Ivan 2 (Her Russian Protector #9) - Roxie Rivera Page 0,60
rest of the image in my head, but I didn’t. I let her purge all the terrible things that had happened.
“They brutalized that girl. It was vile. She screamed and cried and begged. I couldn’t do anything. I was useless.”
“There was nothing you could have done,” I desperately tried to assuage her guilt. “You were one woman against all those men.”
“I know, but I can still hear her crying,” she sobbed. “It was awful, Erin. So awful.” She sniffled loudly. “And then...”
“Then?”
“She bit one of them. His dick,” she clarified. “He shrieked, and then all hell broke loose. I didn’t see it, but I heard it. I heard what they did to her.” She aggressively rubbed her face. “I can still hear it.” She blew out a shuddery breath. “And then it was quiet. Too quiet.”
“They killed her?” I asked aghast. “They murdered her in jail?”
“Yes. They panicked. I could hear them fighting with each other and talking about the body. Kavanaugh was just as scared. He was terrified they were going to find us in the storage room. He had his hands over my mouth so hard that the insides of my lips were bleeding from the pressure of my teeth grinding into them.” She traced her mouth as if reliving the memory. “When they were done, and it got quiet, he took me out of the room and returned me to my cell. He warned me not to say a word—or else.”
I tried to process everything. “What happened to the girl they killed?”
“The next morning, during roll call, they found her hanging in her cell.”
“They faked a suicide?”
“Yes.”
“Holy shit.” I sat back on the sofa and exhaled slowly. “Okay. So. Kavanaugh must have snitched, right? Because if he wanted to keep you quiet, he would have come after me on his own.”
“But there was a whole team that came after you,” she murmured, following my line of thought. “It was probably the other guards in their rape ring.”
“One of them put his hand between my legs,” I revealed. “He was disgusting. I can completely buy that he is a predator.”
“So, what are we saying, Erin? That Teague is tied in with a rape ring that operates inside a jail? That he knows one of those guards?” She shuddered. “Or maybe he’s one of their customers? Maybe he buys their sick films?”
“Oh, God,” I said, feeling nauseated. “I hope not.”
“This is really complicated, Erin.” Ruby seemed overwhelmed by it all. “Teague. The guards. The dead girl. The Neo-Nazi angle.”
“Somehow, it all fits together.”
We sat shoulder to shoulder, both of us quietly contemplating what the hell we were supposed to do next. We would have to start by telling Ivan everything. He would be furious when he heard the whole story. Murderous, even. The possibility that Ivan would track down Kavanaugh and make him disappear didn’t upset me as much as it probably should have. For what he had done to my sister, Kavanaugh deserved to be punished—and much harder than the justice system would allow.
“You want to come with me to a meeting?” Ruby unexpectedly asked.
Surprised by her question, I asked, “Really?”
“Yeah. Really.” She seemed calmer as she explained, “I think it would be a good idea for me to get to a meeting today. I’m feeling stressed out and anxious, and I know where my thoughts are going to turn later when I’m alone.”
Ready to do anything to help her maintain her sobriety, I stood up and reached for my purse. “Let’s go.”
“Now?”
“Yes. Now. I don’t know where the meetings are, so you’ll have to find one that starts soon.” I grabbed her hand and tugged her off the couch. “Come on.”
We had taken less than ten steps before Ivan intercepted us. Concerned, he asked, “Everything okay, zolotse?”
“Yep,” I answered brightly.
He noticed the purse in my hand. “Where are you going?”
“To a meeting.”
“A meeting?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“We’re not sure yet.” I glanced back at Ruby, who had her phone in hand to find one. “But, it’s probably at a church.”
“A church.” He looked between us as if we had lost our minds. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes.”
He glanced around the gym. “Let me have Paco or Ken take over. I’ll drive you two.”
“No.” It felt surprisingly good to say it.
“No?” He frowned. “Why not?”
“Because I’m tired of letting these cowardly assholes control my life,” I explained matter-of-factly. A surge of bravery had me lifting my chin. “I’m not going to run around afraid of my shadow anymore. I’m not going to