I close my eyes, and sleep comes easily.
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
A hand encasing my mouth awakens me from a deep sleep. Going into survival mode, I attempt to throw off whoever is doing this to me, forgetting about the chains holding me back. The person closes the gap between us in the darkness, and I stop fighting when I realize it’s Tyler.
“Cassidy, you have to know I had no idea about any of this—the fraternity, the human trafficking, and my own father. They just disclosed it to all of us and threatened our lives and families. The whole thing makes me sick.”
I glower at him, desperately looking for any truth in his words. “Honestly, these last few weeks have made me question everything,” I spit, turning my gaze away from him.
He places a hand over his heart. “Look, I have no idea what you have been through, but I’m sure it has been a living hell. You can believe in one thing—I am getting you off this boat and as far away from these people. The yacht is scheduled to dock in the Bahamas tomorrow. I'll get you to that island, and you can make a run for it. You can relocate to any island of your choice and start over. I am sorry that is your only choice, but you can’t risk these people finding you.”
“Hell would have been better than where I ended up, Tyler. Death would have been better,” I tell him bitterly.
He searches my eyes. Not wanting that to be entirely true, he whispers, “You don’t mean that.”
“With every fiber of my being. You have no idea what we have to go through. We're tortured, assaulted, abused, starved, auctioned off, and then put through training on how to be the best sex slave," I say incredulously.
I deflate at the thought of all the pain I have endured. Not knowing what to say to make me feel better, Tyler says, “My parents always go to Atlantis on the first day. They have lunch and dinner there and lounge by the pool. I am going to say I am sick and get you the hell out of here.”
“Come with me,” I choke out.
He searches my eyes, wondering if I mean it. “If you don’t want me to, I’m going to have to go my own way; they’ll kill me for this.”
“Come with me; we can start over together,” I say more confidently this time.
“You know I’d follow you anywhere, Cassidy. You have left an imprint on my heart I haven’t been able to shake since laying eyes on you,” he says, stroking my hair.
Tears freely fall down my face. I haven’t felt a loving touch in a long time.
“You need to go.” I shove his shoulder back away from me. “If your dad wakes up and turns on the camera, this plan all goes down the drain,” I say, afraid of the chance of escape slipping through.
“Yeah, I will. Just give me another minute to look at you. I thought I had lost you for good. It feels surreal that you are standing in front of me.”
“I’m not the same person you met; I am damaged in ways you will never be able to make sense of,” I state, my face downcast, grieving the woman I was before all of this.
“I could never begin to comprehend the horrors you have gone through. All I can do is be there for you as you heal and be a shoulder to lean on. I care about you deeply, and I see a wonderful future in front of us.” He looks at me with hope in his eyes.
“I need your help to get me out of this prison. Your dad is not the same person you know him to be. I am not your dad’s first sex slave,” I beg him, and he blanches, taken aback by what I said.
“I will. I promise. We will look for a boat tomorrow that is going directly to Turks and Caicos and start over.
The realization of that hits me like a ton of bricks. I ache to go back to my former life, but with the risk of my life and my family’s being so high, my hands are tied. They will hunt us all down.
My heart plummets when I think about not being able to see or talk to my family or Blair again.
All of them will wonder what happened to me and if I am still alive every day.
Misery eats at me as I fight the urge to sob unsuccessfully.
“For both our sakes, you have to stop crying. We can’t risk them overhearing you,” he whispers, stroking my back.
He sighs, more to himself, peering over my body. Not being able to read his face, I can’t make out if it’s with longing or pity.
The odds against us escaping unscathed are low, but my backup plan is simple—Martin will not take me back alive.
I have come to terms with that choice, and I intend to keep it to myself.
“I’ll be back tomorrow as soon as I can.” Tyler squeezes my arm reassuringly.
