Page 5 of Grayson

“I’m not sure you need us at all,” said Grayson. He walked toward the nun, holding out a hand. She reached for his massive paw, her own tiny hand shaking from the adrenalin rush. “That’s quite a blade you have.”

“It should be familiar to you,” she whispered, looking down. He frowned, his brows knit across his forehead, lines and wrinkles deepening. He touched her chin, tilting her head upright, staring at the dark almond shaped eyes.

Her wimple had been torn off, the cascade of jet-black hair falling nearly to her waist. He turned slightly to allow the light of the fire to shine on her without shadow. Gasping, he stepped back.

“Sgt. Major? You okay?”

He shook his head, the beautiful young woman still staring up at him. She gave a pained smile, the corners of her mouth bleeding from the hits she’d taken. There was a bruise across her cheekbone, her hands cut and bruised. He finally caught his breath. He finally realized who he’d saved.

“Jennifer fucking Sculler.”

CHAPTER FOUR

“Sgt. Major, you know this woman?” asked one of the men.

“Fuck yes, I know her. Take care of the others. I need to speak with her,” he said gripping her wrist and pulling.

“Don’t hurt Sister Irene!” yelled a boy. Grayson turned to stare at her.

“Sister Irene?” he frowned.

“Ouch,” she whispered.

He stopped, looking down at the raw marks on her wrist. He wasn’t sure where to touch, where to avoid, so he did what seemed natural, he lifted her and carried her out of the cave. In the cool night air, the moonlight shining down on them both, he stared at her familiar face.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” he grumbled.

“Well, I was waiting for Door Dash with my takeout order,” she smirked.

“This isn’t fucking funny, Jennifer. Do Moose and Erica know that you’re here?”

“No. I mean, yes, and no. It’s not what it looks like, Grayson. I work for an agency that stops the trafficking of women and children. I’m obviously not a nun. It didn’t start out this way but, but something changed.” She looked away from him and his frowned deepened, if that were possible.

“What changed?” he growled.

“The priest that was with us, he was selling the women and children. He gave us up. But that’s not all.”

“Tell me,” he said gripping her shoulders. She hissed through her teeth and he frowned.

“I’m bruised everywhere, Grayson. Could you maybe use those big hands to bandage me?” He nodded, pushing her toward a rock near the cave opening. Immediately, he began cleaning and bandaging her wounds.

“Talk while I do this.”

“Six years ago when I came to France for college I was attacked.” He stared up at her with a fierce expression.

“What? And you didn’t tell us?”

“Grayson. Focus. My friends and I went to a club, the thing stupid college kids do. I left the club. I was uncomfortable. I was followed, dragged into an alley, beaten and raped.” She said it as if she were reading a story line from a novel. No emotion.

“Jennifer,” he whispered.

“I’m good now. I did get counseling, mostly from the Sisters in there. I knew that there was something else happening and the Sisters knew it as well. A few months ago, a new priest arrived, Father Kyle.”

“Father Kyle? That seems an odd name for a priest,” he said taping the wrist.

“It is. Something was off from the start and the Sisters knew it as well. When the soldiers came into the village four nights ago, we ran. He told us to hide behind a boulder. A very obvious bolder.

“He then gave us to those men at the bottom of the mountain.” Grayson stared at her, the marks on her face doing nothing to hide the exotic beauty. “He was one of the men that raped me, Grayson. I always felt like there was something familiar about him. I didn’t realize it until it was too late.”