Shattered

Chapter 53: Worried

Chase's POV:

"I hate you, I love you, I hate that I love you."- Gnash

TRIGGER WARNING: upsetting images dealing with human trafficking

Two and a half years ago...

I peeked through the gap in the rotting wood but it was hard to see anything this late, with snow coming down. Still, I didn't hear anything. I glanced over at Violet who was sitting in the corner, hugging her knees to her chest, watching out the other small gap in the abandoned shed we found.

"We can't do shit tonight," I said quietly, moving over next to her and rubbing my hands together to try to warm them up. "We'll find them tomorrow."

We'd gotten separated from the group after a warehouse raid gone wrong. It was too cold, too late, and too dangerous to go trying to find anyone. My phone was dead and while Violet had hers, there was no service. It was also too dangerous to go looking for service. There was a chance they were still looking for us.

Violet shivered, hugging her knees tighter and nodding in agreement. I watched her shaking. She was skin and bones, still trying to recover from the shit Max put her through. The addictions, the lack of appetite, she was smaller every day. I'd been feeding her but it wasn't enough if the damn girl wouldn't take care of herself when I wasn't there.

"We should rest," I said, sliding down and turning on my side, setting my hand on her shoulder. "Come on. We can't do anything."

Violet nodded again and sunk down next to me, leaving space between us as she faced away from me and curled up. I hated seeing her laying there, head on the ground, no padding or anything to make her comfortable. It wasn't like she had any fat to cushion her, or to keep her warm as another violent shiver ran through her body.

"Come here," I said, setting my hand on her shoulder. "We're no good to anyone if we freeze to death."

"I get nightmares," she answered, almost robotically. She'd shut down ever since the incident at the warehouse where we barely made it out. I wasn't sure what triggered her, but something obviously did because she hadn't been the same since.

"I don't give a shit."

"I sometimes attack in my sleep," she whispered, curling up tighter. "I might hurt you."

"I don't give a shit," I said, moving closer and wrapping my arms around her, pulling her back to my chest. "Again, we're no good to anyone if we freeze."

She stiffened but eventually relaxed, then surprised me when she turned to face me. I directed her head to my chest and tried to even my heartbeat. She's only doing it because she has to, I tried to tell myself.

"If I do hurt you... I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"I'm not worried about it."

Physical pain was the least of my worries when it came to her. My heart was in a lot more fucking trouble than my body.

Two years ago...

"Where did Violet go?" Jackie asked.

I glanced around, frowning because I didn't see her. She was here a second ago, but no one seemed to notice which direction she went.

Girl wasn't kidding when she said she was good at hiding.

"Here," Courtney said, kneeling in front of a girl wrapped in one of the blankets we got. The needles lay discarded next to her while Courtney brought a water bottle to the girl's cracked lips.