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“It’s going to be okay,” I reassure her. I let out a sigh of relief when an ambulance pulls up. “Let’s get you checked out.” I stand, still holding the girl’s hand. She wobbles on her feet and I’m not sure if it’s because she’s on something or her heels. Either way, I help her over to the ambulance.

“Thank you.” She gives my hand a squeeze.

“You don’t have to thank me,” I tell her. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Really?” Her eyes widen.

“I promise.” I give her a smile as the medics start to look her over. I overhear one of them calling for a few more ambulances for some of the other girls. I had no idea how this was going to turn out. I thought we were coming to find missing files and paperwork. Thank God we came. This is so much bigger than Nick getting his business back and his uncle getting what is coming to him. These girls need help and there are a handful of men who need to be taken down right along with Nick’s uncle.

“Birdie!” I turn at the sound of my name being called to see Nick. I take off in a dead run for him. I can’t help myself. I fling myself into his arms, wrapping myself around him.

“Are you okay?” I ask as I bury my face in his neck.

“I am now.” His hold on me tightens.

“You did it,” I tell him, leaning back to look at him. Out of the corner of my eye I watch as men in handcuffs are escorted out of the house. I ignore them; all my focus is on Nick now.

“We did it,” he corrects as he leans forward, resting his forehead to mine. “Where is your sweater, little bird?” He reluctantly puts me down on my feet, pulling off his own jacket and putting it on me. I forgot I was only in a small undershirt. It is freezing out but my mind is far from thinking about that.

“We did, but this is far from over.”

He pulls me back, holding me close. “Yeah, but we’re getting there. I have no doubt that with you by my side that we can accomplish anything we set our minds to.”

* * *

“Come on.” Nick leads us toward the bathroom of the hotel. An ominous feeling still sits inside of me. “We’re going to fix this. We’ll make those girls’ lives better.” I nod in agreement, knowing he will make good on his word. There is something about Nick and me together that gives me the confidence to know that we can do anything we set our minds to. Just like we saved his family’s legacy. I need to focus on the positive. What we found is sad but we can help in making a change. It would have been worse if we’d never made this trip up here.

He walks over, turning on the shower before coming back to me. “Going to wash away the filth of tonight.” He pulls my top off, then reaches behind me to unsnap my bra. He drops to his knees in front of me, helping me out of my boots. I rest my hands on his broad shoulders as he tries to get the leather pants down my legs. I laugh, almost falling over.

“Five dollars you say?” he asks, recalling about how much I’d spent on them when I’d found them in the thrift store.

“Yep. It was a-” I was going to say “steal” but he rips them before I can finish.

“No panties.” I’m not sure if he’s happy about that or not. You can’t wear panties with leather pants or the lines will show. It’s not like I own a thong. He leans in, kissing my mound and I’m taking that as he likes it.

“You’re lucky you’re rich because you’re getting me new ones.”

He smirks up at me as he stands. Those things made my butt look good.

“As long as you don’t leave the house in them.” He starts pulling off his clothes. My eyes roam over his body, getting a good look at him. The man is perfection and all mine. He lifts me up as I laugh and carries me to the shower. It takes him only seconds to turn us both under the warm water. We slowly soap each other up and wash away the filth that clings to us from the events earlier. Nick takes extra time when he’s washing my breasts, claiming they’re extra dirty and need more attention. I smile and let him. I just want his hands on me. He doesn’t need to make up reasons. I was never going to stop him. I love this man and he loves me.

After thoroughly washing me, he begins to trail kisses from my collarbone down to my breasts. He plumps one in his hand as he sucks the other into his mouth. I moan at how good it feels. His mouth is warm on my puckered nipple.