Page 40 of Triple the Secrets
“Brother,” Fury’s voice said calmly behind him. Rogue didn’t even turn to look at him. He didn’t need to. The only ones brave enough to come down here while he was like this were Fury and Savage.
“Traffickers took them,” he gritted out, red still tinging his vision.
Both men cursed. “All three or just Scarlett?” Fury asked.
“All of them,” he hissed, stepping forward and hitting the bag again. Pain exploded in his hand, but he ignored it. The bag’s chain groaned again but managed to stay attached. Slowly he turned and stared at his brothers. “The girls were abducted when they were ten years old. Scarlett got them all out after she was taken. They were twelve by then.”
Both mens’ faces hardened. Their club wasn’t full of altar boys, but the sex trade was completely off limits to them. Nothing set them off more than to know that these things happened. To anyone. “Do they know who took them?” Savage asked, fists clenching at his side.
“Scarlett said they kept her drugged so she can’t remember faces. I didn’t ask the girls, and I won’t. Fuck,” he roared, his voice echoing around the room. Neither man flinched. “They were supposed to be over at a friend’s house tonight and I went over to talk to Scarlett. One thing led to another and we ended up in her bed. Turns out Scarlett likes the same shit as me, and gave me the okay to choke her. Problem is, the girls came home, heard her scream, and ran up the stairs where they saw me doing that to her.” Both men cursed. “Win hit me in the head with a broom, and it all came out as they screamed at me.”
“Damn, brother,” Fury said with a shake of his head in sympathy.
“Did you explain it was consensual?” Savage asked.
Rogue nodded, hanging his head slightly. “Fuck, Savage, I have never felt so damn guilty in my life. Scarlett never said a word. Didn’t clue me in, nothing. They told me that if I hurt Scarlett that I wasn’t any better than the men that raped them. All of them. And they’re right.”
“What the fuck?” Savage hissed furiously. “It’s not the same and you know it, Rogue,” he snarled, stepping forward.
Rogue looked him in the eye and replied coldly, “The fuckers who hurt Scarlett used to take her and choke her until she passed out. Multiple times.”
“It’s not the same,” Fury said fiercely. “You didn’t drug her. You did not force your way into her bed. You gave her the choice, and she asked you for it.”
“I put her up against the damn wall in the shop, and put my hand around her throat,” he roared. “I am no better than those fuckers. Even if she welcomed me into her bed, I had no business being in it. I had no business being anywhere near her.”
“Bull fucking shit,” Fury snapped. “I saw that damn tape from the shop. Scarlett looked fucking turned on as hell, and when she pushed at you, you stopped and stepped back. There was not an ounce of fear in her.”
“I threatened her before all that,” Rogue snapped, furious with himself. Guilt was riding him hard.
“And from what you’ve said, she’s obviously forgiven you for that,” Savage pointed out. “We all know that if she didn’t, she would have made your life hell.”
He had a point, Rogue reluctantly admitted to himself. But it did nothing to ease the guilt. “I want to find them all and kill every last one of them,” he hissed. “And I want to find the man who bought the girls.”
“I’m sorry, what?” Fury barked.
Rogue looked at him and nodded tightly. “Some high up government prick bought the twins because he liked the idea of having two at the same time and they were the ideal age for him.” It enraged him all over again. “Fucking twelve years old,” he snarled.
Savage narrowed his eyes until they were almost slits. “We’ll find him,” he vowed. “I’ll have Code start looking. We’ll put that sick fucker down like the dog he is.” Fury nodded his agreement.
“He’s mine,” he said darkly. “I will be the one to kill him. I want him to know exactly why he’ll be sent to the deepest part of hell.”
Savage nodded his agreement. “Does Scarlett think they’re still looking for them?”
Rogue shook his head. “There were two men who helped her and the girls over the last three years, and they’ve been making sure to run any interference they can to keep them away. All chatter stopped a year ago, so they’re thinking they gave up.”
“Doubtful,” Fury muttered. “No man is going to spend money and not get what he paid for. Especially not those sick fucks.”
Rogue felt the same way. “We’ll have someone on them,” Savage decided. “The prospects can take turns. Unless you want them to move to the compound?” he asked, brow arched in question.
Rogue sighed. “Scarlett won’t go for that. Honestly, I probably should just stay the hell away. They don’t need my shit in their life.”
“Why the hell would you stay away from them?” Fury demanded. “You want Scarlett, right?”
“Of course I do,” Rogue snapped, pissed. “But I am not a good man. I will never be the man she deserves. How the hell am I supposed to handle two traumatized kids, and a woman who is probably already regretting even letting me get near her or them?”
“You handle them the same way you always have,” a voice said from the doorway. They all turned to find Esme and Karissa both standing there. Both had dark looks on their faces, and it was clear they had been listening to much, if not all, of the conversation.
“Esme,” Fury said in warning, frowning at her.
