Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 67975 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67975 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
"And we're going to help you," I smile at her. "I promise you that."
A groan has us both glancing over at the bed, where Cova is sitting up, her eyes hazy, her hair a mess. She rubs her head and then looks around. When she sees us, she narrows her eyes. "What's happening?"
Merleigh stands and walks over.
If anyone can get through to Cova, it would be her. "Don't freak out, but we're free now. We're safe. These people...they saved us. This is your sister, Briella."
Cova looks confused, and her eyes swing to me. I do not doubt that one look at me confirms what Merleigh is saying. She has to see the resemblance. She stares at me for so long, I wonder if she's entirely with it, but then she shakes her head and looks back to Merleigh. "I have no family."
"You do, you have a sister. She's right here, just look at her and you'll see it. She has been looking for you, and she wants to take you home."
Cova stares at me and then shakes her head. "Where's Bryant? He would have never let me go."
"He's a monster, and he's not going to be near you or me ever again."
"You're wrong," Cova snaps, getting out of the bed, her legs wobbly. She sways a little and then looks at me. "I don't know who you are, but this is kidnapping. I want to go home. Now."
"Cova," I say carefully, not wanting to make this worse than it already is. "I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here to help you. I know right now you believe that Bryant is special, but he's not. He paid for you, and he was using you as a slave. What he was doing is illegal. It wasn't healthy, and I know you don't believe it right now, but it isn't real. He was abusing you, and we're going to get you through."
Cova starts backing away. "I don't know who you think you are, but you don't know anything. I don't want to be with you. I want to be with him."
"Cova, if you'll just calm down..."
"No!" she screams, and then turns, charging towards the door.
She flings it open but comes flying back inside after only a few seconds when she slams into something. Bohdi and Samson step into the room, look over to me, and then to the girl who is now on the floor after stumbling backward.
"Sorry, girl," Samson says. "But there is no leavin' this room."
"You can't keep me here!" Cova screams, thrashing her head around. "You can't. I want to go home. He’ll be wondering where I am."
"You don't need to be worryin' about him anymore, he's taken care of," Bohdi mutters.
Cova's head whips around, and she stares at him in horror. "What have you done to him? What have you done?"
She launches up and charges towards Bohdi, hitting him with her body and a force I didn't think she had in her. She screams and starts trying to claw her way past him. He takes hold of her, wraps his big arms around her, and holds her until she can't possibly fight a single second longer. I look to Merleigh, who is pale and looks utterly horrified by what's happening right now.
"What can we do?" I ask her. "What is the best option here?"
"If you give her more drugs, she'll never come clean. I think you need to restrain her until she calms down."
"No," Cova screams, fighting once more in Bohdi's arms. "No, you can't hold me here. I'm not going with you. Let me go. Please, let me go. Bryant! Bryant!"
"Fuck, he did a number on this one," Samson mutters, before disappearing down the hall and returning with a soft rope.
Thank god he wasn't thinking of cuffing her, or something equally as horrible. Bohdi spins her around, and I have to fight my tears as they tie her arms behind her back. She's screaming and crying and calling out for Bryant. It breaks my heart. It breaks my heart because right now, I feel like the monster. I feel like the person ruining her life. Even though I know I'm not, that's exactly how it feels.
It kills me to see her like this.
But I have to believe we're doing the right thing.
She needs to get clean, and then she needs to get help.
If, after that, she still doesn't want to be here, I won't hold her back.
I'm not going to keep her captive for the rest of her life.
I'm just hoping that once she's out of this drug-induced haze, she might be able to see a little clearer and things might come into perspective a bit better.
"Let me go," Cova screams as Bohdi walks her to the bed and carefully sits her on the end of it.
"Cova, please," I say, walking over. "Listen to me..."