Defending Everly (Mountain Mercenaries #5)(34)

Everly hadn’t known the origin of his nickname, and after the last few days, she was interested in learning just about everything about him. They’d been thrust into a very intense situation and had gotten close in a short period of time. But they didn’t know some of the smallest things about each other.

Elise smiled a little at the cannonball joke, but turned to Everly. So you know him from Colorado?

Yes. Now, can he please get those chains off you so we can get out of here?

Elise turned to Ball and nodded. Then she gestured toward the chains and straightened her legs, giving him access.

Within seconds, Elise was free, and Everly was helping her stand.

“Are you good?” Ball asked.

Everly nodded.

Then he did something that shocked the hell out of her. He turned to Elise and signed very slowly, and not exactly correctly, but enough that they understood him, Your sister was never going to stop looking for you. She loves you very much.

Everly had no idea he’d looked that up online.

Elise looked from Ball to her sister, then back to Ball. Then she signed with one hand. I love her too.

Stay strong, Ball signed next, then he turned to Everly. “Go with your sister. I’ll stay here and try to find out as much information as I can. I’ll come to the hospital when I’m done. If they’re going to keep her overnight, I’ll make sure you have what you need to stay with her. I’ll also call your grandparents and let them know Elise was found and she’s okay, and bring them to the hospital as well.”

He was matter-of-fact as he spoke, as if it was no big deal how he was taking over care of her, Elise, and her grandparents. She didn’t have anyone else in her life to lean on like this, someone who would take on all the things that needed to be done so she could concentrate solely on her sister. Everly knew she should probably be the one to call her grandmother, but right now, her focus was Elise, and Ball seemed to understand that.

“Thank you,” she said, not able to find the words to express her feelings more properly.

Then he shocked her once more by leaning down and kissing her on the forehead. His lips pressed against her for a long moment, firmly and intensely, before he pulled back. He nodded at both her and Elise before turning to lead them out of the basement.

Got something you need to tell me, sis? Elise signed.

And once again, Everly was overcome with gratitude that Elise still seemed to be mostly herself. Whatever had happened hadn’t killed the spark in her sister. She wasn’t sure what to say about Ball, but she’d tell Elise everything if that would help her get through her ordeal.

The cops escorted them out of the house and ushered them into an ambulance. Everly didn’t like the bruises on her sister, or how dirty she was, but she was alive. That was all that mattered. They could deal with everything else . . . together.





Chapter Seven

Ball paced Detective Ramirez’s office. Back and forth. Back and forth. It was either that or hurt someone.

It had been two days since Elise and the other girls had been rescued from the vacant house, and the cops were no closer to finding the identity of the man who’d kidnapped them.

Everly sat on a chair in front of the detective’s desk, watching him. She’d been amazing the last two days. Staying with her sister at the hospital before she’d been discharged, making sure she felt safe while Elise told the authorities what had happened.

Elise had sworn that she hadn’t been raped, and at first Ball wasn’t sure if he should believe her. He thought she might be trying to downplay what had happened, especially in front of him and the male detective. But after being reassured by Everly that the doctor had examined her and corroborated what Elise had said, he’d been immensely relieved.

But that didn’t mean Elise hadn’t been affected by what had happened to her. She’d been traumatized just the same. The mental abuse her abductor had heaped on her was hard to stomach, and Ball knew if it had taken too much longer to find her, the man would’ve moved on to sexual assault sooner or later. As it was, it almost seemed as if he’d been grooming her for some unknown role.

And that didn’t sit well with Ball at all, particularly based on what he knew about traffickers.

He also wasn’t sure about Everly’s mental health. She’d been too busy taking care of her sister and her grandparents to care for herself. Ball had been the one to make sure she had something to eat that first night in the hospital. He’d brought over some things so she had clothes to sleep in, and he’d arranged for a cot to be brought into her sister’s hospital room, so she didn’t try to sleep in the uncomfortable chair.

Watching how attentive Everly was with her sister reminded him of how inattentive Holly had been when he was hurt. He’d expected her to do what Everly was doing now. To be by his side and at least act like she was worried about him.

Instead, she’d told him she didn’t like hospitals and to just call her when he was discharged. When he had, she said she was busy and couldn’t come get him. He’d ended up calling a fucking taxi to get to his house. And the few weeks after were progressively worse.

He’d honestly thought they were going to get married, he’d loved her that much. But in the end, Ball had realized she was a selfish bitch who’d just been looking for an easy ride, and figured since he was in the military, he was it.