Chapter 242 Trembling
The naked man is tackled from the body of my girl. I don't want to think about what he'd just been doing her too much. I might just empty out my stomach, and that wouldn't help anyone.
Later, I'll think about all the ways I'd torture the bastard if I'd had the chance, but not right now.
I don't care what happens to Jay now. As much as I'd love to pull Jay into a quiet room and have the officers look the other way while I beat the shit out of him, he's not important right now. My entire soul is focused on a sobbing, naked Charlie.
I rush to her, and the other officers seem to know to give us a minute. I'm guessing this isn't their first rescue mission, and probably won't be their last.
"Charlie?" I whisper, making my movements gentle. I don't want to scare her anymore than she already is. I rip of my Kevlar and pull off my shirt to give it to her. But she's fucking tied to the bed!
Bastard!
"I need a knife!" I call out. I really don't have the patience or the steady hands to undo those knots. And she needs out now!
One of the officers I haven't met hands me a large hunting knife. I make quick work of carefully slicing through the rope currently cutting off her circulation. I make sure I don't nick her skin. She's already been through enough. She doesn't need me accidently cutting her.
The moment she's free, I throw my shirt over her shivering body before pulling her into my arms. I'm going to take her home and wash her entire body, cleansing her from Jay's filth. But right now, I just need to hold her before I end up breaking down and crying too.
"Baby, I'm so fucking sorry," I murmur. "I couldn't find you! I had to call Rick... and the police... I... I'm so sorry it took so long!" I sigh into her body.
"I-I knew y-you'd c-come for m-me," she mumbles into my chest. She's trembling and stuttering. Probably not uncommon after something like this. Every instinct in my body is telling me to soothe her.
She clings to me like I'm the only thing keeping her grounded. She breathes in a shaky breath as I rub circles on her back, trying to give her what comfort I can. Just that fact that she had that much faith in me changes me fundamentally. She knew I'd come for her.
"I'll always come for you, Angel. But I swear this is going to be the last time someone steals you from me," I promise, placing soft kisses across her face.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I can hear Jay struggling on the ground and Officer Benson's voice, full of authority: "Jay Taylor, you are under arrest for kidnapping, conspiracy, extortion, sex trafficking, child abuse..."
"IT WASN'T ME! THEY LIED! I DIDN'T DO SHIT! CHARLIE IS MINE!" he snarls.
I have no fucking clue who 'they' is, but that's not my job to find out.
The bastard thinks he can get away with shit when we just found him over his niece? I'm sorry, but he's got another thing coming! He might end up in a hospital for an insanity plea.
I hold my Angel in my arms until her sobs soften to little hiccups and she pulls back. Her pretty hazel eyes are red and puffy, and it cracks my heart.
I place a soft kiss on those dried lips. It's not enough, but I know she needs a little time... Plus, we've got an audience.
"Do you two need a ride to the hospital?" Officer Body comes and asks looking between the two of us.
I don't see a reason to call the ambulance when I've got my truck waiting for me. "No, I've got it," I give him a thankful smile.
"You ready to get the hell outta here, Charlie?" I grumble, my voice thick with emotions I don't think I can handle right now.
"Y-yes..." she mumbles, leaning into me.
I look around the room and find a pile of discarded blankets. Shit. She didn't have any clothes when he brought her here, and the officers are pulling Jay's pants up for him. Guess they can't have him walking around naked either. I grab her blankets and pull them around her before pulling her into my arms.
"I've got a gym bag in my back seat, Angel. You can wear my sweats," I promise, tromping through the old hotel and into the cold night air.
When I finally get to my truck, I place her carefully on the passenger seat while I grab my bag. I dig until I find my sweats and carefully help her pull them up her legs. I don't have shoes that will fit her, but I've got socks... Thank God they are clean.
If she wasn't just recovered from one of the most horrendous acts of humankind, she'd look adorable right now.
"Let's get you checked out, baby," I say placing one more kiss on her head before making it to my seat and pealing out into the darkness.