His eyes widened while one finger on his hand slid across the mark I’d put there myself.
“Why?”
“I didn’t want to live,” I said, meeting his eyes. “These people wouldn’t let me die very easily.”
He tilted his head to the side before dropping his eyes back to the floor. I had a good inkling of what was going through his mind.
“Ready for me to look at that arm?” Collin asked. At his voice, Sage jerked, sitting stiffer if it were possible.
“I’ll be right here,” I promised, scooting over so I’d be right in front of him while Collin grunted and sat down beside me. “He won’t hurt you. He’s never once hurt me.”
Sage’s eyes bounced from me to Collin, to Zevon, then back to me. Whatever he saw, he must have realized that he wouldn’t be getting out of it. After a moment, he let out a slow breath and gave a short, jerky nod.
“Thank you,” Collin said gently. As he began to wipe the cut down with a disinfectant wipe, he talked. “I know you won’t tell me much of anything, least of all right now. But I am a great listener. So are Zevon and Scarlett. And the other man in this house, Dominic. He’s just a bit under the weather at the moment.”
“That’s an understatement,” Zevon muttered.
“How old are you?” I asked, hoping it’d give him something to focus on.
“Twenty,” Sage answered after a moment. “I…I think.”
“I’m eighteen,” I said. “Do you have any family?”
I got a shake of the head.
“Stitches in this aren’t going to really help at this point. Looks like it’s been three to five days since this happened. I’m just going to put butterfly strips on the parts that need it.”
“Are there any other cuts that need looking at?” I asked, glancing over at Zevon. He shook his head.
“Not that I saw.”
“Okay, good,” Collin said, finishing up. “If there are, be sure to let me know.”
“Thanks, Collin,” Zevon said, taking a seat on the bed.
“Of course. That includes you, too.”
“I’m good.”
“I’m gonna go call Ace and let him know what’s happening. And then make some soup for us all to eat tonight.”
Since I knew we’d eaten not that long ago, he was only making food for two people in this house. Well, maybe three. It depended on how Dominic was doing.
He didn’t say anything else before leaving. He patted my shoulder in an understanding way.
“I’m gonna brush your hair, okay?” Zevon said. When he got a nod, he started to brush out the man’s hair gently. “I hate human trafficking. It’s always in the places you’d least expect it. And, as the days go by, it gets worse.” He paused, tampering down his rising emotions. “Did you know that this is what Caesar has been working on for years? He works with the FBI and CBI to stop the sell and trade of humans. Most of the time it’s girls, children. But every once in a while, men are traded like trash, too. These days, the demand is higher and higher.”
“Alan said he was going to sell me,” I said quietly.
“That man will wish he was dead by the time we’re all through with him,” Zevon said darkly. “He’d better hope I’m not the first one to him.”
“What are you going to do now?” I asked, referring to Sage.
“I’ve been known to bring in strays,” Zevon shrugged. “I’m going to do whatever I can to help him.”
Just like what they were all doing for me.
As the sun began to set that night, I made my way through the mostly quiet house. Collin was sitting at the table with his laptop open, typing away. His quick stew was already put away after giving a couple of bowls to Zevon and Sage. I knew Dominic was in the shower, trying to wash away the sweat that coated his skin.
