Free Dark Redemption (Broken Souls #1) by Sarah Marsh Page B

I’ve never felt this way before. I think it means something.”
    “Me too,” she answered softly. She was so relieved he felt the same way she did. They may have been crazy, but at least they were going to be crazy together.
    “So where are we going?” Sofia asked as they drove out of the city toward the larger rural area.
    “I’m taking you to Maddy’s house,” Eitan answered as he pulled onto a long dirt driveway. “Hays doesn’t know about this place so you’ll be safe with the girls. I’ll just be gone for an hour or so. Then we can head back to your apartment.”
    Sofia was so curious to meet Maddy, she was practically bursting when they pulled up to a large house in the middle of nowhere. It was an older home, with a porch out front, and a big garden along the side. Eitan parked next to an older suburban in front of the garage and came around to open her door for her. They were almost to the front door when it opened and a lovely, middle-aged blonde woman came out with a big smile on her face.
    “Eitan!” She grabbed him for a big hug before pulling back, seeming to examine him for injuries. “We haven’t heard from you in two weeks, I was beginning to worry.”
    “I was just on a job, Maddy, no need to worry,” he answered, stepping back and grabbing Sofia’s hand, and pulling her up next to him. “This is Sofia. I need her to hang out here for a bit while I go talk to someone.”
    Sofia watched the woman’s eyes widen as she took in their clasped hands, and then a soft smile replaced the shock as she stepped aside and motioned them to enter the house.
    “I’m so glad to meet you, Sofia,” Maddy said with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. She closed the door behind them. “We have so much to talk about.”

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Nineteen
     
     
    Sofia instantly liked Maddy’s strong personality. The other woman was clearly a survivor and the passion she had for her charges was inspiring. Almost as soon as the door had closed behind Eitan she could hear the patter of feet on the staircase.
    “Girls,” Maddy yelled up to them from the kitchen, “come and meet Eitan’s girlfriend, Sofia!”
    The awed whispers and giggles as the five girls entered the room had Sofia blushing again. They looked to be in an age range from fourteen to twenty, and they were all staring at her like she was the Lois Lane to Eitan’s Superman…which when she thought about it, she supposed she was. Eitan had given her a brief rundown on their way over in the car. All of these girls had been found and rescued while he was on jobs. He didn’t go into details about what he had rescued them from, but she could only imagine how awful it had been as she could see the rage in his eyes as he spoke about it. The ones who had no family to take care of them or nowhere to go stayed on with Maddy until they were old enough and ready to make their own way. It was no wonder they had a bit of hero worship going on when it came to him.
    “Hi guys,” Sofia said softly.
    “Come on, ladies,” Maddy sighed. “Sofia can help us make some cookies.”
    That certainly got them moving. Before she knew it, Sofia was up to her eyeballs in chocolate chip cookie dough, helping the youngest girl, Clara, drop the dough onto the cookie sheets.
    “So how long does it take you guys to eat all these cookies?” Sofia asked as they worked.
    “They aren’t for us,” Clara said quietly as she blushed a little. “We make them for Eitan, they’re his favorite.”
    “Oh, that’s so sweet,” Sofia said with a smile to the timid girl.
    “We can never repay him for what he’s done for us all,” the oldest, Eva answered. “He won’t take anything else from us…except food.”
    “Our Eitan is always hungry.” Maddy laughed making all the other girls giggle along with her.
    If Sofia had to guess at the exact moment she tipped over the line from lust and infatuation into love for this man she’d only known for a couple