“Never say sorry to me.That was a terrifying situation.It’s going to take some time.Don’t expect to bounce back immediately just because we saved you.”
“You did save me.”Her voice is small.
“I would have burned down the entire fucking city,” I rasp, and when Caylee lifts her eyes to mine, I cup her face.“Yes, it was my job, but you’re my girl.”
Her eyes dip, and a sword stabs my heart, telling me my instinct was right.She’s finished with me.If we weren’t in the middle of a crisis right now, Caylee would be ending our relationship.
Well, the fat lady has not fucking sung yet, and I’m not a man who gives up.
“Poor Trinity.”She sniffs as a tear rolls down her cheek.
We stopped in to see her at the hospital on the way out.Her parents were distraught, still talking to the police as Caylee and Trinity hugged.
“It happened to both of you.”
“But I’m an adult.She is just a young girl.How is this going to impact her?God, I hope Brad is hanged for this.What a monster!”Caylee cries.
She doesn’t know the half of it.
I wish I could protect her from it all, but there will be a long road ahead prosecuting him, and she’ll be part of it.
“He is the worst of society.I’m glad they’ve taken him into custody.”
“How long have you known?”Caylee asks, rubbing her temple, processing it all.
“A few weeks.After our first date, I started to piece things together.Something you said triggered my memory of the day near the park.”
I watch as she connects the dots.
“Oh, my god.If you hadn’t, both Trinity and I could be—”
She crumples in my arms.
“It didn’t, baby.It didn’t happen.”
I let her cry, wrapping my arms tight around her.
The next time she speaks, anger has kicked in.“That motherfucking bastard.I want to kill him.How dare he do that to me?To all those girls.We trusted him.”
That-a-girl.
That fury will see her through the grieving process and help her heal.As long as she doesn’t stay angry.
“Yeah, well, someone inside might do that for you.No one likes child traffickers.”I kiss the side of her head.
“Good.I hope he dies.”Caylee wipes her tears away angrily.“I can’t believe that every day I was working alongside that man while he was doing this.”
Guilt.
“You couldn’t know.No one did.These people are broken and clever,” I share.“Don’t waste your time feeling responsible, Caylee.”
“But you knew.”
“It’s my job.I’m trained to know, and I’ve worked on a taskforce specifically targeted to finding these types of people.”
Honestly, finding Brad the way we did was more luck than anything.
Our food arrives and we both nibble and share the food, cutting up the burger but mostly pretending to eat.Even my appetite is crap.
