[Chresanto]
After she starts crying, I get up and sit next to her. I reach out and wrap my arms around her before I pull her into my chest. She sobs into my bare chest as I stroke her back, my blood still boiling with rage.
"It's okay, Alyssa," I soothe, continuing to stroke her back. "How about this, first, we work on getting you out of there. Then, we can work on us?" She nods into my chest, her sobs slowly decreasing. I place my hand under her chin and gently tilt her face up until she and I are staring into each other's eyes. "I love you, Alyssa, and I won't let you stay there another minute longer than necessary, okay?" I wipe away the tears that fall from her honey-brown, black-rimmed eyes before tenderly placing my lips on her forehead.
I slide my hands under her body and pick her up bridal style while she silently cries in my chest and carry her upstairs to my room; well, you could call it our room because Alyssa always sleeps in here when she comes over. Once I reach my room, I open the door and venture further in, laying her on my bed as gently as possible.
I walk over to my dresser, pulling open the top drawer and get a shirt. I walk back over to Alyssa.
"Lift your arms up for me?" She does as I ask, then I slip the shirt on her and lay down next to her. She turns to face the door, and I wrap my arms around her. She places her hands on top of mine. We both fall asleep not too long after.
~•~•~•
All day yesterday, Alyssa and I talked about her life story. She told me how abusive her mother got when she drank and how her father would do nothing about it because he was afraid of her mom. She told me the events leading up to the night that she ran away and how she planned to live with her aunt but Ace got to her before the bus. As she talked, she would cry, and I would console her the best I could.
Today was now Wednesday, and I plan to take Alyssa out to a shooting range. It is currently ten twenty-seven, and I'm downstairs making breakfast that consists of ham and cheese omelets, French toast sticks, a bowl of fruit and coffee, while Alyssa still sleeps.
Usually, I'm up at a quarter to nine, but this morning, I wanted to sleep in. My phone starts to vibrate against the island behind me, and I grab it after I flip the last omelet onto the plate with just French toast on it.
I look at the caller I.D. and accept the call, placing the phone up to my ear. "Wassup?"
"I found out where he keeps the girls that work for him," the voice on the other end responds. "It's located on the west side, in the cut of some fancy neighborhood."
"Aight, have you gathered anything about Keeleigh?" I question, leaning against the counter to watch the stairs.
Shiloh sighs. "No, man, then again, I only saw eleven girls go in with him."
"Okay, so there's a possibility she left with a customer," I compromise, my mind at ease some. "Keep a close eye on things and let me know if anything changes. And if you think you spot her, take a picture and send it to me."
"Will do, boss," Shiloh replies then hangs up.
I place my phone on the counter beside me before setting the plates on the island. I make my way over to my cabinets and grab two empty bowls, placing them on the counter before walking to the fridge and grabbing the bowl of fruit Dahlia put together the last time she was here. I place the mixed fruits into the two empty bowls along with two forks and place them adjacent to the plates then make my way back over to the cabinets where my cups are located.
