lori king rough ride romeo (18 page)

Roman’s beautiful hazel eyes narrowed, and he gave a small nod, “If that’s

what you want, but I think you’ll regret it. She needs to see you. She wanted to

see Vivi, but because that’s not possible it has to be you.”

“What if—”

He lifted a large hand to her lips to shush her, “Don’t. Don’t play that game

with yourself. What if solves nothing. Bran said he had a deputy stationed in the

room at all times, but that he’d be here when you met her. If you’re not ready to

go inside yet, we’ll just wait out here for him. Okay?”

Fighting back a twinge of nausea, she nodded, and leaned into Roman’s

warmth. Surprisingly he’d been a rock of stability through all of this for her. He’d

barely left her side other than to handle his chores, and his entire family had

commented on the swift change in his personality. She’d yet to see him drink even

though everyone she came into contact with eluded to the fact that he was quite

the party boy. With her, or maybe for her, he’d managed to shut that side of him

off and just be her support system.

Since that first night, she’d spent every night in his bed, wrapped in the

comfort of his arms, but they’d done nothing but sleep. He held her when she

woke with horrifying nightmares of Vivi crying out for her, and soothed her when

grief left her wracked with painful sobs of anguish. She wasn’t sure how she’d

have gotten through this without him.

The rest of the Crawley Creek family had wrapped her in their figurative

arms as well. Marilyn and Lacy sought her out several times a day to check on

her wellbeing, and even the other brothers had worked hard to help distract her

from her pain as they waited for more information. Yesterday, they’d gotten

notice that the body would be released to her, so now she could say her final

goodbye’s and lay her sister to rest, but that, too, caused more chaos in her mind.

Where was she supposed to bury Vivi? Back in St. Paul next to their mother?

Could she handle going back there to al of those memories? A part of her was so

comfortable in Montford that she wanted to stay put, and avoid ever facing her

past again, but what would that solve? If she buried Vivi in Montford, and then

decided to go back home after all, she’d regret it. And besides, Roman hadn’t

made a peep about her staying on permanently, so she was probably reading too

much into their relationship.

Multiple times she’d seen desire in his eyes, only to watch him snuff it out as

though he couldn’t even bring himself to touch her after learning what her sister

had lived through. Franki didn’t blame him. The sexual and physical abuse that

had been inficted on both Vivi and Destiny seemed extensive, and they certainly

cooled her desire.

The cold concrete block wal they leaned against became her only focus as

she worked to clear her head. If she had to face this woman, she was going to do

it in an emotional y detached state. Her eyes followed the mortar lines of the wall

as they zigzagged from top to bottom, sealing the blocks together and making

them impenetrable. A permanent connection between two separate pieces that

came together to create something stronger and more stable than before.

“Franki?” Roman’s voice drew her from her musings, and she looked up into

his concerned gaze. Bran stood next to them with a notebook in his hands, and a

frown on his face.

“I’m sorry, I was collecting wool,” she answered automatically. It was

probably unnecessary to apologize, but lately she’d been too consumed with guilt

to stop herself.

“No problem. The nurse assured me that Ms. Warren is awake and able to

have a brief conversation if you’re ready?” Bran said, gesturing to the door, the

only barrier between Franki and the knowledge she was scared to receive.

Roman leaned down and brushed his lips over hers, hugging her to him and

offering her his strength. She took it in like a greedy child presented with a candy

bowl. It gave her the will to reach for the door handle.

~ ~ ~ ~

Destiny Warren had been beaten severely, and based on the bruising around

her throat, she’d been choked unconscious. It was likely why she’d survived.

Whoever attacked her thought they’d killed her, and had left her behind. Roman

had gotten some of the details from Bran, but coming face to face with the petite

blonde was a whole different story.

She was very pretty despite the green and purple bruises and the packing

supporting her broken nose. Her blonde hair was limp and lifeless, but he was

guessing in another life it had shown like sunshine. Beside him, Franki inhaled

sharply when she got her first glimpse of Destiny, and Roman turned his

attention on her again. She was his main priority, and he had to be ready to whisk

her out of here if this chat became too much to handle.

Destiny opened her swollen eyes enough to see them, and the left side of her

mouth curled up slightly. She had to clear her throat to speak, but the words still

carried a very husky, broken tone. “I must look pretty bad.”

Roman felt Franki finch against his chest, but he held her steady as she

moved a bit closer to Destiny’s hospital bed. She seemed to have found a wel of

courage to draw on, and she reached out for the other woman’s hand. “Destiny,

I’m Francesca Scott, Franki. Vivi was my sister.”

Destiny nodded her head a bit, “You look like her. She was beautiful.” A tear

slid out the corner of her eye, and to Roman’s surprise, Bran reached out and

wiped it away. He was watching the injured woman intently. Almost as though he

might be able to see inside of her head to the details he needed. Destiny didn’t

seem to notice though, she was focused on Franki. “She’s dead?”

Franki gave a nod and took a deep shaky breath. “You’re the only one they

found alive.”

“How many?” Destiny asked.

“There were two bodies and then you.” Bran answered. “The other two

victims were Zeke Palmer and Vivienne Scott.”

“Zeke was a decent guy.” Destiny said to no one in particular. Her gaze

seemed a bit distant as she began to tell her story. “He came out a couple of times

a week. A different girl each time, but he was nice to everyone. That’s saying

something because most of them weren’t nice.” The infection in her tone made

it clear that she was speaking about the men who visited the farm and not the

women staying there.

“I think Vivi stole his heart. He seemed comfortable with her, and saw her

more than once. That’s how she managed to get his phone. Damn girl should

have listened when Knox said no outside contact.”

“I’m sorry, who is Knox?” Franki asked.

“The boss. He ran our group of girls.” Destiny explained.

Roman looked at Bran in confusion, as he asked the question they were all

wondering. “The man who kidnapped Vivi called himself Goat, do you know

who he is?”

Destiny shook her head, “No. I’m sure he was a runner. That’s how they

getcha. There are guys all over the country looking for weak vulnerable women to

add to the collection. We rarely saw those guys once we were placed under a

captain. Knox was the captain in this region. Goat would have turned Vivi over

to him and collected his money on his way out the door.”

“Who was the runner who took you?” Bran asked softly.

Destiny’s head shook, and she licked her lips, “His name was Marco, but I

haven’t seen him since the day he dropped me off to Knox.”

“Can you describe this guy, Knox?” Bran asked.

“Big, round, dark hair and a stupid looking mustache. He was taller than me,

but shorter than average,” Destiny said before turning back to Franki. “Vivi and I

shared a room. She told me about her call to you. That’s why they beat both of

us. Zeke was stupid enough to leave his phone out again, and Vivi tried to get out

another cal . She got caught, and they had to move the whole operation. They

weren’t supposed to leave any witnesses behind.”

But they had. Destiny had managed to survive somehow, and she was the

one and only piece of evidence they had against Knox and this disgusting system

of human trafficking. Her safety was going to be crucial in meting out justice to

these people.

“I was coming for her. I wanted to save her,” Franki murmured, emotion

heavy in her voice.

Destiny’s mouth curled up again in that crooked smile, “She said you would.

Never doubted it for a minute.”

“I’m so sorry I wasn’t fast enough.”

“I’m sure you did everything you could. I just wish I could have protected

Vivi.” The small blonde woman looked pale and fragile in the hospital bed, and

the wires and tubes connecting her to various machines reinforced that image.

Roman felt sick to his stomach at the idea that there were men in the world who

would seek to hurt a woman like this.

Franki had become his entire reason for living, and he couldn’t imagine

doing her physical harm. If someone tried he’d lose his mind.

“Excuse me,” a nurse popped in the doorway and smiled at them sadly, “Ms.

Warren needs to rest for a bit. Her blood pressure’s gotten a little high.”

Bran surged into motion, directing them all toward the door. “Of course.

My apologies. Ms. Warren I’ll be back to speak with you later after you’ve rested.

Don’t worry, you’re perfectly safe here. I give you my word.”

“Thank you, officer,” she murmured, her eyes already drifting closed as she

fell asleep.

Spilling out into the hallway, Roman could feel the sorrow and guilt rolling

off Franki in waves, but he had no idea how to help her through it. He was sure

that after a few days she’d come back to normal, and he’d be able to tempt her

into going into town with him for a drink at Mick’s. Surrounded by joy and the

carefree people in the bar she’d be able to let her guard down and relax. Instead,

she’d stayed sad. She’d at least let him care for her, but she seemed determined to

hold on to her grief, and he didn’t have the first clue how he was going to help

her out of it.

Outside Destiny’s room, the hospital bustled through business as usual as if

nothing monumental had happened. Roman felt changed to the core after just

witnessing the strength of the petite woman. She’d been to hell and back, and she

still had the stamina and heart to feel sympathy for Franki’s loss. Turning to Bran,

he held out his hand.

“Thanks man, for everything you’ve done. I realize you went above and

beyond because we’re friends, and you didn’t have to.”

Bran frowned at him, his eyes darting to Franki who still stood silently at his

side, her rich blue eyes dul with pain. “You’re welcome, but you don’t need to

thank me. Franki you can proceed with the funeral plans now.”

She nodded and moved closer to Roman easing under his arm. He didn’t

hesitate to pull her close. Her nearness and the easy way she accepted his touch

now warmed him from the inside out.

“How long do they think Destiny will have to stay in the hospital?” Roman

asked feeling a sense of obligation to the woman who’d survived such trauma.

“The doctors say she’ll only need medical care for a few more days, but

she’l need some sort of long term therapy. No one could live through that and

just go back to life like nothing happened.” Bran said. His jaw muscles fexed with

tension at the reminder of what had been done to women right under their noses,

and Roman knew his friend was fighting back his temper.

“We have a new therapist starting at the ranch in a couple weeks. She

specializes in PTSD. Do you think the doc would release her to our care?”

Roman asked. Franki’s head came up, and she looked at him with wide eyes. He

wasn’t sure if she was upset with him or not until she squeezed his hand

reassuringly.

Bran perked up too, his eyes growing bright, “I think that might be the

perfect solution. If Ms. Warren is comfortable with it that is. She apparently has

no family to return to, so she’ll be needing a place to land for a while. When she’s

rested I’ll talk to her about it. Are you sure the other guys won’t mind?”

“Nah, that’s why we’re building the therapy program. After everything we’ve

all bounced back from, we want to help others regain their footing.” Roman said.

They said their goodbyes and Franki and Roman left heading back to the

ranch in silence. She’d allowed him to keep ahold of her hand the entire trip

home, even going so far as the switch seats and sit in the middle of the bench seat

to be closer to him. He liked the fact that she wanted him close because every

time he thought of her leaving his stomach threatened to revolt.

When he parked the truck in his spot in the drive, she spoke quietly. “I have

to go back to St. Paul.”

His heart lurched and he sputtered for a response. This was his worst fear.

Not only was she going to leave, but she was going to be completely alone in her

grief. “Why?”

“To tie up loose ends.” Her voice cracked as she met his eyes, hers filled with

unshed tears.

Relief washed over him and he gave her a smile. “I understand. I can go