My son was used to help breed girls for the black market. There’re a lot of rich folks out there that will do anything, pay anything for a kid.
Now, what the fuck are we gonna do?
“So, how do you know she’s pregnant?” I ask.
“Because before they made me do it . . . I knew her. She went to my school, Dad, she’s not a part of this shit. I hadn’t seen or heard from her since that night, until an hour ago when she called me crying. Her name’s Saraya, and after what they did, she ran away because she never wanted to go through it ever again. The only reason she called me is because she doesn’t know what to do or where to go.”
“I understand. What do you want to do? This girl is just as much a victim in this shit as you are,” I grumble, getting the hint from the way Tor says Saraya’s name. She was special to him before he moved here. It’s apparent to me.
“I think I need to go get her. Find her. Bring her here,” Tor states. I nod in agreement, proud of him for his decision.
“Call Saraya, see if she’s willing to come here, and ask if she needs someone to come get her. I’ll talk to Fern. Maybe she can help us figure this out.” I’ll do anything for this kid. No matter his age, he’s still my son, and I’ll do what it takes to make things right for him.
After this court date is over with, I’ll be calling in any favor I have to track down every single last one of those fuckers who hurt my boy. His mother will pay, and I will guarantee her death is slow. Hillary will find her way to Helheim, the house of Hel, where I know she’ll spend eternity burning for what she’s done to her son.
Chapter Twelve
Fern
I take in a deep breath and look at the glorious sight in front of me. It’s better than I thought it would look, and I’m having a really hard time right now. Tears well behind my eyes, and I have to remind myself I’m still healing. I’m staring at the spa, Calming Spaces. The spa Charm and I co-own. While yes, it’s the same location where I almost died, Fenrir made sure everything was up to code. Apparently, when the construction crew came to start tearing drywall down and start renovations, they discovered quite a few things weren’t done up to code. They started over, and now weeks later, here we are.
The outside of the spa is encased in beautiful shades of gray and earth-toned stone. It has a mixture of an old rustic look, with industrial pieces to complement it and give overall balance. There’s a massive window in the front, and the entrance is to the right. A pear-colored armchair sits beside another, and across from it is a muted yellow couch. Everything about the space is inviting and calming, which is why we chose the name Calming Spaces. The same name hanging on the stone, glowing on this rainy day.
I walk forward, dig my key from my pocket, insert it in the door, and walk inside. The feature wall of driftwood is better than my wildest dreams. We had the contractors sand it down and apply a light honey stain to it, giving it the brightness we wanted. The more inviting the space, the better.
It’s almost so beautiful I can’t believe it was on fire two months ago. The floors are a light stained concrete, and we have Himalayan salt lamps placed throughout the spa. I spot one already behind the receptionist’s desk.
Charm couldn’t be here with me today since she had to take Astrid to a pediatrician appointment, so I’m doing my first walk-through alone. I lock the front door and head down the hall. White paint lines the walls, continuing with our light and bright theme. There are dressing rooms to the left and right, and the following door on the left is our massage room. We offer hot stone, Swedish, deep-tissue, and we’re working on getting certified in Ashiatsu Japanese massages. I think I’m the most excited for those. We get to literally step on people for a living. Okay, I might be joking a bit, but I know they’re extremely beneficial.
Throughout my entire life, I’ve only ever wanted to help people, and opening Calming Spaces has been the start of it. We don’t only offer massages here, though. We have hydrotherapy, which has been a proven way to reduce stress since the Ancient Greeks. We have mud baths, paraffin masks, herbal body wraps, and so much more. Not to mention a sauna, pedicures. and manicures. I hope when we do open back up for the public, the people who come here for services will leave feeling relieved and refreshed.
I continue making my way through the spa, and I come up onto the room I was trapped in. The room I barely made it out of not too many weeks ago. Goosebumps rise all over my body and sweat beads on my forehead. Before long, anxiety is spreading across my chest and breathing becomes more difficult with every second.
I’m okay. I know I am and I have to remind myself. My body recognizes this room as the one where it went into fight or flight mode. It’s how the body responds to trauma with physical reactions. Shit, moments like these make me angry I didn’t go through all the therapy with the counselors after I got out of the hospital. It was recommended, but of course, I thought I’d be fine. Now look at me.
Runes’s off at the club, and now I wish more than ever he could be here with me. I should’ve asked him to come along after Charm had to cancel, but Fenrir had something come up. It’s why he couldn’t take Astrid to the pediatrician like he originally planned. Charm and I were supposed to have a girls’ day, but things changed because of it. I don’t blame her or anything because one thing I’m learning is how life is unpredictable. It’s all about taking things one day at a time, one hour at a time, and even one moment at a time.
Which is exactly what I’m doing right now.
I sink down onto the floor and wrap my arms around myself, staring into the room. The room where I almost died. The one where I felt the most insane amount of fear. I haven’t told Runes or Charm this, but the day of the fire I saw my life flash before my eyes. I thought of everything I regretted. It came across my mind just like it does in the movies when people are close to death. Now, usually, they see the happy stuff, but of course, my mind couldn’t work like that.
It never did, though, not until I really grew up over the last few years. I wasn’t exactly Miss. Positivity when I was younger. Then again, a traumatic childhood will do that to you. Your entire body goes into fight or flight mode every day of your life, and there’s next to nothing you can do about it.
It’s why I’m so upset about Tor. Everything I’ve learned cracks my heart in two. Why? Because I went through similar things. Only, my mother wasn’t the one who did it. If she’d known, she would’ve tried to protect me. At least, I hope she would’ve. I don’t think I’ll ever have the answers I seek. She married my stepfather when I was five, and my mom died when I was fourteen. It’s when things started changing, when he started touching me. Fuck, even now, the heebie-jeebies run across my skin, and I want to vomit.
I simply cannot understand why such horrible people live in this world. I don’t get it one bit. When I turned eighteen, I got out of that trailer park and then became friends with Charm. She helped me get a good job, let me crash on her couch for a while, and now here we are.
Sucking in a deep breath, I debate whether one day I’ll tell Tor my story. I don’t want him to think he’s alone, or like he did something wrong. It’s what messed with me the most. I thought I deserved to be . . . violated like that. I didn’t, and no one ever does.