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“Little.”

“I will take you to people who can help. You understand?”

“Home?”

“Where is home?”

“Prathet Thai.”

I think about that for a second. “Thailand?”

She nods, smiling a little. “Home. Thailand.”

How the fuck did these little girls get from Thailand to Mistone? I rub my forehead.

“We will get you home.”

“Bad men?” Her eyes look around. “Here?”

“No bad men. Gone now.”

She says a bunch of words in her language and the other girls sob with relief. Thank fuck one of them can understand me.

“Safe first. Then I’ll untie you all.” I point to the restraints and hold a finger up. “Soon. Okay?”

“Yes. Food?”

I nod. “We’ll get you food and water. Clean. Yes?”

“Yes. You…” She points. “Police?”

“No. Just a helper.”

“Angel?” She nods. “Yes.”

Far from it, but I can be her guardian angel tonight.

“Come with me.”

I help each girl from the van, their tiny bodies frail and dirty from who knows how many days of rough travel. One of the girls has an angry cut on her arm that’s concerning, but they’ll get her medical attention at the shelter if she needs it.

They hold hands as I lead them through the dark to the back of the club where I parked. Once the girls are a safe distance away, Shadow and Stealth load the bodies into the van.

I help the girls into my van, hoping it doesn’t scare them again, then I work quickly to unbind their wrists and remove the blindfolds. All three girls stare at me, their eyes too big and too aware of the evils of this world.

“Thank you,” the first girl says to me. “For help.”

“You’re welcome.”

I drive them to Angel House and explain the situation to Francie, one of the organizers. She takes the girls in, her soothing, motherly tone certain to calm them. All three girls look back at me before disappearing behind a door.

At least something good happened tonight. Those girls have a chance at life again. Hopefully nothing that happened to them was so traumatic that they can’t move forward. That’s my hope for them.

I message Shadow that I’ve dropped off the girls, and after getting his thumbs-up, I head for home. Just a few minutes later, my phone buzzes with a text.

Blush: Just got here.

Me: I’m fifteen minutes behind you, but I’ll message someone in the house to let you in. Cashmere is probably home. Just wait for me in my room.