The Hitman's Mark

15. Family

"Matteo," the owner of the mature, somewhat raspy voice answered. She was older than the rest, maybe twenty-seven, and had dark skin and beautiful, tight curls. "We know. I remember him from the hotel."

"Right..." Val paused, clasping her hands in front of her. The young women still watched Matteo with wariness in their eyes, and Val mentally cursed herself for so foolishly bringing a man into their safe space. After what they endured, she wouldn't blame them if they never wanted to see a man again.

Val glanced back at Matteo sheepishly. "Uh, Matteo, would you mind waiting for me outside? I'll just be a minute."

A frown etched across his hard features, and, for a moment Val worried that he might refuse to let her out of his sight. Fortunately, realization dawned on him a moment later, and he nodded once, already stepping out of the room. "Sure. Shout if you need me."

Val mouthed a quick 'thank you' before the door closed behind him, leaving her alone with the women. The girls, especially the younger ones at the back of the room, seemed to relax.

"I actually didn't come just to offer the gift basket," Val admitted, taking another step into the room. "I came to offer you a safe place to stay after you're released from the hospital. Somewhere you can all stay together, for however long you need."

The eldest young woman narrowed her round brown eyes. "Are you a social worker?"

With a soft laugh, Val shook her head. "No. No, I'm not. Actually, I helped coordinate the sting against Belyaev yesterday."

"Are you a cop, then?" another young woman with blonde hair asked, cocking her head.

"No, definitely not a cop," Val answered, again. This time, she took a seat on the edge of the table and offered a smile to every girl in the room. "I'm just someone who wants to make sure you five will never be threatened by a man again."

***

Val spent the next week helping the five young women adjust to their new life of freedom.

After an hour spent in the girls' hospital room, Val had gained the trust of all five. Allison, the eldest and the unnamed protector of the group, was hardest to convince, but even she couldn't deny the merits of Val's plan, especially when compared to the alternatives.

None of the girls had families searching for them back home. In their years of captivity, they'd created their own family. Impenetrable and unbreakable and utterly unwilling to separate for any reason.

As Val spent more and more time with the girls over the following week, she found herself jealous of their bond– of the family they'd created despite every treacherous circumstance. In truth, Val felt like she hadn't had a family in years. Since the fateful afternoon of her eighteenth birthday.

She felt the pang of her mother's absence more acutely now that her birthday approached again. A day that Val hadn't celebrated in four years.

Val tried to ignore that bitter taste of longing, especially as she sat in a circle with the women on the living room floor of their Scarsdale townhouse. A two-year old dog scampered across the space between their outstretched legs, the newest addition to their little family.

Allison had asked Val to bring a furry companion to their safe house for the sake of the two youngest members of the group, Bea and May. Val rescued the little mutt from the euthanasia list at the local animal shelter that morning, and he seemed to fit into the household like a long-lost puzzle piece. Although the pup, named Cricket by Bea, desperately needed potty-training and another bath.

Val smiled as Kaia, a young woman with almond eyes, tan skin, and slick black hair, won a game of tug-of-war with Cricket and wrapped her arms around his thick neck.