Blakely glanced around as they took their seats, seeing that the place was mostly empty. She was nervous to tell him about her past. But Jump didn’t seem to have any issues with this man, instead he seemed very encouraging.
She drew in a deep breath then began speaking, telling Wolf about the cult, and how her parents had promised her to Grayson. She told him about the crash and how her father and siblings had died and how she decided to run. Caroline came over at one point and sat across from her. After she finished telling them about Grayson showing up and Jump saving her from Grayson’s beating, Caroline reached out and took her hand.
“I’m glad you found Jump. That Grayson guy sounds like a total jerk. I’m glad you took off and got out of there.”
“Leaving was hard, but also one of the easiest things I’ve ever done.”
“So this man, he’s really after your money then,” Wolf said.
She nodded. “I think so. He doesn’t care about me. He wants the money, and also kids. The Faithful sold more than one baby, and kids were used to either beg for money or sell their bodies. It was a terrible life to grow up in.”
Wolf shook his head. “That sounds awful. He’s the kind of guy who needs to be put in his place.”
Caroline let go a heavy sigh. “It sounds like the cult is full of people who need to be put in their place. I hate that groups like this can operate in the States.”
Their food was delivered, and she made room for them to eat. Growing up they never ate with other families, not like this. They might have met after some religious event and the men were allowed to sit and eat, but the women and children had to servethe men. If the kids were old enough and not cooking with the women, they were entertaining the younger kids.
“It’s funny, in The Faithful, women weren’t allowed to eat at the same table as the men. When I first escaped, I sat and watched people eat food together. It still amazes me at times when I see couples eating together like you are.”
“That is just freaking bizarre,” Wolf said.
“They were an odd group. It has been two years of reprogramming myself, and I still have a moment when I can’t believe this is real life.”
Caroline set her fork down and smiled at her. “I think you’re doing great. I’m proud of you for leaving and making a life for yourself.”
Caroline’s words hit her hard. Few people had ever said they were proud of her. “Thank you,” she squeaked out.
Jump squeezed her knee. “You are doing great. What you went through was tough. You’re a survivor.”
His words brought warmth, and she reached over, putting her hand on his leg. “Thank you. Life just keeps getting better and better. I’ve had few friends, but I think your friends are great. And I can’t wait to get to know everyone better.”
When Grayson had shown up and threatened her in her apartment, she’d never thought that moment would lead to anything like this. She had a future now, and it seemed very good. Meeting Jump really had been one of the best things to have ever happen to her.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Jump groaned as he rolled over to stop his phone from making noise. It was three in the morning, which meant something terrible was going on.
To get moving, Jump did four burpees before pulling on his clothes. He grabbed a breakfast sandwich and popped it into the microwave while his coffee brewed.
He needed to write a note for Blakely. He hated leaving her, but this was the reality of his life. When he showed up at base, he wasn’t really surprised to see Kevlar’s team walking into the building, too. It was weird doing a mission with Wave gone, but having the guys on Kevlar’s team going in with them would be great.
“Hey, Jump,” Preacher said.
“Good morning.”
Preacher chuckled. “Yeah, right?”
He shrugged. “Probably better than tomorrow.”
“True that.”
“I guess we’re about to figure out how tomorrow will be.”
T came in, his smile wide. “Who’s ready for some fun?”
Jump patted him on the back. “I’m ready for more coffee.”
“Oh baby, more coffee. Talk dirty to me.”
