Page 57 of Faith
Zeke nodded. “I do. It kills me that another man has touched you. That you went through all the things you did. But I would never say you, or any of the women who were held there, did something wrong. I’ve done things I’m not proud of. I’m not perfect. But I did what I felt I had to do to survive.”
“You did?”
Zeke nodded, thinking back to the worst deployment he had. The lifeless eyes of the people he killed. The stink of death. The pain of war. “You deserve better than me, Nina. So much better.”
“There’s no one else I want.”
Zeke smiled. “Good. Let’s get out of here before Star comes out of the house at us.”
Nina glanced at the house and nodded.
Nina was raw,exposed, hurt. All the things Gwendolyn did came back to her as Zeke drove through the city. She wasn’t sure why she thought Star and Monica would be happy to see her, but she was dead wrong. Star was furious, and Monica was terrified.
Nina was an asshole. She didn’t mean to hurt them. But Star meant to hurt Nina. Nina wanted to be angry about it, but Star was right. Nina was the favorite. At times, she used it to her advantage. She got to shower more than the other girls. She got to choose her men. She got to go upstairs with Gwendolyn.
Nina never told the others about Gwendolyn’s abuse. She never told anyone about it. Nina knew it wasn’t okay, but she also couldn’t shake that it only happened when she did something wrong. When she pushed back too hard.
Maybe Nina got comfortable. She thought she could have a normal life. She expected certain things. Things the others never got. Things Nina saw as rewards for not fighting everything.
But she was still a prisoner. She was still ordered around by Gwendolyn. Left to rot with the others when Gwendolyn didn’t want her around and brought up to be praised when Gwendolyn needed someone to talk to.
She had it better than the others, but she didn’t have it good. Still, to Star and the rest of them, Nina was lucky. Nina had the chance to enjoy sex. She had the opportunity to pretend she chose that life. Even if she knew the truth was a choice meant she could have changed her mind. Gwendolyn made it clear that would never happen.
Zeke took a turn, and Nina glanced in the mirror, spotting a vehicle turn behind them. She tried to tell herself it was a coincidence, but fear slithered up her spine.
“Someone’s following us,” she breathed.
“What?” Zeke asked.
“There’s an SUV following us. Blue. Three cars back.”
“Are you sure?” Zeke asked, looking in his mirror and shifting in his seat. Both hands gripped the steering wheel. Tension filled the SUV.
“Yeah. They turned with you at the last light. Last minute, like they didn’t see you turn until they were right there.”
Zeke put on his blinker and changed lanes.
The SUV did the same.
Zeke took the next left.
The SUV followed.
“Shit,” Zeke breathed.
“They are following us,” Nina said. “Oh my God. It’s Gwendolyn. She found me. You have to warn Star and Monica. They could be in danger.”
“I have to get you to safety first. Samuel and Austin will take care of Star and Monica.”
“No, you have to call. You have to warn them. They already think I would turn them in. I wouldn’t do this. I didn’t. Zeke, you have to believe me.”
“I do believe you, angel. I know you wouldn’t do that. I know you. And Samuel and Austin will take care of whatever happens. But my priority has to be you. I have to make sure you’re safe.”
“Zeke, please!”
Zeke glanced over at her. He scanned her quickly, then tapped something on the screen in his car. A few seconds later, the sound of a phone ringing filled the SUV.
“Yeah.”
