Chapter Forty-Eight

Ghost

A fter having her beg me not to put her on another aircraft, lifting Safiya into the helo and strapping her in was fucking punishing. The ride was worse.

She shook.

Victor flew like an asshole.

Blade cursed.

Safiya didn't say a damn word, and I didn't tell her where we were going.

Eight mikes later, the wind pitching the helo, we'd landed rough on top of AES headquarters.

I opened my door as Echo came across the rooftop helo pad and yanked hers open. Glaring at me, he reached for her seat belt. "You're needed downstairs. I'll bring her in."

"Touch her, and it'll be the last thing you do." It wasn't a warning. It was a promise.

Fucking scowling, the SEAL stepped back.

Victor chuckled. "Right—"

"Enough," I warned the Marine before glancing at Safiya. "Wait." Getting out, I rounded the helo, then I avoided eye contact with her as I undid her harness. I'd had over an hour to calculate every way to handle what was coming, but I was still here.

Fucked no matter what I chose next.

Grasping the side of her face, I ran it all down one more time.

I'd never lied to her. I wasn't going to intentionally hide this. I didn't want her out of my sight. I was fucking tired of burying who I was. I didn't want her to have to see me with the other women.

Fuck .

I made the call to own it. "I am not hiding from you."

Watching me, same as I was her, her gaze cut between my eyes like she was trying to get a read on me. "All right."

Nodding once, I lifted her out of the helo, and my hand landed on the small of her back.

Blade hit our six. "I'll wait with her in the front conference room."

"She's staying with me."

"Copy." No judgment, Blade followed us to the stairwell access.

Echo opened the door.

Blade held it.

We filed in.

One flight of stairs down and we were in AES's office, passing the reception area, command room access, and heading down a hall.

No one spoke until Echo stopped at a glass half wall next to a glass door.

" Jesus fucking Christ ," Blade muttered as he stopped and stared into the large break room that was outfitted like the main living space of a high-end penthouse. Couches, tables and chairs, full kitchen, large-screen TVs, and sixteen women scattered like opposing magnets. "It's a goddamn beauty pageant in there."

Safiya's back stiffened.

I scanned the room.

Echo crossed his arms. "Yeah, if the only contestant qualification is being fucking trafficked." Looking away from the women on the other side of the glass, he turned his glare on me. "You sure you got all the motherfuckers behind this?"

Not yet.

Ignoring him, not making eye contact with any of the women as they started to notice my presence, I turned toward Safiya.

Horrorstruck, she stared into the room.

Stepping in front of her, I blocked her view. Then I grasped her chin and tilted her face up. "I need a few minutes."

Eyes wide, she stared at me like she'd never seen me before.

Right behind me, a fist pounded on the glass before a muffled, angry voice yelled, " Ghost ."

Safiya flinched.

I slid my hand to her cheek. "You're safe." None of the women were violent, but Seven was my most outspoken. "Echo, tell Seven to wait."

Echo cracked the door and barked, "Wait."

"Tell Ghost I'm done wait—" The rest of Seven's sentence was muted as Echo shut the door.

I gave Safiya an out. "Do you want to wait in the front conference room?"

"I'll take her." Blade stepped up.

Safiya recoiled.

I made the decision for her. "Come on. Few minutes." I grasped her hand, Echo opened the door, and I walked into the break room, pulling a reluctant Safiya with me.

Fifteen women looked at us.

Then Seven came at me.

Safiya dropped my hand and retreated to my six as my numbers three, five, ten, fifteen, and seventeen moved in and hovered in a half circle behind Seven.

"I didn't want to leave," Seven accused.

I scanned the room for my number eleven. On the second pass, I spotted her in the farthest corner before I met Seven's anger head-on. "I understand. Situation was critical. This was safest. We're making arrangements for relocations."

"How long?" she demanded.

"Seven," I warned.

" Oh my God ." She threw her hands up and stormed off.

Then Fifteen was on me, wrapping her arms around my neck. "Ghost, I was scared. I didn't know those men who came, but they had the word. So I went, but I didn't say anything else. I'm scared," she repeated.

"You're okay, dove." I stroked her back once. "You did the right thing, and you're safe. No more worrying. Go have a seat." I gently pushed her off, but she'd set the precedent.

Seventeen, Ten, and Five came at me.

I quickly hugged each one, but they didn't disperse, and Fourteen, Nine, and Six approached.

I addressed each of them. "Kat, Belle, Storm, Fox, Snow, Nine, Ginger—you're all safe. Relocations are coming. I need everyone to wait." I glanced toward the corner. My number eleven was rocking. "Excuse me."

Seventeen spoke up. "Are you taking us to our new locations?"

"No, Kat. The teams who brought you here will relocate you."

"Will we see you again?" Fifteen, who hadn't taken a seat, asked tearfully.

"No, dove. You won't." I glanced at every one of them. "None of you will."

A collective gasp sounded, and then questions were being fired at me, but I was already moving.

When I got to my number eleven, I squatted. "Hey, angel."

Legs up, arms around her knees, she stopped rocking, but she didn't look up.

I grasped her shoulder and lightly applied pressure. "How's the counseling going?" Out of all of them, she'd been in the roughest shape when I'd bought her. I'd gotten her counseling from the onset, but seeing her now, I wasn't sure it was helping.

She didn't answer.

"Is it the crowd or the temporary location that's bothering you the most?" I knew she didn't like either. She did best with routine and stability, but right now, I just needed her talking.

No reply.

"Okay, angel. Here we go." I picked her up, and she flinched. "You're all right. We're only going to the kitchen to get you something to drink."

Still not speaking, she let me carry her, and I bypassed the other women without incident, but I felt Safiya. Her eyes on me. On us.

And I fucking hesitated.

I'd never avoided her gaze before tonight. Not one goddamn time.

Stealing myself for what I knew I'd find, I looked across the room.

Standing where I'd left her, looking like I'd fucking punched her, she stared at me.

I set number eleven on the counter and grabbed a drink from the fridge. Cracking it in front of her because I knew her fears, I then held it out. "Come on, angel. Freshly opened. Drink for me."

She took the drink. Then she finally fucking spoke. "It's safe?"

"Yes," I promised, ducking my head to make eye contact so she believed me. "Completely safe."

She drank.

"Good, angel." Catching movement out of the corner of my eye, I looked up.

Safiya walked out of the break room.