She smiled.
At that moment, I wasn’t looking at Sara but at Stella. Though her cheek was battered, the beautiful woman before me exuded confidence. With a sexy smile, she dropped the blanket and moved closer. Pushing me back to the chair, she spread my knees apart, walked directly in front of me, and bent closer, until our noses nearly touched. With the mounds of her breasts peeking from her bra and a sultry tone, she whispered, “I don’t think it’s the FBI who’s asking me.” Her finger traced my jawline, burning my skin with her touch. “I think it’s me saying I want to do this.” Continuing her assault, she gently teased the collar of my shirt. “It’s me, volunteering to keep your mission going.” Placing her petite hands on my shoulders, she moved her lips closer to mine. “Tell me, Jacoby, do you really want to send me away?”
I am so fucking screwed!
CHAPTER 13
Stella/Sara
Jacoby didn’t answer my question, but by the expression on his face, I knew I was winning this battle of wills. It was the power I’d learned I possessed months ago. Despite his dominance, there had been times when I had control. Now I wanted to use that power to help him and his mission. I’d told him things I knew about The Light; now I wanted to know all he knew—there were still so many questions. Nevertheless, I was confident that together we could do this. We could bring Gabriel Clarkson’s world crashing down, and I prayed we could do it without Kool-Aid or any other plan that would have catastrophic results.
I knew that Jacob and I could help each other. But there was something I needed to do first. “I want to call my parents and let them know I’m alive.”
Jacob sighed. “If you choose witness protection, they’ll help you with that.”
I stood and pulled the blanket tighter. “I don’t want witness protection. But I can’t not tell them or”—I didn’t know how Jacob would respond—“Dylan.”
His stare darkened. “It’s not up to me. You can’t.”
“It’s not up to you? You’re right. It’s up to me. I need to call. My parents probably think I’m dead. My mom could call Dina Rosemont, my friend Mindy’s mom, and then they’d have hope.”
Jacob shook his head. “I don’t know who you’re talking about, but this is why witness protection is best.”
“How long would we need to be back? Days? Weeks? Months?”
“As short as possible. Just long enough for the FBI to get organized on the raids. The best possible scenario is for all three campuses to be raided at the exact same time.”
I pressed my lips together. “I don’t like it—not calling—but I understand.”
I did. Though Jacob had lied in the past, as we’d talked, I’d understood both his motivation and the reason I couldn’t call. I even believed that he’d protected me and that our collective success had been contingent upon the success of each of us.
When I brushed my lips against his, his dark eyes widened suspiciously.
I tried for my most innocent Sara expression. “What?” I sat back on the bed and faced him. “Will you tell me a few things, a few things about The Light?”
“I told you, I’d tell you anything you want to know.”
“How many of the women, wives, came to The Light like I did?”
He shrugged. “I’ve only been there for three years, but as a pilot I see more than most. After all, the women have to get to the Northern Light or Western Light somehow.”
My stomach rolled as I scrunched my nose and lowered my chin. “Oh, God.” My words sounded more like a cry. “Y-you transported them—us?”
“Micah and I.” He reached for my hands. “Sara, remember why. Remember my goal. I had to gain Father Gabriel’s trust. No follower has ever obtained the Assembly in as short of a time as I did. It was because, well”—he sighed—“I convinced them I had PTSD. I convinced them all that I reveled in the structure of The Light, and I thrived following and giving orders.”
My eyes narrowed. “But you knew what you were doing.” Suddenly cold, I released his hands and tightened the blanket around myself. “It’s human trafficking.”
He nodded.
No denial or even regret.