“My name is Emelyn,” I say in a small, meek voice. “I have a letter here to share, and I don’t know what it says, but I already know it’s from William. Before we start, I want to know about you all. So please, tell me. You girls are all I’ve had, and it’s been hard, but I want to keep this...I need for us to at least try.”

“My name is Jaybelle,” Number Twelve says, and then gives a weak laugh. “They told me I was a sex slave after my parents died, leaving me an orphan. I ended up on the streets. I guess I got taken.”

I reach out, and take her hand. “That’s a very beautiful name.”

“I’m Layla,” Number One says, her voice tired and worn. “I was a prostitute when William got hold of me. I was at the end of my rope. I was broke and poor. I had nothing left.”

“I’m Jessica,” Number Two says. “I was also a prostitute.”

She leaves it at that, and I don’t push her. They will give me as much or as little as they feel they need to.

“I’m Ryleigh,” Number Four says, and I feel my heart pang that there’s no Number Three to give her story. “I was a sex slave too. I got sold when I was eighteen. I’m very aware of my life before William, and I don’t want it back.”

“I’m Mackenzie,” Number Five says. “I too, am a slave, but not a sex slave. I was worked to the bone by a horrible and cruel master.”

I give her a soft smile, and she returns it.

“I’m Peta,” Number Six says. “I was on the streets, starving. He found me and saved me.”

My heart aches for William as I realize more and more what he did for us all.

“I’m Reign.” Number Seven smiles, looking over at me. “I was a sex slave. I don’t remember a lot of it, and I’m glad. My life before that was hard. I was told I was continually raped by my father until he passed away, leaving me with nothing.”

My heart breaks for her, and I want so badly to reach over and hold onto her. Poor thing.

“I’m Ellie,” Number Eight whispers. “I was a slave too.”

She’s reserved; she’s allowed to be. We all are.

“I’m Katie,” Number Nine says. “I was paired up with Ellie. We came from the same place.”

I’m glad she has someone she is familiar with.

“I’m Yasmin,” Number T822lie. en says. “My family was killed in a car crash. I was walking one night and I got taken. I was sold to a master who used me, and sold me to another master. I was a sex slave for five years. That’s when William saved me.”

I swallow my tears back, and nod at her. She smiles weakly at me.

“I’m Genevieve,” Number Eleven grunts. “I was a whore. He saved me, I guess.”

She’s still raw towards William, but clearly she respects him enough to know that he did the best thing for her. I stare at the group of girls who have become everything to me, and I unfold the letter, staring down at the beautiful script. Tears well in my eyes, but I manage to choke out the words.

Girls,

You probably have a lot of questions, and questions are perfectly healthy. There are so many reasons I took you, but really, it comes down to me. I’m not a man who gives his heart easily, and for so long I’ve lived in darkness. That was, until I found you all. You changed something in me. While teaching you, I taught myself. I never thought that was something I would achieve in my life.

See, when I was hurt as a young man, I chose not to become a monster, but instead to teach lessons. Then I met you girls, and I knew I had to teach you, to show you that with the right actions, life could be beautiful. You made my life beautiful.

I know you wonder why I picked thirteen. The reason is, it was a meaningful number to me. It also meant I was saving more than one. It wasn’t an easy task; I had to dig myself into a bad place to be able to save you. I decided right from the start that I would teach you about life. I would build you back up, and I would be that someone you’d never had.

I hope I became that someone for you.

I know sometimes my punishments made no sense, and I know you deserve to know the reasoning behind that. It’s simple, and it was always about a lesson. When I first met you, you were terrified. You didn’t know who you were. You would have run at the first chance you got, and there needed to be something to hold you back. You needed to feel that fear; it was the only way I could get past the walls you had all built so high, and get to the core. I needed your trust, but to earn that, I needed you to see beyond the haze. The minute you all feared me, you left yourselves fragile. I worked with that, and slowly worked to show you that good things were rewarded, and if you behaved well, you could have a happy life here, with me.

You all learned so well, and you made me proud every day that you grew.

I cannot begin to tell you the lessons I’ve been taught from all of you. I’ve learned about compassion, respect, friendship, and love. I need you to know that; I need you to understand that. I want you to remember me for what I am. I want you to remember the lesson I taught you. I want you to remember there’s always a place in my heart for you.

Now it’s time for you to fly free.

You will forever remain a part of my soul, my thirteen sweet girls.

William.

I lift my hazy eyes and see the girls all hanging their heads, some of them sobbing.

He didn’t just change my life. He changed theirs, too.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE