Page 34 of Raine
Releasing one hand, I motion for them to come closer. They hesitate, clearly unsure, but then they all take a look at Jelitza and make their descent toward me.
I can’t take my eyes off them, knowing they can’t be older than sixteen. One of them is a stunning redhead with the bluest eyes; another is blonde with green eyes; and the third has black hair, dark skin with the deepest brown eyes I’ve ever seen.
Opening my arms to them, I sniffle and welcome them in. They crowd around us, arms circling each other as we all cry and grieve trauma that you can’t see, but we will all feel down to our marrow and into the next life.
After a solid ten minutes or so, I step away and sit down on the fluffy throw rug on the floor. They follow, wiping their eyes and pulling down their oversized shirts.
They all look to me as if I’m the key to their survival, their savior, and perhaps I am. Actually, I will be if it’s the last thing I do on this pathetic, spinning fucking globe.
Reaching out, I hold on to Jelitza’s hand and reach for the red-headed girl’s hands, and she lets me. I don’t have their names yet, but I’m about to rectify that.
We sit still for a few moments, holding hands, and lost to our own thoughts. Their eyes are on me, curiously, almost hesitantly, as they wait for me to speak, probably wondering what’s brought a woman like me into this room.
Breaking the silence, I clear my throat and speak.
“My name is Raine, and I know you are all a little confused about why I’m here, but my brother, Justyce, is the one who has given you a safe place to stay. He told me about you all, and I had to come and check in on you to see how you all are and what I can do to help.”
The little red head coughs before speaking. “I’m Shannon.”
I smile and look at the blonde. “I’m…I’m Lady.”
“And I’m Clara,” the dark-haired beauty finally says.
“Such pretty names for beautiful girls,” I praise, and they all look away from me.
“I know this is painful for you all, and I’m not going to pretend I know what you’ve all been through, but I am going to have to find out what happened as to better help you ladies.”
Shannon whimpers, and tears fill the other three girls eyes, with Jelitza shaking her head.
“How…how do you know Jelitza?” Clara questions, and I smile.
“I’ve known her since she was a baby. Her parents worked for my grandparents, and Olga, her grandmother, still works for Justyce.”
“Oh,” she says, seeming to contemplate the new information.
“I’m here to help you all heal as much as possible, but you need to help me out here, ok?” I say in a soothing tone.
Nodding their heads, they wait for me to speak again.
“Ok, let’s start from the beginning.”
For the next two hours, I listened, fury like I’ve never experienced thrashing throughout my body, sorrow bleeding into every pore as they spilled their darkest secrets to me.
Not only did these fuckers take their virginity, they cut them up with knives, exposing them to blood play, stuck all sorts of obscene shit inside of their bodies, and allowed men and women to have their way with them while they were tied up.
They held their tiny hands to their chests, clutching at the material as if it were a lifeline. They weren’t ready to show me their scars, not that I’d asked them, but they made sure to voice their discomfort, pain, and humiliation surrounding them.
My hands were shaking by the time the girls finished, and I was having difficulty reigning in my rage. I was livid, pissed off… frustrated and sad that these young girls were targeted by these pigs.
I knew it happened; fuck, there was a basement beneath Arcane with stolen people down there, much to my brothers and my disgust and anger. It was something we were working on — something we were trying to eradicate from the Tartarus Mafia payroll.
Glancing at the girls, a sharp pain hits me in the chest, and I rub at it absentmindedly, knowing that while Avernus and Jarvis still breathe, they will challenge Justyce at every turn.
He may be the Mafia boss since Draconis is… indisposed, but that won’t stop them from reaching out to Tony, Justyce’s grandfather, and making a mess of things.
Threading my hands through my hair, I pull at the strands before releasing them. “I will make this right. It will not erase what’s happened, but I swear to you four that I will find a way to make them pay.”
They smile sadly at me, nodding their heads, but I know they don’t believe me. We say our goodbyes, and I promise I’ll be back to see them as soon as I can and that I will bring them some new clothes and other bits and pieces.
