Hostile Ground (The Arsenal #7) - Cara Carnes Page 0,95

And The Arsenal.”

Good. Addy had been worried that he’d see The Arsenal as too much like the assholes Kostya used to guard his compound. Mary and Jesse had both expressed the same concerns and had already spoken with Doctor Sinclair on how best to transition Olaf.

“Thank you for helping us. For freeing me.”

“Glad we could help,” Addy paused. “A few of my friends would like to chat with you. They’ve been through something similar. We run an organization that helps freed captives.”

Jesse had stepped up and offered to mentor Olaf’s transition. A few of the Warriors Path participants could’ve likely assisted, but none of them were as far into their recovery as Jesse. They also weren’t as open about what’d happened to them and how he combatted the aftermath.

“In the US?”

“Yes.” Addy glanced at Kristof when he tensed.

“I won’t go there.” Olaf shook his head.

“You should listen to her and her friends,” Kristof said. “They’re smart. They’ve been there.”

“You know why I won’t go.” Olaf crossed his arms and looked away.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to interfere. You don’t know me, but I promise we can help,” Addy said. “But that’ll wait. Are you hungry? Cracker made some soup earlier. I’d take whatever he cooks when he’s on rotation. The rest of us aren’t that good in the kitchen.”

“Kristof is,” Olaf said. “Maksim said he’s really good.”

“He lies,” Kristof said. “I don’t burn the food like he does. That doesn’t make me good.”

“It does as far as I’m concerned,” Addy said, laughing.

“Addy’s friend is the one who rescued Stacia,” Kristof said, his voice low. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded picture.

Addy’s heart squeezed tight when Olaf’s gaze returned to them. Tears shimmered in his eyes.

“She’s well?” Olaf asked.

“She is.” Addy nodded as Kristof held out the one picture Zoey had given him. She’d meant for it to be a punishment for Kristof.

They’d had no idea who Stacia was, why she was important enough for Kristof to risk helping them get the missiles back. Guilt filled Addy. She should’ve asked more questions, dug deeper. Did Zoey have more pictures? She pulled out her phone.

Do you have more pics of Stacia? Something we can show Olaf?

Olaf’s hand trembled as he reached for the small picture. Tears streamed down his face. He smiled and signed, “Beautiful. Like the sun.”

Then he tightened, his small body shrank inward as he set the picture down. Kristof looked at Addy. His grim expression filled in the silence.

“One of my friends was in love with someone, but he chose to join the military instead of have a life with her,” Addy said. “He was captured. Tortured. Horribly. Most would’ve preferred death to what he went through. Jesse survived because of her.”

Olaf looked at Addy.

“He remembered their time together before he left. The small things they treasured. Her cooking. The smell of her hair.” Addy swallowed. She didn’t like sharing Jesse’s private thoughts about his captivity, but he’d been vocal about it at The Arsenal because he wanted to help people who’d been through what he had. He’d want Olaf to know if it helped him. “She was the light that helped him survive.”

“He lived?” Olaf asked. His fingers hesitated a moment. “Did she…”

Addy smiled. “They’d been apart a long time. Three times longer than you and Stacia.”

Olaf’s eyes widened.

“He fought his love for her when he returned home. His injuries were bad, Olaf. The kind of bad that would make a man stay away from the woman he loved,” Addy said. The man’s eyes widened. It didn’t take much to fill in those blanks. “It wasn’t an easy road, but they’re together now. Married. With a baby they adopted.”

“He’s lucky,” Olaf said. “My Stacia is happy. She doesn’t need me.”

“That’s not your call,” Addy said.

“Addy,” Kristof warned.

“What if she was the one who’d been there? What if Zoey hadn’t rescued her from the asshole who bought her? What if she’d been a sex slave the past few years? What if you’d been free that entire time? Would you want her to let you keep living your life without her?”

“No!” Olaf slammed his hands together and shook his head. “It’s not the same.”

“Why not?” Kristof asked.

His cousin stilled. His lips thinned.

“Just think about it,” Addy said. “If I were her, I’d want to know.”

Olaf nodded. “I should rest.”

“Yes.” Addy stood. “I’m going to steal your cousin, if that’s okay.”

Olaf nodded again. “Make him sleep.”

Sleep was on the agenda, but not immediately. Addy slipped her hand into