“I’m so sorry,” I whispered as I stroked my hand mindlessly through her hair.
We watched helplessly as they destroyed her mattress, pulling out the fucking stuffing. They smashed her television. Crashed her windows. Pulled out dishes and slammed them onto the ground. They weren’t just looking for something, they were sending a message.
Jasmine’s sobs soaked my shirt, and an anger unlike anything I’d ever experienced bled through my veins.
Well, I experienced it one other time.
But I didn’t want to think about that.
“No-o-o-o-oooo,” she sobbed out as her legs finally collapsed from beneath her altogether.
It didn’t matter, though.
I just held her to me and pressed my lips to the shell of her ear. “Things can be replaced. The point is, you’re safe here. No one is getting to you here, not on my watch.”
“My ho-o-o-ooome,” she sobbed out as she turned into me.
I wrapped my arms around her while her fists clenched down against my shirt. I settled my chin on top of her head and watched every single movement those assholes made in her place. They didn’t have a fucking clue the cameras were there.I knew that because they hadn’t gone for them yet. And when I was good, I was good.
They’d never find those cameras.
“Tell me you’re recording this,” Cap said.
“Every second,” I muttered.
I slid my hand up and down Jasmine’s back while threading my other hand through her hair. Somehow I got us sat down and I pulled her into my lap while we continued to watch. We watched them take food out and smash it onto the ground. We watched as they tipped her couch up, ripping into the cushions and digging out the stuffing. But eventually, the men started getting angry before they all looked at one another and took off running.
Fucking hell, I was springing for the goddamn microphones next time.
“Wh-wh-wh—what is h-h-h-h—appen—ing?” Jasmine choked out.
“I don’t know,” I muttered as Cap turned around and stormed out of my room. “But I swear to you with everything that I am, I’ll figure it out. And I’ll make sure your stuff is replaced.”
16
JASMINE
My life was in upheaval.
Again.
I hated it when I wasn’t in control. I hated it when I convinced myself to splurge on things that I didn’t feel I deserved. It took me so long to convince myself that I was worth that refurbished PlayStation. It took me forever to convince myself that games were a one-time purchase, so therefore, they wouldn’t be a money sink. It took meforeverto find an affordable apartment in that god-forsaken city where I felt both safe as well as at home.
And it was all gone.
Again.
I felt myself moving, but at this point, I didn’t care. If they wanted to kill me, then they’d kill me. At this point, it would be a release. I was so tired of fighting. So tired of crawling out of holes that I didn’t even make. I was so tired of dealing with this darkness that seemed to follow me wherever I went, like a succubus preying on its new feast. But when I felt myself being sat down, I wiped my eyes and realized I was sitting at a table.
With two other women looking at me.
Redheads who sort of looked alike.
“Sorry,” I sniffled as I wiped at my face.
“No sorries necessary,” the redhead with the plump cheeks said.
“Hi!” the other redhead chirped. Her voice sounded a bit familiar. “I’m Ariel. Reid is mine.”
