Page 27 of Lost In The Dark

“Just try to eat a little, then we can show you to your room, okay?” Asher suggested.

“I’m n-not hungry.” I looked to Adam as I said that, terrified he’d be offended that I didn’t want to eat the food he had prepared, but he just smiled a little. “Please,” I squeaked tearfully as I looked between Asher and Eli with desperation.

I was falling apart and I knew it. I just wanted to hold it together long enough to get away from Adam and Jordan though. I didn’t want them to see me any weaker than I already must seem to them. I was weak, but I didn’t want them to use that to their advantage.

“Maybe it would be better for Addy to get some rest first,” Adam spoke up, surprising me. I looked up to him again and this time he wasn’t smiling, he just looked concerned. I tried to smile just enough to take the worry from his face, but I knew I’d failed when he just looked even more concerned at my attempt.

“It has been a very long day,” Eli agreed. “Come on, shortcake. I’ll show you to your room and help you get settled.”

“We’ll be close by if you need anything, Addy. Just call for us, okay?” Asher added as I released his shirt and looked to him with apprehension. I wasn’t keen on the idea of leaving his side, but I knew it was ridiculous to admit I felt the need to have both him and Eli with me, so instead I just nodded as I fought with every tiny scrap of strength I had left to just hold it together a little longer.

CHAPTER 9

JORDAN

“Is there anything we can do for her, Ash?” Adam asked after we’d all watched Addy and Eli leave the room and head upstairs. Addy had been holding onto Eli so tightly, it was obvious he was the only thing keeping her on her feet.

“I don’t even know,” Asher sighed as he lowered his head and wrapped both of his hands around the back of his neck in frustration. “I don’t know what she needs. Probably more than Eli and I can give her.” He blew out a breath and looked up at the both of us. He looked exhausted. He and Eli both did. They were pale, with thick stubble on their usually clean shaven faces, but more than that, they both looked terrified, and Asher’s words were illustrating just why.

“Talk to us. You and Eli aren’t in this alone. We’re here for you,” I told him, hating to see him struggling the way he was. Asher had been as much a big brother to me as Adam was. He’d taken care of me during what I called my brother’s ‘dark years’and he had pulled me through the despair again and again as I feared I would lose Adam for good. He was the reason I was the man I was, and I had never seen him look so defeated before.

“I’m just so scared we’re going to fail her. She’s terrified of everything, in a ton of physical pain from the injuries, and the memories…she only got back two tiny snippets and….fuck, thescreaming, guys. I’ve never seen fear like that, not even overseas. There are going to be so many more memories to come back yet, and I…I just don’t know how we’ll be enough to get her through it all.”

“You said on the phone it was traffickers who took her?” Adam asked.

“Yeah. Addy remembered her car breaking down late at night, on her way home from her job. They grabbed her and drugged her. Eventually she was sold to that senator and we think he held her for around eighteen months, judging by the dates on the tapes the police found,” Asher sighed.

“Tapes?” I repeated with shock.

“Yeah. That bastard recorded hours of what he did to Addy. There was a sex dungeon in his basement and a cage where they think Addy was kept. He was a sick sonofabitch. I only wish I could get my hands on the fucker and kill him all over again,” Asher growled, and I felt the anger, which was coming off of him in waves, consume me too. I glanced to Adam and saw he was gripping the edge of the counter, his knuckles white and his face tense.

It was inconceivable what Addy must have been through in the time that monster held her captive. It was little wonder she had been so cautious and jumpy around Adam and me. I was surprised she had even been able to put any trust in Ash and Eli after what she had been through. It was testament to the inner strength she had to have.

“She’s going to need some professional help, a therapist or something,” Adam ground out.

“I know. I already asked Zara to look into it and get me some names.” I winced at the thought of Zara, Asher’s personal assistant, having anything to do with Addy. While the woman was brilliant at her role as Asher’s P.A. she was also one of the bitchiest women I had ever met, and I knew she’d tear Addy to pieces if she came into contact with her. The fact the woman had her eyes and her claws set on Asher would see to that. She would be furious at the idea of any other female, even Asher’s own sister, taking his attention.

“Ash,” We all looked up at the sound of Eli’s panicked voice and found him hurrying towards his brother. “She’s crying. I…I could hear her through the door, but she’s locked it and I can’t….I d-don’t know what to do,” he panicked.

“Just take a breath,” Asher tried to calm him as he grabbed the back of his neck and held him still. “Tell me what happened.”

“I showed her the bedroom and she seemed okay. I asked her if she needed anything, but she just said she was tired and basically ushered me out. I didn’t want to push her, so I just left and closed the door. I heard the lock snap in place, then a minute later she was crying. I knocked and tried to speak to her, but she won’t answer me.” The concern and devastation on Eli’s face as he spoke was heart breaking, and I felt sick with worry, not just for Addy, but for Eli and Asher too. They were my family and they were hurting.

“Should we force our way in?” Ash asked as he looked to Adam.

“That would only scare her more. I’d leave her for now. She’s just trying to process everything. Maybe she just needs some time alone. As dog-tired as she was, I’ll bet she’s already exhausted herself and fallen asleep,” Adam replied.

“But she’s hurt. What if something happens?” Eli worried.

“We’ll check on her in a little while. We have the key to unlock the door, but Adam’s right. She’s had a nightmarish couple of days and she doesn’t even know us that well. Maybe she just needed some time alone,” Asher agreed as he looked to his brother comfortingly. “Let’s just let her sleep for a while, okay?”

“I just want to take it all away for her,” Eli sighed as he slipped from Asher’s grip and walked around to sit between Asher and me.

“We all want that, Eli, but we can’t. All we can do is try to prove to her that we’re here. That she can trust us when she needs us,” I told him, hoping to soothe him.

“We’ve got a long way to go, brother, but no matter what, we’ll take care of her and we’ll make sure she’s alright. It’s just going to take time,” Asher added.

“Eat something. You both look exhausted too,” Adam insisted as he started filling Eli and Asher’s plates.

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