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“That was when Sovereign Sanctum was born.”
SS.
I felt the burn of the imprint on the back of his hand where he had his palms gripping my cheeks.
“What exactly does that mean?” The words wobbled.
“Means I didn’t stop after that. It became my purpose. My sole reason for living. Getting the vulnerable to safety. Setting them up and giving them new lives.”
Shock tore through me, and the question shook. “All of you…that’s what you do?”
My brother and his friends are exactly who you should turn to if you’re in trouble.
Raven’s encouragement from that day flashed through my thoughts.
“Yes. Each of us has different responsibilities. Kane funnels the money where we need it, Theo temporarily shelters them at his motel until we can get them moved to their new homes, Cash creates new identities for them, and Otto gets them to where they’re going to be.”
My eyes searched the grave lines of his face. “And what’s yours?”
I somehow already knew what his answer would be.
“I get them out. By whatever means necessary.”
He didn’t need to say what was clearly implied.
He killed whoever tried to stop them.
The air wheezed from my lungs, words locked, uncertainty unending.
He gripped me even tighter, drawing me toward him an inch. “Say something. Please fucking say something.”
I blinked through the reservations and doubt. “I’m terrified.” It choked out of me, and he started to pull away, only I dragged him back by the shirt. “I’m terrified and awed.”
A frown curled his brow. “You should be disgusted.”
“How could I be?” Maybe I was all wrong. It wasn’t like I didn’t know his actions were criminal. But even if I hadn’t met him and I read about what he and his friends did? I think I would…understand it. Secretly applaud it. Because if you were exposed to the type of depravity they worked to save the vulnerable from? You understood saving them was worth it. Understood going beyond the laws that had been set to offer a justice that would rarely otherwise be found.
It seemed insane that I had tried myself. Tried to fight for what was right.
Only, I’d failed and had lost everything.
At that time, I would have given anything for someone like him. For someone to have helped me. Guided me.
My hand slipped up and splayed over the booming of his heart. “I told you I recognized what was here. Recognized who you are. Andmaybe that’s why I was drawn to you to begin with. Because I’m no different than any of those women and children you’ve helped, and I knew, even though there was a part of me that was terrified of you, that I’d be safe with you.”
River curled his hand over mine that remained on his chest. “We don’t let anyone in, Charleigh. Because the more people who know what we do the likelier it is we’re going to get caught. Because what we do is dangerous. Because of things like what happened tonight. Because of a thousand reasons.”
His hand cinched down. “I’m not supposed to keep you, but I don’t know how to let you go.”
“Then don’t.”
He groaned as if my words caused him physical pain, then his hands were in my hair and his mouth was on mine.
His kiss was crushing.
Bruising.
Desperate in its demand.
