All six of the girls shrank back at the mention of men, and Izzy’s stomach rolled. She couldn’t begin to imagine what these children had been through.
“Help us how?” the lead girl asked.
“Take you away from here. Back to your families if that’s what you want. Somewhere else safe if you don’t want that.” At the mention of family, two of the girls broke down in harsh, choking sobs. Izzy wanted to gather them all up in her arms and promise no one would lay a hand on any of these girls again, but she had no idea how they’d react if she came too close.
“Why should we trust you? Who are these men?” the bravest asked.
What should she say? How did she reassure these traumatized children that no further harm would come to them? Izzy spent her life proclaiming her independence, telling everyone she met she didn’t need anyone else. She was a pillar of strength and a self-sufficient woman. Now, the first time that strength was truly tested by life’s ugliest acts, all she wanted to do was weep and pass the challenge of soothing these girls on to someone else. Someone stronger. Someone more capable.
What she wanted was Jig. Wanted him by her side, holding her hand and bleeding some of his power into her. But it wasn’t going to happen. If she begged him to stand with her, she might plead with him to stay forever. Then someday down the road when it ended, she might not survive the heartache. This responsibility fell to her, and she’d buck up and do it alone. It was how she’d set up her life, so now she had to practice what she preached.
“They’re good men, who would never lay a hand on you. They are enemies of the men who kidnapped you, and they have all those men tied up outside. None of them can hurt you ever again. I can take you all out of here right now. The men with me will all have masks covering their faces”—two of the girls gasped—“just to protect their identity. I will lead you out to a van, and then I will ride in the back with you away from here. To a shelter where there are only women, no men. And those women will get you anything and everything you need to help you be okay.”
The oldest snorted. “Okay?” she asked. “Don’t think any of us will ever be okay again.” She spoke with a surety that had Izzy’s eyes filling. There was no way in hell she’d allow herself to cry in front of these girls. If anyone ever needed her to be strong, it was these girls. “How old are all of you? What are your names?”
The leader stared at Izzy for a moment before saying, “I’m Jenny. I’m seventeen. Youngest is twelve.”
Good thing she was sitting because that would have knocked the starch right out of Izzy’s knees. Instead of tearing the place down board by board like she wanted, she just nodded. “Will you come with me?”
She was studied again while Jenny seemed to consider their options, which were none. If they stayed, they were prime targets for more abuse and horrors. Not that the Handlers would ever leave them there. Plan B was to drag them out kicking and screaming, but Izzy hoped to avoid any further trauma. Jenny was a smart kid and must have come to the same conclusion. She spoke for the group when she said, “We’ll come. I don’t want any of the men to touch any of us. Not at all.”
“I promise,” Izzy said. “No one will touch you.”
“Okay. Then we’ll come.”
Izzy rose and stuck her head out the door where Rocket still waited. “They’re ready. It’s not good. But there’s one girl who seems to be in charge. She’s asked that none of you touch any of them in any way. Not even to help them in the van or anything. Okay?”
Rocket nodded, face solemn. “You have my word.”
“Okay, I’ll lead them out.” She started back into the room then popped her head out again. “Oh, I’m going to ride with them…wherever you’re taking them.”
With a small smile, Rocket said, “You’re a damn good woman, Iz. Jig’s a lucky fucker.”
Ouch. Straight shot to the ticker. She filed it under To Be Dealt With Later and returned to the frightened girls. As she led them out of the barn, Rocket stayed a safe distance away, arms crossed over his chest so the girls had a good view of him. Yet each one stared at the masked biker with wide, fearful eyes as though he might lunge forward and attack at any moment.
Despite the thick cloud cover, all the girls flinched at the brightness the moment they stepped outside. “This way,” Izzy said, pointing to the open van. One of the girls shook her head and stopped walking, her entire small body trembling.