Bruiser leaned over and kissed the faint webbing of lines on her neck. "No, it's not strange. They aren't marks of your captivity; they are proof of your strength. You overcame insurmountable odds when most people would have curled up and died. Own them, honey. Not many get to wear their courage for the entire world to see."
"It helps when I give lectures. People can see proof of trafficking right there. But, if it saves one person's life or gets one more trafficker out of commission, then it's worth it. I want to stand there one day and see every one of those men at that party behind bars. I want to see them as they realize their freedom is gone; that they are the ones in a cage. Maybe that makes me messed up." She chuckled.
"What you and the others went through is enough to mess anyone up. You were tortured, humiliated, and would have been raped. That is a lot for anyone to get over. Hell, honey, I know SEALs that would have buckled under the pressure you, Mishi, Catori and Rana went through." He hesitated a moment. "Have you talked to them?"
She took a sip from her glass of red wine. "Mishi and I talk at least every other day either by telephone or in texts. She was taken when she was just twelve years old. While she was away, her parents died, which makes her depressed. Plus, she's having a hard time coping with her freedom. Eleven years in captivity, but she didn't break. That's real strength. Ara found a survivor's therapy group in Minneapolis for her. She's slowly getting better, or at least I think she is. Catori returned to her family in Nevada, but from what Mishi told me, she's not adapting well. Her brother had her committed for her own safety. She's tried to take her life twice."
Bruiser wrapped his arm around Olivia and squeezed gently. "I'm sorry, honey. I know you want to help her."
"I do, but there's nothing I can do. I thought she had survived captivity bent but not broken like Mishi." She sighed heavily. "He broke her. I don't know if anyone can put the pieces back together or not."
They sat in silence as the patrons of the Institute browsed the various offerings of the student show.
"What about Rana?"
She shrugged. "Who knows? She disappeared the minute she stepped off the airplane in Houston. Nobody knows who her family is or where she was from. I don’t even know her last name, or I’d ask Digger.”
"Ask Digger what?"
A tall man with a beautiful woman stopped at the table. He was muscular but not as tall as Bruiser. He wore his dark hair long to cover the twisted flesh of a burn scar on one side of his face. He pushed a pair of dark, horn-rimmed glasses up on his nose and held his hand out. Standing up, Bruiser shook hands with him.
"I wasn't sure you were going to make it," Olivia said. "I'm so glad you did. Jayden will be excited to see you." She loved how close Jayden had gotten to the information technician who was instrumental to her rescue. Discovering Digger enjoyed drawing as well had cemented their friendship.
"Well, since I live nearby and my buddy had his first show, I had to be here, didn't I? Bruiser, Livy, this is Demma St. John. Demma, Bruiser and Livy." Digger introduced them.
Livy knew who Demma St. John was. Anyone who had watched a movie in the past three years should know her. The gorgeous starlet wore a simple pantsuit of tan and red with her long blonde hair up in a simple ponytail. She was unassuming and did not fit the stereotypical persona of a pampered A-lister. Instead of looking down her nose at Livy and Bruiser, she smiled broadly and greeted them warmly.
"Nice to meet you."
"Yeah, everyone is tickled to meet each other. Now, ask me what?" Digger repeated as he dropped into one of the chairs and pulled Demma into his lap. She squeaked but settled down and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"We were talking about Rana," Olivia answered.
"Off the grid. I tried everything I could, but she's nowhere to be found." He shrugged.
"Don't sweat it. Digger, you are the reason we have Olivia back. There's no way we could have done this without you. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, thank you."
An uncomfortable darkening crept up his neck and swallowed his heavily scarred face. He coughed and looked away, embarrassed. "I'm no John Keegan, but I do alright, I suppose."
"You do wonderfully, Ryker," Demma purred. "You know he saved my life?"
Olivia blinked. "No, I hadn't heard that. When? Where?"
Demma smiled gently as her fingers caressed the side of Digger's neck, carefully avoiding the heavy scars. "That's his story to tell." Leaning forward, she snatched two glasses of red wine from a passing waiter. "A toast."
Olivia and Bruiser lifted their glasses. "What are we toasting?"
Demma grinned, "Team Cerberus. Protectors of the weak, bad-ass soldiers, and hot alpha males."
"Here, here," Olivia chimed in and raised her glass.
From beside her, Bruiser choked on his drink. "Team what?" he said between coughing fits.
"Cerberus. You know, the three headed dog that protected the underworld." Demma winked. "Kick-ass team needs a kick-ass name. Since all the members aren't in the SEALs anymore, you needed a team name." She shrugged.
Digger and Bruiser looked at each other and shrugged. "To Team Cerberus," they intoned together then tossed back their drinks.
Bruiser smiled and pulled Olivia closer. Yes, they had been through hell, but it had made their relationship stronger. Squeezing her tighter, he thought about the box in his pocket. They would talk once Jayden was back in his dorm room and they were home in San Diego. He had made a promise to solidify their relationship, and he was taking that step tonight. Olivia was his, and he wasn't taking any chances of losing her again.
"I love you," he whispered against her neck before placing a kiss there.
"I love you, too," she returned and snuggled into his side.
His woman was strong, and he was so proud of her. Strong, fierce and independent. She had survived her mother's inattention, a pimp's infatuation, and being sold into slavery.
Bruiser thought about the trip and how his team had not hesitated in supporting him. When he needed them most, they had been there for him. Even River had come through, along with his wife, Joselyn. Digger. That's what family was all about. His team and his lady. He would do anything for them; go anywhere he was needed and always be there for them. He watched his lady as she talked with Demma, making idle conversation about the various paintings exhibited on the wall. It was amazing what one would do for love, and he loved her fiercely. Nothing would ever be too much when it came to Olivia’s happiness. He chuckled to himself. He had proven that when he went all the way to Suriname to save her. He had been ready to swoop in and rescue her from whatever horrors she was enduring. However, in the end, he and his team of kick-ass alpha male SEALs had been her support.
Olivia. His beautiful, strong, brave Olivia had saved herself.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Melissa was born in Tupelo, Mississippi and raised in Houlka, a small rural town forty-five minutes southwest down the famous Natchez Trace. She found a love of reading very early and quickly devoured everything she could. In the fourth grade she discovered a multitude of worlds when she received her first library card. Told repeatedly that she had a wonderful imagination, she turned to scribbling her musings and wrote her first novel while in college. It was never published and has since vanished. The death of a close friend who aspired to become an author reawaked her own desire resulting in penning her first book, Shattered Dreams, published in 2013.
Melissa now resides in Meridian, Mississippi with her supportive family – husband, Robert and daughter Rebecca, two cats, and two dogs. When she isn't writing, she spends way too much time with her online friends and feeding her ravenous appetite for the written word.
Connect with Melissa:
Webpage: http://www.mkclarke.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Melissakayclarke/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelissaKayClark
Blog: https://melissakayclarke.wordpress.com/
OTHER WORKS
Luna's Ch
ildren
Shattered Dreams
Broken Melody
Lorestone: The Strength Within
The Legacy Reborn
Reclamation
Team Cerberus
Saving Olivia
Rescuing Annabeth - January 2018
Stand Alone
Protecting Joselyn (Team Cerberus 0.5)
Starpower, Inc (September 2017)
Saving Olivia (Team Cereberus Book 1) Page 23