His Greatest Redemption [REUPLOADED]

39

You don't know the true definition of terror until it's actually thrust upon you. Until you're in a situation where you feel that fear deep inside your bones, clinging to something not even you can get ahold of. Until you find yourself so fucking afraid that it feels like both your body and soul are being ripped apart— or about to, anyways.

I'd only felt fear like that twice in my life.

The first time, when I was raped. When Daryl did all those nasty things to me, made me touch him in the most repulsive ways and then beat me into submission so that he could force his penis inside a place it didn't belong, I'd felt it. With that came the hole in my heart being stretched so wide it physically hurt.

The second time, I was locked in a windowless room with a helpless child, both of us fated for the worst possible outcome that there was. And no one could help. Not the NYPD, because they were too oblivious to realize human trafficking was happening right in front of their faces, without their knowledge.

The difference between now and then, though, was that I was helpless back then. I was a child trapped in this box with no escape. Now, while I was still trying to break that box down, I wasn't helpless.

Not until there were no other options left.

If not for me, then for Ryan.

For his mother, who was probably sick to her stomach with worry.

The food tray was now completely empty, and Ryan was now back in his corner, watching me as I paced the room. My throat was still so dry, and I had no idea how long I'd been here. A few days? Couple of hours? Who the hell knows. I wasn't even sure if I was still in New York, for fucks sake.

I couldn't hear a thing outside of this room, which led me to believe that the walls were soundproof.

I whipped my head around as the door behind me opened and the quiet guy from earlier stepped through, his hands hidden inside his suit pockets. Now that I was really looking at him, I realized how young he looked. Older than me, but not too big. Mid twenties, maybe?

"I don't want to have to shove that cloth over your head and tie your hands up again. I'm going to trust you can follow directions?" He raised an eyebrow at me, and then his gaze slid to Ryan in the corner. "You probably want to hurt me, but that's the stupidest thing you can do right now. Just grab the kid and follow me." His voice was calm and cool.

Shit.

I hesitantly walked over to Ryan and offered him my hand, hoping he trusted me enough to take it. He gazed up at me, his little face so flushed with fear that my heart ached. "It's okay. I'll make sure they won't hurt you." I felt like a cheat, like a liar. Because truthfully, I didn't know what was going to happen. All I really knew was that I needed to protect him and find a way to get him out of here.