Chapter 19

When he stirred awake the next morning, he turned his head to find her. A smile tugged at his lips when he saw she was still wearing the earrings.

He’d never forget the spark in her eyes when she opened the box. Now, she was curled up next to him, a peaceful ball of warmth.

He reached over, tracing her lips with his fingers. They always looked so inviting when she slept.

Her eyes fluttered open, and she giggled. “What are you doing?” she asked, feeling his fingers on her mouth.

“I love your lips, and I was hoping you’d wake up so I could kiss them.”

“I’m awake.”

He swung one leg over her, climbing on top of her, his hands supporting his weight.

“Last night was amazing. I hope you surprise me like that again in the future,” he murmured before lowering his head to kiss her.

That kiss led to more, his hand wandering down the side of her body until he reached between her legs.

The way she moved her lips against his and brushed her legs against his got him so turned on that he entered her, making her squirm beneath him.

Later, they showered and dressed and made breakfast together.

After he left to do some work, she cleaned the suite. With the radio playing, she danced around like a teenager in love.

Growing up and seeing how badly the men treated her mother, she thought that was how it was in a relationship.

But Kyle showed her how wrong she was. He was gentle and loving and never laid a hand on her in violence.

She had supper ready for him when he returned. Having missed him all day, she ran into his arms. It made her feel so special when he lifted her up off her feet and kissed her.

It melted his heart to see the way she looked at him whenever he entered a room. There was so much love in her eyes, she made him feel like a hero.

He prayed that he would be able to live up to her expectations. He loved the way she melted in his arms, her lips so soft against his.

“Wow, I could really get used to this kind of welcoming every time I come home,” he said, breaking the kiss to touch her cheek.

“Get used to it,” she answered and, walking away, went and poured him a shot of scotch.

“Sit down and relax while I finish dinner,” she said, handing him his drink.

He removed his jacket and tie, and sat down. He looked around the room. It was spotless. She kept the place so clean, and he was starting to feel guilty.

He didn’t want her to think she had to do this to please him, and he wondered if she was bored with nothing else to do. Later he would have a talk with her to see if she had any hobbies or interests.

“Dinner’s ready,” she called out from the kitchen. She dished out their food and placed the plates on the table. “I hope you like lasagna.”

“I love it,” he answered, taking a bite of it.

“Wow, this is really good. Kiera, I love that you cook and clean, but I don’t want you to think you have to do it. Isn’t there something else you’d like to do?”

“I don’t mind. It keeps me busy.”

“Don’t you have any hobbies or something you’d rather be doing?”

“Growing up, I never had time for hobbies. It was all I could manage to finish high school. I practically raised myself. I cooked and cleaned for my mother and me.”

“Did you have any favorite subjects in school?”

“I liked the business classes, learning how to type, do books, and the rest of it. I even had dreams of going to college and getting a business degree.”

“It’s not too late. You could take some classes and do most of them on the internet. I could help get you set up.

“After we eat, we’ll go online and see what we have to do to get you registered. Getting your business degree online might take longer, but it’ll be worth it.”

“You really think I could do that?”

“People do it all the time. And yes, I not only think you can do it. I know you can.” It did his heart good to see her face light up and excited about something.

After they ate and the dishes were done, they sat on the sofa, her between his legs as they searched the internet for classes to register in.

Two hours later he helped her fill out the forms and had to argue with her about him paying for them. He had his finger on the button to send. He looked at her before pushing it.

“Are you sure this is what you want?”

She sucked her bottom lip under her top teeth and nodded.

“Okay, then. Here we go,” he said, then pushed send.

“I will pay you back.”

“Kiera, don’t worry about it. It’s my gift to you.”

She shifted her body so that she was straddling him, putting her hands on his chest. “You’ve done so much for me already.”

“I love you. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.” He flipped her over so that she was laying on her back and he was on top of her.

“There is something you can do for me,” he said. Lowering his head, he kissed her. And just when things were getting hot and heavy, there was a knock at the door.

“You better get that. It might be important,” she said as he kept kissing her neck and his hand went down her panties. She could feel how excited he was, as his manhood was pressing against her.

“Shit,” he swore and got up, adjusting his crotch. “This better be important,” he said as he went over and opened the door with a scowl on his face.

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything?” Roy said with a smirk on his face as he entered the room. He could tell by Kyle’s flushed face that he’d been getting busy with Kiera.

She confirmed it when he saw her buttoning up her blouse.

“As a matter of fact, you are. You could have phoned to let me know you were coming.”

“I did, several times, but you didn’t answer your phone.”

“I must have turned off my phone. Well, since you’re here, you might as well sit down and tell us what you want.”

Roy ambled over to Kiera, wrapping her in a comforting hug. “I hate to bother you, but I’ve got a few more questions. I also brought some photos for you to look at.”

He took a seat, waiting for Kyle to join them.

Kyle filled glasses for everyone and settled next to Kiera.

Roy pulled out a large brown envelope, revealing several pictures. “Do you recognize any of these people?”

Her hands trembled as she took the photos. “This woman helped clean me up,” she said, returning a photo of a sturdy woman in her late forties.

“This was the other one, and these two men brought me here,” she added, handing Roy those photos as well.

“And these girls?” Roy asked, giving her more pictures.

She studied four girls, then handed one back to him.

“This girl was in the cage next to mine. She was so young, maybe sixteen. But in this picture, with all the makeup and her outfit, she could pass for twenty.”

“Where did these pictures come from?” Kyle asked, also examining them.

“We’ve been combing the area around a seafood processing factory for the past week. It fits the timeline Kiera gave us for the drive from where she was to here.”

He turned to Kiera. “It’s lucky that guy rolled down his window and you remembered the smell. I had no idea there was a factory out there.

“We found a house—an old mansion, really—in the woods. It’s seen better days.”

“So you found the bastards. Why aren’t they in custody?” Kyle asked, frustration creeping into his voice.

“It’s not that simple. We’re watching the place, but nothing suspicious is happening that we can see.

“Now that Kiera has identified this girl, though, we can get a search warrant. It’ll take a couple of days, so hang tight.”

Kyle took Kiera’s hand. “So once you find the room where they’re keeping the women, you can arrest them and she’ll be safe, right?”

“If all goes well, yes.” He turned back to Kiera. “I have one more picture to show you. Have you ever seen this man before?”

He handed her a photo of a man in his early thirties, tall with dark hair. His clothes suggested wealth.

“Oh my God,” she gasped. Her face drained of color and she began to shake. “That’s Charlie.”

Kyle whipped his head toward her. “Charlie? Your ex?”

She nodded. “Yes, Charlie Richards.”

She turned to Roy. “I was homeless, and he helped me. We became a couple. But then he kicked me out when I wouldn’t agree to a threesome.

“What does he have to do with all of this?”

“We’re not sure yet, but he was seen entering that house and leaving an hour later. We’ve been watching him, but his background check didn’t reveal much.

“Do you know what he does for a living?”

“He told me he was a traveling salesman. He was gone a lot, sometimes for two days at a time.”

“He lives pretty high for a salesman. And he drives a Porsche.”

“I never questioned him about his job. I was just so grateful that he took me in and seemed to care about me.

“He was so kind at first. I was young and naïve. I didn’t understand the dangers of living on the streets or the risk of being forced into sex slavery.”

“Didn’t you have some guys trying to hire a girl from the kitten site?” Kyle asked.

“They tried, but they haven’t been accepted yet.”

Kyle shook his head. He’d hoped that plan would have led somewhere.

Roy rubbed his temple. “Hundreds of young girls go missing worldwide. Most are runaways who end up on the street.

“They’re easy prey for men who promise them a better life. They give them clothes, food, and shelter. Once they gain their trust, they force them into the sex trade.

“Scared and young, they have no choice but to comply. But with your help, we can at least shut down this ring.”

“So what’s next?” Kyle asked.

“As soon as we get the search warrant, we’ll search the house thoroughly. If the girls are there, we’ll rescue them and arrest the culprits.

“In the meantime, we’ll keep watching the place. I’ll also look into this Charlie guy. I’ll bring him in for questioning. For now, just lay low.”

They stood as he did. “Keep us posted,” Kyle said, walking Roy to the door.

Kiera moved to the window, staring out. She felt Kyle’s arms wrap around her waist, and she leaned back against his chest.

“I’m scared,” she admitted, tears welling in her eyes.

“You’re safe with me.”

She turned to face him. “Charlie must be involved, and to think I lost my virginity to him. I feel so used, so dirty. How can you stand to touch me?”

He cradled her face in his hands. “You were one of his victims, probably one of many. I love you. Nothing you did or didn’t do could ever change that.”

He held her close, wanting to shield her from the world.

“I remember a girl I met when I was homeless. She ran away from home because she didn’t like her parents’ rules.

“She couldn’t have been more than sixteen, and she started selling herself to afford food. Then one day she vanished. I never saw her again.

“Why can’t these girls see that their parents set rules to protect them? My situation was different. My mother died, and I couldn’t afford rent.

“But I never sold myself, even though I was forced into this sex kitten role.”

“I know, sweetheart. And every morning, I thank God that you ended up with me first. If Roy can rescue those girls, that’s a few lives saved. Maybe they’ll find their way back home.”

“I’m just so tired. This is becoming too much to bear,” she confessed, tears streaming down her face as he held her close.

He scooped her up in his arms and carried her to their bed. They undressed and lay down together.

He didn’t make a move on her. He just held her close, his hand gently stroking her back, whispering words of comfort, promising her that everything would be okay.