Page 97 of Jake's Angel

“She called me that night to come get her. She was crying so bad I could barely make out what she was saying. She asked me to bring her some clean clothes and a first aid kit. When I got to the studio, she was curled up in a ball in the backseat of her car, hiding. Her clothes were torn to shit, face and body marked with cuts, bruises, and burn marks. I wanted to call Uncle Mack, but she made me promise not to.”

Sadie looks down at the ground, digging her toe into the dirt. “I helped her put on the clean clothes, cleaned up her face. We went back into the dance studio and were able to get some gauze and bandages from their first aid kit. I helped her cover what I could and put Neosporin on her cuts and burns. When I asked what happened and who did it, she wouldn’t say. She asked me not to take her back home.”

Sadie glances up at me.

“I drove her back to our place so I could keep an eye on her. I was able to get her cuts stitched up and bandaged properly at the house. While she slept on my bed, I hacked into the security cameras at the studio, hoping I could find the bastards who hurt her. The camera feed was useless. I couldn’t see their faces, just shadows. Once they dragged her to the corner of the lot, the cameras lost visual. I erased the recording and made it appear as if the cameras glitched on and off for several hours so they would think it was a faulty piece of equipment.” She takes several deep breaths, tears still slowly flowing over her cheeks.

I don’t ask how she knows how to stitch up a cut. She’s been around here long enough. I’m sure she’s learned a few things she wouldn’t in a classroom.

“I took her home the next morning. When we told Eleanor that Avery had been mugged, do you know what her response was?” She chuckles softly. “She was pissed about her staying at my house and not coming home in time to have breakfast with the Whittmores.”

“She didn’t care Avery was hurt?”

“Not even a little—at first, anyway. She changed her tune when Rosa came into the room and started fussing over Avery. Then Eleanor made it seem like she was the concerned grandmother.” Sadie chuckles to herself, shaking her head.

“We had already started planning her escape from the bitch’s lair. She was leaving after graduation, but Eleanor’s reaction sped up the planning process. Eleanor called Uncle Mack and Russ. They came straight home from their business trip. Avery stuck to her story about being mugged. Mack made her go to the hospital, but she still didn’t answer questions, claiming she didn’t remember. I’m sure Mack knew we were both full of shit, but he didn’t push the issue.”

“Why didn’t you tell Pop the truth if you knew she wasn’t mugged?”

“She came to me for help and begged me not to tell anyone anything. I knew something happened, but she wouldn’t tell me the complete story. She didn’t tell me the truth until about three weeks ago. We were at a party hosted at the country club for the senior graduating class. Neither of us wanted to be there, but it was better than being in class. Even if it was the devil woman’s country club.” She shrugs.

“It was the usual crowds of plastic bitches and arrogant pricks. We kept to ourselves, laughing at people like usual. Everything seemed fine until she got a text. I don’t know who it was. I just know she shut down instantly. Her face went pale, her hands began shaking, and she wouldn’t answer me when I called her name. Same thing that happened to her last night, only she didn’t hit the floor. Probably because she was already sitting at the table. She was having a panic attack.”

“Or a flashback. That’s what happened last night. Something about the guy she was dancing with triggered a memory and she shut down. Trapped in the flashback.” Sadie’s eyes are wide,staring at me. Understanding what I’m telling her, her face sobers, and she continues with her story.

“I took Avery by the hand and got her out of the country club as fast as I could. Once I got her outside, she asked me to take her anywhere but home. So, we hopped in Loretta and drove toward Big Rock. On the drive there, she told me what had really happened. What he had done to her. How he purchased her from someone. He was biding his time until he would come back and finish what he started. I knew I had to move up our plans to get her out of there.”

“What the fuck? What do you mean, purchased her? From who?” Sadie shrugs. I’m ready to tear someone’s fucking head off.

“He promised to break her, torture her until she submits to him completely. She said he offered to let his men have a turn if there was enough left of her after he was done.”

I’m like a goddamn caged animal. The more she speaks, the angrier I become.I want to kill this motherfucker with my bare hands.

“I got her a few self-defense lessons over the last couple of weeks before we left, but with Eleanor keeping her so damn busy planning for graduation, she didn’t learn much. I gave her the gun and taught her how to shoot it. I told Mack it was because she was uncomfortable around his men with guns. I had to give her something to protect herself,” Sadie says with conviction.

“Avery doesn’t trust anyone, not even Uncle Mack, to help her. He’s loyal to his job. She thinks he’s going to take her back when everything here is figured out. She won’t go back. I’ll make sure of it.”

“Does she think Russ and Pop are part of what happened to her? You and I both know there’s no fucking way Pop would have any part of this.”

“All I know is Mack’s loyal to his job and to Russ.” She looks to the ground again, then whispers, “He’s the one who hired Chuck. I don’t know what all he did to her, but those bruises on her arm, they weren’t the first ones I’ve seen.”

Christ.

“You think Russ sold her? You really believe that?” It doesn’t seem possible after how hard he and Gabe have worked to keep her hidden all this time, but then again, Cusenza is a powerful man. Men like him could make anyone do his bidding if the debt owed is high enough.

Fuck!

“I don’tthinkRuss would, but as shitty as it may sound, I can’t say for certain. I do know if it was him, then he did a hell of a job playing the outraged grandfather after he heard she had been mugged.” Sadie looks away, letting out a deep breath before looking back at me and says, “She’s been through a lot of shit over the years. I don’t know all of it. I only know the things I’ve seen and heard. Things she’s let slip out in conversation, but swore me not to tell anyone else.” Tears stream down Sadie’s face. “I didn’t want to keep her secrets, but I was the only person she could turn to for help. I’m the only person she could trust, so I did what I had to do. You understand?” Pulling her to me, placing her head on my shoulder, I reassure her.

“Yeah, I get it. You did good by bringing her here. We’ll figure this shit out.”

“Did I? Because right now, everything so far seems to just be making things worse for her.” I can’t argue with her. Knowing I’m the cause of more pain for Avery, though I still don’t know why, is eating at me.

“I don’t think Russ knows. I find it hard to believe he has anything to do with any of this. Especially since her primary concern has been a threat being made to Russ.Butif she told you…”

Sadie grabs onto my shirt, twisting it in her hands, forcing my gaze to meet hers. “Then she trusts you. If she told you, then you can tell the rest of the club. You guys will keep her safe, right?” she asks, begging, as if she thought I was going to say no.

“Sadie, do you have any idea of anyone else who would want to hurt her?” She narrows her eyes, hesitating for a moment. “If you think you know who it was, if you can give me a name, I’ll make sure the Kings handle it. You understand what I’m telling you?” She stares at me with wide eyes. A momentary look of relief crosses her face and fades just as quickly.

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