Finding A Ghost (Completed)

Chapter 30

**| North's POV |**

We had the man tied up on the porch, so when he gained consciousness, we were there waiting.

I ignored the pain in my side and made sure to keep Sang in my sight. I didn't want to lose her again. I worried about the answers we were going to get. I was scared things were as they seemed because the picture everyone held wasn't a good one, not for Sang.

When the man groaned, blinking open his eyes and looking around, I smirked. Silas did a good job on his face and I wished I got to witness it instead of being shot.

Victor came over with the man's phone and passed it to Owen who looked over whatever was on the screen.

"I was able to download a translation app onto his phone. This is the gist. I think it's good enough to not mistaken what's being said," Victor said.

Owen's finger swiped the screen as he read it. As he read what was on there, his expression grew blank. His eyes turned a glacial mercury as he focused on the man.

"You were about to sell children to a rival gang? This was your in with them?" Owen said in a low voice. "You were going to take them away from Sang?"

Sang gasped, her hand going to her mouth as she stared at Sander. I shifted closer to her, my arm touching hers. She shifted closer to me and my insides warmed at that small movement. Sang had turned to me for comfort.

"Why?" she finally asked.

Sander kept his mouth shut. Frankly, I didn't want to hear anything he had to say and I didn't want Sang to either. None of it would be good.

"Come on," I said, grabbing her hand.

I expected her to fight me but she just followed along as I led her into the cabin. Silas and Kota followed me in. The bird team stayed outside to listen to Sander and to keep an eye on Sommer who was still out for the count.

Nate and Gabe looked up from the living room where they were playing the two kids to keep them distracted.

"Sean and Luke are in the bedroom with that boy," Gabe said.

I didn't say anything, instead leading Sang towards the kitchen part of the open floor plan. I pushed her down into a chair and went to the sink, quickly finding a cup and filling it with water. I gave it to her and she quickly wrapped her hands around the cup, not looking at me. I settled in across from her, the only distance between us the small table.

I needed answers now. Not about Sander and what he wanted to do. He was simple to figure out, but Sang. Not so much.

"Explain," I said. Silas sat down at another chair and I knew Nate and Gabe were listening.

"I don't know where to start," she said. "Everything changed so quickly after you left."

I leaned forward, nervous to hear the answer. I saw the bruises on her neck as I was being dragged away. That meant the abuse escalated. "What happened that day?" I asked and she knew exactly what I was asking.

"Before I met you at the docks, my, uh, stepmother choked me."

"Stepmother?" I frowned in confusion.

She nodded. "I found that out that same day. She nearly killed me."

"Sang..."

The pain in her eyes twisted my heart. She was nearly killed, found out her mother wasn't her mother, and then I left her. Guilt weighed me down. I should have taken her and ran away. I should have kept her safe from all this pain.