Page 18 of Zalis
“I missed your face,” Gemma said, finally pulling out of the embrace.
“You see my face every day in the mirror.” Emry’s gaze darted away, as if embarrassed, which was weird but whatever.
“I see our face every day. I missyourface.” Gemma cupped the side of Emry’s face, the side with the scar. With that dramatic feature covered, it was hard to tell they weren’t identical twins. Not completely. Gemma was an inch taller. Emry had a scattering of freckles. Before the car accident that took their mother’s life and left Emry scarred, the differences between them had been subtle. Only the most observant people noticed.
“I’m sticking with you,” Gemma said. “I know you hated the bakery?—”
“I don’t hate the bakery,” Emry protested.
“If you want to work on a cruise ship again, fine. Private chef? I’m in. Wherever you are, that’s where I want to be. I know it sounds codependent and unhealthy, but I missed you. I don’t want to go months without seeing you.” The idea of being alone again made her stomach ache, but it was more than that. Being alone meant she could be taken again. Being alone wasn’t safe, and Gemma craved safety.
“I missed you, too,” Emry said. More avoiding eye contact.
Oh. Now Gemma recognized what was going on. Not embarrassment. Guilt.
“Hey, what is this?” Gemma asked.
“I…” Emry flushed pink. “I’m staying with Ren.”
“Ren? The guy who broke your heart? You want to stay with him?” Gemma asked, repeating the words because they made no sense. “I guess he’s decent enough with the rescue, but don’t make any big decisions because you feel grateful.”
“It’s more than that,” Emry started. Before she could explain, they were interrupted by the guy in question.
“I have additional questions for Gemmarae.”
This again.The frustrating interview with the constable had been hours ago. She had no idea what new insights Ren hoped to pluck from her memory.
“I’ll go,” Emry said, rising from the bed.
“Stay,” Gemma said, grabbing her wrist.
Emry held Gemma’s hand while she recited—again—the series of events that moved from blackmail to being abducted, waking up in a cage in a warehouse. “I didn’t catch any names. I told that cop all this already,” she told Ren.
Ren looked as if he had lots of opinions about the interview with the cop. Rather than spill any hot gossip, he simply said, “I must confirm details for?—”
“For veracity,” Gemma said, finishing his sentence. The repetitive questions got real old, real fast. “I know my memory is fuzzy and has holes. I don’t remember leaving Earth, or an auction, just waking up in that warehouse with the other girls.”She paused, dangerously close to losing her temper. “Are the others okay? How is Tia? Sarah? No one tells me anything.”
“Dehydrated and malnourished, much like you. One has a severe case of poisoning from the stasis chamber. Nothing they will not recover from,” he said.
“What’s going to happen to them?” Emry asked.
“They will receive medical treatment and be returned to their homes.” What he didn’t say was,As you will be. Regardless, Gemma heard it loud and clear. She couldn’t go back to Earth. She just couldn’t.
Emry grabbed Gemma’s hand. “Gemma is coming with us. It’s a big ask, but she’s not safe on her own.”
Ren remained silent for a moment. Gemma squeezed Emry’s hand, who squeezed back. They had an entire conversation without saying a word. Gemma wasn’t going back to Earth, no matter what this alien had to say about it.
Eventually, he said, “As you say.”
“Did you catch them yet?” Gemma asked.
“No. The traffickers had long departed before we arrived. Our efforts at tracking them have been delayed.”
Disappointing, but expected. She knew the cop couldn’t be bothered, but she hoped that Ren and the others would find the goons. Somehow. They found her, after all. How hard could it be to find the bad guys? They weren’t criminal masterminds.
“What about the Suhlik that took the other women? Ines, Maria, Scarlett, Amariah, Madilyn, and Jessica,” she recited theirnames, and she’d keep reciting them until someone listened. “You need to track them.”
Silence.
