Lilah

Chapter 25: Stargazing

We look around the empty place and Jai spots a hallway. We slowly walk down the hall and more than a dozen doors are on either side of it.

"Spread out," I wave to all the doors.

I grab the handle of the door closest to me and I push it open, walking in slowly. I flash my light around the room and sure enough, a small group of three girls is huddled in the corner.

I find the light switch by the door and right before I can flick it on another girl, one I didn't fucking see, throws herself onto me.

She doesn't weigh much, most likely from malnourishment and I quickly flick the light on.

She does everything she can to hurt me. Kicking, punching, even tried to fucking bite me.

I don't blame her though. The shit she's been through I can't even imagine.

I wish she wasn't fucking touching me though.

"Don't touch them!" She yells.

"How 'bout you not touch me?" I grumble. Maybe a little harsh, I just don't like when people touch me. No matter who it is. Except for Lilah because of reasons I'm not sure of.

"Do whatever you want with me, but not them!" She shouts. I pry her off me and she lands on her feet in front of me.

"Please," she pleads, "they're too young."

"I'm here to help you," I try the best helpful voice I can manage but most of the time when we go on these busts, I'm not the one that should be talking.

It's obvious I don't come across to people as 'approachable' or 'nice'.

At fucking all.

"Help?" A girl's quiet voice from the corner asks.

"No, don't listen to him," she turns her head to them, "they've said that before."

"I'm not gonna do anything to you," I shake my head.

"We work with the FBI," I explain, "we're here to help you."

The brown-haired girl in front of me thinks over my words. It's obvious she's got terrible trust issues and I can understand that.

"I think he's okay Raven," a girl walks up behind her, "I believe him. He doesn't look like them."

I almost want to thank her for saying that I don't look like a greasy-headed druggy.

Raven nods.

"Girls, it's safe," she tells the rest of them over in the corner. I look over and see a redhead and a light blonde.

Way too fucking close to Lilah's blonde.

My heart drops to my stomach. She's small like her too.

And she hasn't texted me back almost all day.

I rush to the girl and grip her arm, turning her to me. She gasps and brown eyes look back at me instead of green.

The biggest feeling of relief I've ever had in my life washes over me.

"I thought you were someone else," I let go of her and she looks relieved too.

That scared me way too much.

I lead the way back into the main room where all the girls are being asked for their names, birthdays, and everything else.

We spend hours collecting all the information about all the fifty-six girls in the hideout. Each second that goes by, I grow more antsy to see her. My mind is fucked.