Chapter 73: Chapter 4

PENNY

I begin to unpack my belongings at a leisurely pace, deciding to freshen up before the evening sets in. I gather some clothes and step into the bathroom, only to be left in awe. A walk-in shower, a bathtub, and dual sinks, all adorned in pristine white marble—it’s breathtaking.

I realize I don’t have much from my old apartment, but at least I have some bath fizzes left. I start the bath, and as it fills, I quickly undress and slip in, adding some bubbles. Once it’s full, I turn off the tap and just let myself soak, my mind wandering to the unfortunate girls.

I can’t begin to comprehend how we’re going to tackle this problem. What their father did was utterly repulsive, a stark reminder of how our system can fail. I must have lost track of time because when I glance at my fingers, they’re already pruned.

I sit up, drain the water, and step out, slipping into some pj shorts and a tank top. I grab my laptop, intending to research similar cases and the therapeutic approaches used. I’m jotting down notes when there’s a knock at my door.

“Penny, it’s Blair!”

I can’t help but smile and chuckle at his antics. His immediate infatuation with me, treating me like I’m the most incredible thing he’s ever seen, is baffling.

I invite him in, and a group of men follow, carrying bags upon bags of what appear to be clothes, lotions, shoes, and even some purses. I jump off the bed, staring wide-eyed.

“Blair, what on earth is all this?”

“You’re my goddess, Penny. I wanted to spoil you, so I did some shopping!”

His grin is wide, his pride evident. I kneel down to inspect the bags, slowly going through their contents.

I keep telling myself this is a dream, that any moment now, I’ll wake up in my apartment. I can’t help but feel overwhelmed as I sift through everything, unable to accept this. I just met this man a few hours ago, and now he’s showering me with gifts?

“And I also got this!”

He quickly pulls out a jewelry box from his pocket. I take it from him as he kneels beside me, wrapping his arms around me and nuzzling my neck.

I open the box to find a white diamond heart necklace. I cover my mouth in surprise, looking at him.

“It’s stunning! But I don’t understand. What do you mean by ‘goddess’?”

“You’re the one for me, Penny. I don’t want anyone else. I’ll love you, spoil you, and worship you.”

This has to be a dream, right? Who does this? I’ve never encountered such behavior, and it’s frankly unnerving.

The word “stalker” comes to mind. I need to understand this “goddess” concept. I gently extricate myself from his embrace, grabbing a light hoodie to put on.

I ask him to stay put as I hand him back the necklace and leave the room. I need to talk to someone, anyone, and soon enough, I bump into Nate and Mandy.

“Nate, what’s this ‘goddess’ thing about? Blair says I’m his goddess and just brought me clothes, shoes, and a necklace. I’m a bit freaked out, to be honest.”

Mandy bursts into laughter, hugging me.

“Penny, it’s okay. Blair’s not a stalker. He’s just found his ‘true love,’ so to speak. I’m Nate’s goddess, Cami is Jace’s, Jocelyn is Jessie’s, and it all started with Eva being Caden’s.

“The necklaces are a symbol of acceptance. We all wear ours all the time. We’re spoiled, and our line of work pays well enough that we can afford to spoil our employees when they find their ‘goddesses.’”

I nod at them, turning to head back to my room. As I enter, I see Blair sitting on the couch, his head in his hands.

I close the door behind me and sit next to him. He’s been crying, and I feel terrible. What have I done to this poor man?

He came in wanting to spoil me, and I walked out. I pick up the necklace from the table, opening it to look at it again.

“I chose the clear heart because you have a pure heart. You don’t judge people, and you want to help everyone.”

His voice is so soft I almost miss his words. How does this man, who just met me, seem to know me so well?

Even my ex-boyfriend never understood me like this. I stare at the necklace, touching it, tears welling up in my eyes.

I’ve always wished for a man like this, and now that I’ve found him, I’m panicking and wanting to run away. I throw myself at him, straddling his lap and kissing him passionately.

I pull back, looking at him, and see a smile spread across his face. I take out the necklace and put it on.

The man sitting before me is quite a sight. His fiery red hair matches mine, his green eyes are sharp, and his broad shoulders hint at tattoos peeking out from under his shirt.

I reach out to touch the tattoos, and he quickly removes his jacket and shirt. The tattoos are Celtic designs.

Oh, lord, I’m not going to be a good girl tonight. I trace the tattoos on his chest, and suddenly, his hands grip my hips, pulling me into him.

I can feel his arousal pressing against me, and I look at him, wide-eyed. He smirks, chuckling.

“You already took a shower or bath? You didn’t wait for me?”

I’m speechless, unsure of how to respond. I didn’t know I was supposed to.

Before I can say anything, he lifts me off his lap, throwing me over his shoulder. A loud slap echoes in the room, and my ass stings.

“Naughty girl! Now we’ll take one together.”

All I see is his bare back until his pants drop, revealing a firm, rounded ass. Oh, my, we’re definitely in for some trouble.

And to think, that ass is all mine.

***

ANTHONY

Today’s events have led us to give the girls their own rooms, even though they asked us to stay with them. I’ve made myself comfortable on the couch in my boxers, pillow and blanket in hand, when she perches on the edge of the bed, just staring at me.

I think she’s waiting for me to settle in, but when I close my eyes, I hear her crying. Opening my eyes, I see her huddled up, knees to her chest, face buried in her hands, sobbing.

I rise from the couch and approach the bed, sitting on the edge, unsure if I should say something. After a few moments, I hear her whisper.

“Are you disgusted by me?”

“No, sweetheart, why would you think that?”

“Why won’t you sleep in the bed with me?”

“I don’t want to push you. I want you to have your space until you’re ready. You’ve been through so much, I don’t want you to think I’m taking advantage.”

“Just please, Anthony, stay with me.”

I nod, retrieving my pillow from the couch. I climb into bed beside her, and she snuggles up to me. Soon, I feel her relax into sleep.

I lie there, watching her sleep peacefully, when my phone buzzes with a text. It’s from Nate.

Nate

Conference room now!

Damn it, I was just getting comfortable. I kiss her forehead, whispering that I’ll be right back. I pull on a shirt and gym shorts and head downstairs to the conference room.

I’m the last to arrive, and Nate drops a bombshell. “I just got a call from Ryan! The dad showed up looking for the girls. Ryan had a hunch he’d come back, so he kept watch.

“But he was armed, searching for them. Ryan followed him away from the house, and he’s now leaving the city. I told him to call me when he stops or if he talks to anyone.”

“I think their dad is involved in something bigger, more sinister than just abusing them. Why come back for them with a gun? To silence them? Or something even more evil. We can’t let them know! They need to heal.

“We need to keep them safe here, figure out how big this is!”

“I agree, Anthony! You and Marcelo work from the house, stay with your girls. Keep them happy, keep them away from the TV.

“The news is all over this case, and they’ve been trying to get onto the property. We’ve increased security and will keep them sheltered for now.”

I nod and head back to my girl’s room. She’s still fast asleep. I quickly strip down and climb back into bed, pulling her close.

If we’d waited one more day, they could have been dead. We could have walked into a completely different scene. I nuzzle into her, taking in her scent, listening to her breathe, feeling her heartbeat.

It’s so overwhelming that tears start to fall as I drift off to sleep.

***

NATE

After the meeting, I just sit in a chair. I’m too wired to sleep, so I sit with my thoughts, waiting for news from Ryan.

My dad comes in and sits next to me, silent. We must have sat for a good five minutes before I speak.

“What do I do, Dad? If we’d been any later—”

“But you weren’t! You were there when you needed to be! The dad probably hasn’t seen the news yet, or he’d know they weren’t there. Now we follow him.”

“Then what? What if this is bigger than we can even imagine?”

“Well, son, you’ll know what to do when the time comes. For now, we act normal, protect the girls. He can’t find out we’re following him. Now go to bed. You’re no help if you’re not rested.

I’ll stay up in case Ryan calls.”

I nod as we both stand. I hug my dad before heading upstairs to my room. Mandy is waiting for me on the bed.

I sit on the edge and start crying. She pulls me into a hug, waiting for me to speak.

“Their dad showed up at their house tonight, gun in hand, panicking because the girls weren’t there.”

I hear her gasp in shock and look up to see her covering her mouth.

“You need to take them out, Nate! Their parents! I’m the last person to wish harm on someone, but these people are sick!”

“I know. We have Ryan following the dad. He’s driving out of town. He doesn’t know where he’s going, but he’s following quietly.”

“Let’s get some sleep, you need it!”

She pleads with me, and I can’t deny her. I’m exhausted, it’s been a long day.

Hopefully, we’ll have more info tomorrow. I quickly text Ryan and Jesus, sending in backup to keep tabs and asking for his current location.

I want my best man on the job, and I know Jesus will come through with his men.