“The truth.” Rogue reached out to touch her hand. “And evidence to show who’s running this operation.”
She tipped her head back, her chin at a stubborn angle. “And then what? You turn me in?”
He gripped her hands and held them steady, but loosely enough she could escape. “Then we expose this operation and the people behind it.”
‘Will it be enough?” she asked, her fingers curling into his.
“If not,” he said, his eyes narrowing, “then we burn the entire operation to the ground.”
She stared into his eyes. “Why should I trust you?”
“Because I sent you the message to avoid the motel. I could’ve let them take you.”
She nodded, her eyes still narrow. “But you didn’t.”
He squeezed her hands. “And you’re here now. I have to assume you’re desperate enough to take a chance.”
“You’re right.” She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again. “It’s been a long time since I’ve trusted anyone.”
He still held her hands, his gaze meeting hers. “I don’t expect you to trust a stranger. But I do want to help.”
She nodded, drew in a breath and let it out slowly.
The door into the kitchen swung open. The waitress backed through, carrying a tray with their food and drinks. “See?” she said as she sailed toward them. “Five minutes after five, on the nose.” She winked at the woman in the booth whose name Rogue still didn’t know. “He wanted to make sure you got here first. Such a considerate man.” She laid the tray on a stand and lifted one of the plates. “Who wants the chicken sandwich and who wants the burger?”
Rogue nodded toward Keira. “Lady’s choice.”
“I’ll take the chicken,” she said.
The waitress set the chicken sandwich and fries in front of Rogue’s guest and the burger in front of him. “Chocolate or Strawberry?”
“Strawberry,” Onyx said.
“A woman who knows what she wants. Gotta love that.” She set the milkshakes, two glasses of water and a bottle of catsup on the table. “Do you need anything else?”
Rogue cocked an eyebrow. “It’s up to my date.”
His “date” shook her head and smiled at the waitress. “I have everything I need. Thank you.”
“I’ll be in the kitchen folding napkins,” the waitress said. “Yell if you need anything.”
After the waitress left, Rogue nodded toward the plate of food. “Eat first. We can talk after.” She was thin and had dark circles beneath her eyes. She probably hadn’t slept or eaten well in the three weeks she’d been on the run.
Onyx ate half of her sandwich and several fries before she sat back with the milkshake in one hand. After she shot a glance toward the kitchen and then out the window, she leaned forward and spoke in a quiet tone. “My name is Keira Davies. I was recruited out of a very bad situation when I was seventeen. The social worker said it was a special program that would teach me skills. If I didn’t choose it, I’d go back into the foster system.” She snorted. “I’d escaped that disaster once and lost my baby sister to monsters. I wasn’t going back there. I chose door number one, the special program. That’s how I became part of Onyx.”
“What exactly is Onyx?” Rogue asked.
“An organization that converts girls...” her eyes narrowed, and her jaw tightened, “...into weapons.”
“Girls?”
She nodded. “I saw some as young as eight, but none older than thirty. Those, like me, who were in their twenties have been in Onyx since they were minors.”
“Children.” Rogue shook his head, his lips pressing tightly together. “Where did they get them?”
“I was brought to the program by a social worker. Others were snatched from the streets outside their schools. Most were from lower-income neighborhoods throughout the country. Many came from abusive homes. Kids with traumatic pasts. Throwaway kids like me.”
Anger burned in Rogue’s chest. “No child is throwaway.”
