Page 119 of The Ashes of Summer

"She spent time at the Ridge."

"Oh my God," she whispers. "I knew he had a daughter and I knew she was tied to Jackson, but I didn't know she'd been there."

I nod once, slowly. The silence afterward feels crushing, because now we both know what Harris sacrificed to help her escape.

Not just his life. His daughter's safety too.

Summer lowers her eyes briefly before whispering⁠—

"I still don't know what really happens to women there. I mean, I have an idea, but⁠—"

My chest tightens.

"I don't know either, baby. But one thing's certain. That place will never be used again."

The corner of her lip rises just a bit, and she forces a look of relief, but deep down I know whatever happened there will haunt her for the rest of her life. And I'll do anything, fucking anything, to take it all away from her.

"Harris said his daughter was called Sarah. I swore to myself I'd find her. That I'd help her after Harris risked his life to save me."

"I don't know where she is, Summer," I admit.

And seeing the sadness in her eyes does something to me. She notices and looks to the ground for a long moment.

Then her gaze moves, locking onto mine before she speaks again.

"Jackson took me to the warehouse before we went to the first house."

My stomach drops instantly. "Fuck."

Her eyes meet mine. "The women there…" She swallows hard. "Jacob, it was awful."

Rage burns violently beneath my ribs. She shakes her head slowly like she still can't fully process what she saw.

"I've never seen anything like it. And if Sarah's there⁠—"

I reach for her immediately. "We'll get them out."

Her eyes flick up to mine.

"Now that I have you back," I say firmly, "and Jackson's handled…" The word tastes wrong. He's still breathing. "We'll tear every single one of those places apart."

Emotion floods her face instantly.

"And Harris's daughter?"

I brush my hand carefully through her hair again. "We'll make sure she gets back to her father."

Summer's face crumples slightly at that, because we both know Harris might already be dead but neither of us says it out loud.

The room falls quiet again except for the faint beeping of monitors nearby. Adelaide lingers awkwardly near the doorway like she's trying to decide whether she should leave us alone or stay.

Then her cell comes to life with some hipster trash song that's overplayed on every fucking radio show.

She glances at the screen.

"Oh." Something flashes quickly across her face before she looks toward us. "I need to take this."

She lifts the phone slightly as explanation before stepping back out into the corridor.