Chapter 151 The Basement
Dakota's P.O.V.
"I'm so sorry that you were brought here. Can you please tell me how you were kidnapped?" One of the women looks up at me with fear. She's pretty with short red hair and green eyes.
"I'm Haydee, and this is Rana. We're both twenty. We were working the streets when a man said he would pay a lot for both of us. When we got in the car, he gave us something to drink, and the next thing we knew, we woke up here. Are you going to sell us?" She asks as she and the other woman hold hands. Rana is petite with blonde hair and brown eyes.
"No, we're not going to sell you. I am not like the man who brought you here. How did you get here?" I ask the man, who fidgets nervously.
"I'm Gabe. I'm a student at LaGuardia Community College taking accounting classes. I work at a fast-food restaurant. I can't afford a dorm, so I sleep in my car. Someone knocked me out and brought me here when I was closing up." He speaks so softly that I can barely hear him.
"When do you graduate?" I ask him.
"I'm taking summer classes to finish up, so I only have a few weeks left." I nod and turn to the teenage girl. She's shaking.
"How did he bring you here?" I ask her gently. She doesn't look at me.
"I was leaving the shelter for teenagers where I live to go to school, and a van pulled up. Two guys jumped out and threw me in the back." She wraps her arms around herself.
"What's your name, and how old are you?" Her long, dark brown hair hides part of her face, and she slowly looks up at me with gorgeous blue eyes.
"Jamie. I'm seventeen. Please don't make me go back to my parents’ house." She looks like she’s going to start crying. I walk over to her and wrap my arms around her.
"You don't have to go back. Give me just a minute." I look at Galdino, who's standing off to the side. I have an idea, but I want to see if he agrees.
"You want to give them jobs and places to live, don't you?" he asks.
"Yes. Are you able to give Haydee and Rana jobs? I'll pay for an apartment for them until they get on their feet, but I don't have any jobs that would suit them. I'll take Gabe and Jamie." Galdino smiles and puts his hand on my shoulder.
"More people need to be like you. You don't judge anyone, and you're always looking for a way to make someone's life better." I kiss his cheek before we walk back to the table.
"I have a couple of waitressing jobs available at one of my restaurants. Would you two be willing to work for me? There's a small apartment above the restaurant that I'll let you use until you can get on your feet," Galdino says to the two women. They look at each other, then at him, with wide eyes.
"You'll let us work for you? We don't have to go back to the streets?" Haydee asks as they both begin crying and hug each other.
"No, you don't have to go to the streets, but I don't tolerate drugs or prostitution. If I find out you're doing either, I won't give you a second chance," Galdino says firmly. I hope they do as he says. I look at Gabe.
"I need an accountant for my family business. If you agree to work for me, I have a place where you can live. I want you to finish school, but you can move in immediately." His mouth falls open, and he blinks a few times as he stares at me.
"You're offering me a job and a place to live?" he whispers.
"Yes," I reply. He reminds me of Noah in some way.
"Thank you. I will work hard for you," he says. I turn to Jamie last. She's looking down at her feet. I don't know what she's been through, but she needs the most help. I walk over and squat down in front of her.
"Jamie, I want you to come to my house with me. I don't want you going back to your parents or the shelter. I will make sure you finish school and help you go to college or do whatever you want when you graduate. Will you let me help you?" I ask.
"Why do you want to help me? No one has ever helped me." I take her hand and smile slightly.
"When I see someone has potential, I want to help them. I can tell you've been hurt, so let's change that. You have a lot more life to live, so let's do something to make your story better. If you trust me, I won't let anyone hurt you again." She takes me off guard by throwing her arms around me, almost knocking me over as she cries on my shoulder. I hug her as her body shakes.
"Thank you. I will do whatever you want me to." I stroked her head gently. She stands with me and clings to my arm.
"Who are you?" Haydee asks.
"I'm Dakota Kondrati. The head of the Kondrati family." Haydee's, Rana's, and Gabe's eyes all widen as they stare at me. So I guess they have heard of me. None of them says anything as we head upstairs.
"Gabe, do you need to get your car?" I ask him.
"Yes, please." I nod and look at Tyler and Shea.
"Can you please take him to get his car and then take him and Jamie to the house? I will be along once I'm done with things here." I glance at Galdino, and he's having one of his men take Haydee and Rana away. Jamie squeezes my hand.
"Shea and Tyler will get you settled, and then I'll check on you, okay?" I ask her, and she nods. We will make her stronger. Once they're gone, I look at the people who are gathered in the middle of the bar. All of them are responsible for trafficking multiple people. They're about to get exactly what they deserve.