.

Tommy snarls, yanking me back like a human shield. “Back off! She’s ours.”

Colt’s eyes narrow. “Wrong answer.”

Two darts fly through the air, finding their marks with deadly accuracy. Tommy and Jake jerk as the tranquilizers hit, their hold on me loosening. I break free, rushing forward into Nash’s waiting arms.

He catches me, holding me close as Tommy and Jake crumple to the ground behind me. “I’ve got you, little bird. You’re safe now.”

I cling to him, my body shaking from the adrenaline. Colt moves to stand guard over my unconscious abusers, his expression deadly.

“It’s okay, Flora,” Nash murmurs, stroking my hair. “They’ll never hurt you again. We promise once we deal with them, this will all be over. Forever.”

I bury my face against his chest, letting his strength and warmth anchor me. The night’s chill seeps into my bones, but Nash’s embrace keeps it at bay.

Colt zip-ties Tommy and Jake’s wrists and ankles before turning to us. “Let’s get out of here so we don’t end up with any witnesses. We have some trash to dispose of.”

Nash nods, guiding me away from the scene. I lean on him heavily, my legs unsteady as the adrenaline crash sets in. He supports my weight without complaint, half-carrying me toward the truck.

As he helps me into the passenger seat, I catch a glimpse of Colt hoisting Tommy’s limp body over his shoulder. A tiny part of me feels like I should be horrified, but all I can muster is grim satisfaction. They deserve what is coming to them, and I can’t wait to be part of it.

Nash slides into the driver’s seat beside me, reaching over to gently buckle my seatbelt. “Are you sure you want to be a part of this, little bird?”

I stare straight ahead as Nash’s question hangs in the air. My fingers clench into fists on my thighs, knuckles white with determination. The memories of years of abuse flood my mind—every violation, any sense of security ripped from me—leaving me helpless against them, fodder for their disgusting debauchery.

“Yes,” I say. “I need to be there.”

Nash’s hand covers mine. “It won’t be pretty.”

“Nothing about what they did to me was pretty either; they don’t deserve pretty.” The words come out sharp and bitter. “They took everything from me. My innocence, my trust, my sense of safety. For two years, I lived in terror of their footsteps outside my door at night.”

I turn to face Nash, meeting his dark gaze. “I need to see the fear in their eyes. I need them to know what it feels like to be powerless. To understand that they chose the wrong girl to break.”

“They’ll suffer,” Nash promises, his thumb stroking over my knuckles. “Colt and I will make sure of that.”

“Good.” I lean back against the seat, a strange calm settling over me. “I don’t just want to watch—I need to participate. They need to see me strong, not as their victim anymore.”

Nash studies my face for a long moment. “You understand what that means? There’s no going back from this.”

“Going back became impossible the moment they first raped me,” I say quietly. “This isn’t about going back. It’s about moving forward. About taking my power back.”

Colt climbs into the passenger’s side. “Ready to go. Let’s get this show on the road.”

Nash clears his throat. “Flora wants to be involved in dealing with these pieces of shit.”

Colt raises a brow. “Is that true, angel?”

I nod. “I need to make them pay. I want to see the fear in their eyes when they realize we’ve taken their power away.”

“You’re so fucking sexy when you talk like that,” he growls, his eyes glittering with hunger. Colt kisses me with a fervor that takes my breath away. His lips crush mine. This kiss differs from the others, fueled by the darkness we’re about to enter. It’s a claim, a promise of what’s to come. The kiss leaves me dazed, my body thrumming with need.

I meet his gaze, no longer afraid of the desire burning there. Colt’s thumb strokes my bottom lip. His touch is searing. “And we will, angel. We’ll ensure they know what it feels like to be powerless.”

He kisses me again, his mouth slanting over mine. My lips part against his, inviting him in. His tongue tangles with mine.

Breaking the kiss, he trails his lips along my jaw, moving down to my neck. I tilt my head to the side, granting him better access.

Nash starts the engine. “We should get going.” Nash’s voice is calm, but I sense the steel underlying his words.

“Yeah.” Colt’s lips linger on my pulse point, his warm breath tickling my skin. “Time to go teach those bastards a lesson.”

I turn to Nash. “Let’s get the show on the road.”

His eyes search mine, his thumb brushing my knuckles. “Just know, you don’t have to prove anything to us.”

I squeeze his hand, gratitude washing over me. “I’m doing this for me.”

The drive to the lockup is no more than ten minutes, but it stretches like an eternity. When we finally pull into the abandoned parking lot, Nash reverses the truck to a unit’s doors.

“Colt and I will get the trash into the unit. You just get inside and keep warm,” Nash says, jumping out of the truck and opening the trunk. Colt pulls Jake out, and Nash pulls Tommy out, both rough with them already. They’re not conscious yet, but the game will begin once they are. Time to exact my revenge alongside my two guardian angels of death.