Run To You: The Damaged Series - Book Four

by Shayne McClendon

  Nina felt everything inside her still.

  Rowan frowned. “Are you alright, Miss Jeffries?”

  “No, child. I haven’t been for a while now. Always had trouble with the blood pressure, you know?” She chuckled. “Couldn’t give up the biscuits and gravy, refused to stop drinkin’ my sweet tea. Got the diabetes and kept right on. I’m a stubborn old fool like that.”

  Nina went to perch on the arm of her chair and Rowan knelt on the floor by Miss Jeffries’ feet.

  She patted them. “Few years ago, I had some tumors that had to be removed. Seems they came back bigger and stronger this time.” She sighed. “Doc is talkin’ ‘bout chemotherapy and such but...I don’t want that.”

  “No…” Rowan started crying.

  “Listen to me, honey. Listen. I’ve lived on the Earth for eighty-one years. I’ve made mistakes but I’ve done a lot right, too. You two, you’re proof of that. I’m old and I’m tired. Real tired. Those little twins were my last girls. I wanted to see them safe and settled.”

  Rowan whispered urgently, “Medicine is incredibly advanced now…we’ll find the best doctors. It’s not too late.”

  “No, Rowan. They’re gonna bring in folks to help me. They’ll see me through the end of it right here in the house I grew up in, the house seen so many girls’ smilin’ faces over the years and soaked up more than a few of their tears. I’ll have a little morphine drip I hope the Lord forgives me for usin’. The pain is gettin’ bad.”

  Nina asked softly, “How long?”

  “Couple months. Maybe less. Bein’ honest, I hope it’s less.”

  Rowan glanced at the children and back to Miss Jeffries. “Don’t give up. We need you.”

  “Sweet girl.” A wrinkled hand cupped Rowan’s face. “You two got each other, got your men, got your babies. You might want me, but you don’t need me.”

  “P-please…”

  “Rowan.” She met Nina’s eyes. “This is Miss Jeffries’ choice. We have to respect it. We’ll make it as good, as painless, as we can. Be with her every step of the way.” She paused and whispered, “Alright?”

  After a long moment, Rowan nodded. “Alright.” Then she rested her face on Miss Jeffries’ lap and wept softly.

  Nina fought to keep from breaking.

  Finally, Rowan stood and whispered. “First things first...no more pain.” Turning, she called her assistant. Mary-Margaret joined them with a serious expression. “You already knew.”

  “Olivia wanted to tell you herself.” Bending, she patted Miss Jeffries’ hand. “I agreed as long as it didn’t drag out too long. She’s hurting badly.” Straightening, she cleared her throat. “I’ve already arranged for a medical team. They’ll be here after we take the children home.”

  “I don’t want a big fuss.” Miss Jeffries closed her eyes. “Just say a prayer and let me go.”

  “I…” Rowan broke and walked rapidly to the front porch so she didn’t frighten the kids.

  Nina joined her, pulled her close, and hugged her tight. “We’ll make the biggest damn fuss.” Rowan nodded, shaking as she cried. “Dry it up for now, girl. Look at me.” Leaning back, Nina ordered, “We have to be strong...like she’s always been for us.”

  Wiping her face, Rowan took several deep breaths. “You’re right. Okay, okay.” She shook out her hands. “Let me call Gage.”

  By sundown, Miss Jeffries’ bedroom had been converted to a hospital room. Her quilt still covered the bed. The first time the nurse injected her with morphine, tension no one had noticed gradually building seemed to deflate her slightly as it turned her loose.

  Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes. “Thank you, Lord. Thank you.”

  The next weeks were spent with women visiting from all over the country. Girls who’d passed through Miss Jeffries’ care and made it. Rowan’s organization tracked them down and flew them in.

  More than forty in all.

  Most of them left in tears, ashamed of falling out of touch with the woman who rescued them when no one else cared. Every single one brought a photo of them in their new life as Rowan had requested.

  Twenty-six days after sharing her news, Miss Jeffries asked the nurse to call Rowan and Nina to her side. They left the children with their fathers and went to her.

  When they entered the room and went to either side of the bed, she smiled. Her voice was weak. She’d dropped weight rapidly. Her blood pressure was too low.

  Still, she smiled.

  “Thank you for what you did. Bringin’ all those girls to see me. It feels good to know at least half of them made it. That’s not a bad success rate.”

  “No, ma’am,” Rowan said through her tears. They each held one of her hands.

  “In the bottom drawer of my dresser, I have things for your sweet children. I left my house to you, Nina. If wildness takes you and you burn it down, I won’t blame you.” She chuckled weakly. “I was always secretly fascinated by the jungle cat pacing inside you. Tried to tame her but...some things should never be tamed. You roar through your life and don’t let nobody take you for granted.”

  Turning to look at Rowan, she said, “When I was a young woman, I received an engagement ring from the only man I ever loved. Like your lost memories, most of mine are faded from that time...but I never forgot the love. I left you the ring so you never forget either. Keep my Bible with all the names of the girls inside. Someone should remember they existed. I’ll take my worn copy with me.”

  Her hands were frail as she squeezed theirs. “I’m ready to have a little sit-down with the Lord. Been doin’ a lot of thinkin’ about things. Too many broken, bleedin’, hurtin’ children at the mercy of monsters and I have some words.” She seemed to struggle to inhale. “I sure love you girls. Sure do. Ain’t never cheered for nobody in my life like I cheered for you two. Bright and kind.”

  “I love you, too,” Rowan managed.

  “So much love for you, Miss Jeffries.”

  “I-I did what I could. Somebody…” her voice trailed off and the nurse moved closer. “It’s somebody else’s turn now. Love you, love…”

  The breath left her in a long whisper.

  Then Miss Jeffries was gone.

  Nina kissed the back of her hand, tucked it under the quilt, and walked around to catch Rowan before she fell.

  They sat together in the living room, holding hands tightly as the funeral home came to collect the outer shell of someone who was larger than life and stronger than most men.

  They held a memorial and it seemed most of the town came to pay their respects. For a woman who’d never married or had children of her own, she’d sunk roots to the bedrock.

  The world was darker without her.

  Chapter Twenty

  2006 - Age 29

  Picking her girls up from school one day, Nina was approaching the turn toward their home when bullets riddled the SUV from the wooded area at the four-way.

  The armored SUV was a gift from Rowan.

  As her 8-year-old daughters screamed in the backseat, Nina took the turn hard and gripped the wheel in white-knuckled fists as the vehicle rocked violently before settling.

  Pedal to the floor, she removed one hand to call her husband.

  He picked up on the first ring and she yelled, “Shots fired. Get everyone inside! We’re coming in hot.”

  By the time she approached the gate to Gage’s place, there were heavily armed men waiting to wave her through. As she slammed to a stop, a cloud of dust blew around the vehicle.

  James and Gage opened the rear doors to unbuckle the twins and pick them up. Nina ran beside them with her drawn weapon pointed at the ground.

  A gift from her man on their wedding day.

  Rowan held Benji while standing beside Mary-Margaret in the grand foyer, but Nina couldn’t talk to anyone or deal with anything until she made sure her daughters were alright.

  Engaging the safety on her gun, she tucked it in the back of her jeans and went to her knees to look them over.

/>   Satisfied they were shaken but uninjured, she wrapped her arms around their waists. “Girls breathe with me. Ava, you’re so good at this. Breathe with me and help Emma. Help your sister, honey.”

  It didn’t seem real to have her daughters so terrified with pigtails in their hair and cartoon characters on their t-shirts. Emma’s breath stuttered from her lips.

  James lowered beside Nina to help. “Everything is okay now,” he said gently. “You’re safe.”

  “Slow. Steady. That’s it. Deep breath in...”

  It took a few minutes but the twins finally calmed. They gripped Nina as hard as they could and James hugged all three of them.

  He leaned back and smiled. “You’re safe with Mommy. She doesn’t even get scared.”

  “She could have died…”

  “We wouldn’t have a mommy anymore…”

  “Your mom is smart. She thinks fast. There are bad people in the world but they don’t have a chance against her.”

  “Do you promise?”

  “We won’t lose her…?”

  Nina said quickly, “Let’s get you something to eat and you can play with Benji in Miss Rowan’s office. Doesn’t that sound nice?”

  They nodded.

  Nina and James each picked up one of their children and held them too tightly as Mary-Margaret made them a snack - chatting silliness while she trembled.

  Benji was an almost three-year-old with an incredible balance to him that was hard to reconcile with his age. He stood between the sisters while they ate cookies with shaking hands. The little boy patted their shoulders.

  “They’ll keep us safe. Wanna train with me?”

  Ava sniffed and scrubbed at her face. “T-train in what, Benji?”

  “Uncle James trains me for an hour every day. When you don’t have school, you could train with me.” He shrugged. “It’s fun. I love it.”

  Turning to look at their father, Emma asked, “Can we, Dad?”

  “Yes, honey. We’ll go through some things tonight. I’ve been training Mommy for two years...she can help.”

  Ava and Emma shared a look and said simultaneously, “Then we can protect Mommy.”

  Nina knelt in front of the kids. “No. No, you don’t have to worry about me. It’s our job to protect you. Benji is learning to protect himself for when he grows up and it’s a good skill to have. You’re safe. We’ll always keep you safe.”

  Ava nodded sagely. “You’d kill them...”

  “Before you let anyone hurt us,” Emma added.

  Nina swallowed hard, uncertain how to respond.

  It was Rowan who saved the situation. “Your mommy and daddy are like lions. No one hurts their cubs. No matter what it takes, they’ll protect you. I think you’ll have fun training with Benji. He loves it and the two of you are so clever...such fast learners.”

  The twins nodded. “They look like lions. You and Uncle Gage look like wolves.”

  Rowan laughed and Nina loved her ability to do it. “I’ve always been a fan of wolves. Will you three hang out with Mary-Margaret while we talk?”

  They nodded and Rowan’s assistant escorted the children to her fortified office and closed the door.

  When they were out of earshot, Nina explained their trouble on the road. She looked at James. “Never make an unkeepable promise to them. You can’t swear those girls won’t lose me…”

  Grabbing her in his arms, he growled, “Watch me.”

  Gage said quietly from where he stood with his arm around Rowan, “All the bullets were in the driver’s side window and in a tight circle in the windshield. You were the target, Nina.”

  Closing her eyes, she opened them and stared at James. “I knew they’d come one day. I can’t stay here. You know I can’t. It isn’t safe for Rowan or…”

  “The hell you say!” her friend shouted. “You’re not going anywhere so stop with that bullshit right now.”

  Looking into Rowan’s big blue eyes, Nina whispered, “You need to know everything. Once you do, you might just pack my shit yourself.”

  James’ arms tightened. “Nina…”

  “No. All the cards on the table. They could have killed my little girls. Our children, James. Those girls would have been acceptable collateral damage to those people...or worse. This is big country out here. Lots of ways for people to approach and plenty of open land to sight a target at long distance.”

  She sighed. “Rowan can’t stay here. She spends so much time outside with Benji, and Gage is always on his horse.” She shook her head. “You need to stop thinking about me, about how much Rowan loves it here, and think as her bodyguard, James. You know I’m right...you know it.”

  He held her face to his chest. “These motherfucking monsters. As if they didn’t take enough from you.” To Rowan, he said, “You need to return to the estate temporarily. I’ll pull in additional security. I’m going to need some time off…”

  Nina grabbed the front of his shirt. “You’re not going after them! You can’t!”

  “I’ll hunt them and kill them all, Nina.” She started to speak and he cut her off. “Listen to me, sweetheart. You and Rowan were tied together from the very beginning. In ways you don’t understand. The threat to her is the same. It isn’t just you. It’s both of you.”

  “James…”

  “It took more than a year to find the first breadcrumb based on what you told me. A year, Nina. Rowan was ten when she was found wandering the streets of Dallas. There was no record of her birth. She never attended a normal school.”

  Rowan walked to stand beside them. Softly, she asked, “What are you talking about James?”

  Nina closed her eyes. “I met you once...before I came here. You didn’t remember me. You didn’t remember anything.”

  “N-Nina…?”

  She pulled from James’ arms. “When we were ten, two years before I got out of the car at Miss Jeffries’ house, we met. We knew each other for four minutes. You didn’t tell me your name.” In stilted stops and starts, Nina told Rowan the story of that day in Dallas nineteen years before. “You didn’t remember and I-I hated myself but...I kept the secret.”

  Clearing her throat, she stared at the floor. “I knew you were safer here, with Miss Jeffries, than with the person you were running from. The man you said was your father.”

  Rowan swayed and Gage held her shoulders. “There’s never even been a flicker…”

  “The guy - one of the ones who held me - he hit you so hard, Rowan. For two years, I thought you were dead.” Lifting her eyes, she stared into her best friend’s. “You weren’t.”

  “I’m so confused,” Rowan murmured.

  James told her, “When Nina told me, I started trying to trace where you’d run from. She was so young at the time; she didn’t remember street names or the neighborhood where they attempted to take you. I took what she did remember and finally pieced together the general area. I got copies of the police report and your medical records. I needed to know everything to protect you.”

  Frowning, she asked, “You know who I am?”

  “No, Rowan. I’m sorry. It was an incredible coincidence that the people with Nina chose you as their next target on a whim.” He took a deep breath. “The man I believe was your father was the long-time lover of the woman who ran the sex trafficking ring that held Nina.”

  “He knew there were ch-children…?”

  “I suspect he took a liking to one of the older girls and...claimed her. She would have been gone by the time Nina was brought in. She gave birth to you and - based on what you said to Nina - was killed when you were young. I can’t find a trace of her. Not even her name.”

  Rowan put her hand over her mouth. “M-my mother went through wh-what Nina went through?”

  James nodded. “Based on the habits of the monsters who held them, I think your mother would have only been thirteen or fourteen when you were born. Two weeks ago, I tracked down the midwife who delivered you in secret.”

  He looked at Nina. “I think
that’s why you were targeted today, sweetheart. I put the woman in a safe house. She’s been horribly disfigured, threatened repeatedly, to keep her silence about the children she’s brought into the world for Rowan’s biological father.”

  “There are...others?” Tears tracked down Rowan’s cheeks.

  “Yes. Learning their identities is almost impossible since they’re conceived, delivered, and raised in complete isolation. I know at least one was sold into slavery. Another was killed. Two certainly survived but they’re off the radar.” Nina could tell he chose his next words carefully. “The man I believe is your father is incredibly dangerous, Rowan. If there’s even the slightest chance he could have learned who you are, I must protect you and Benji.”

  Rowan walked several feet away to look through the window to the idyllic backyard of the Chambers’ house.

  “I always knew this moment would come. The sundress I was wearing the day I was found was worth hundreds of dollars. My nails and toenails had been professionally done. I wasn’t homeless or neglected. Wherever I’d lived, there was money.” She shook her head. “Legitimate people with money would spend it to find their child. The police went door to door in a ten-mile radius from where I was found. They showed my photo, explained my injuries. No one came forward.”

  She turned to face them. “Now, I understand why. It would have been impossible to explain my existence without creating far more questions and probing that might have led to the discovery of the monstrous things my father was involved in.” Rubbing her temple, she whispered, “Damn it.”

  “I’m sorry, Rowan,” Nina said quietly.

  “Oh, Nina. So much more makes sense now.” She came to stand in front of her. “I’ve never asked about the details of your life before coming here. I could sense the pain of it and suspected some...but never that level of horror. How strong you are - how resilient. I-I’m confused, shaken, but now I realize why you’ve always guarded me so fiercely...and why you didn’t want to let me go.”

  Gathering Nina in a hug, she said at her ear, “It’s my turn to keep you safe. Bennett once told me that giving him a little piece of my life would change the course of it...and he was right. The resources he left me are endless, Nina. I’ll use them to protect you, your children, and your husband. Trust me.”