****
Holly nodded and waited for the door to close before she faced Caylee. “Do you want to shower?”
“More than anything right now, but I’m afraid.”
“Me, too,” Holly said. “But if they were going to hurt us, they would have already, right?”
Caylee bit into her lip before she nodded. “I really need to get this stink off me. I think we were lying in urine and rat poop while we were hiding. If I have to keep smelling it, I will start puking.”
“I think so, too.”
They undressed, threw their clothes in a pile, and walked into the shower. They both moaned when the hot water beat down on them. They helped each other wash and rinse before Caylee turned off the water.
“I don’t know how much longer I can stand,” Caylee said.
Holly nodded and handed her a towel before pulling one around herself and grabbing towels for their hair. She agreed because she was also getting shakier.
“Let’s get through the night, and then we’ll figure out our next move,” Holly said. “I think we’re safe right now and can get some rest.”
“Good, I’m glad. I need to put it out of my mind for a while.”
“Yeah, me, too.” Holly had to, or she’d break down, and she didn’t know if she’d ever be able to stop crying, and she needed to be strong for Caylee and herself.
Chapter Four
Both women jerked when there was a knock on the door.
“Girls, we’ve got some clothes for you. Can we come in?”
Holly looked at Caylee and saw her nod. “Yes,” she called out.
The door opened, and both men walked in. They were so big they seemed to fill the space in the huge bathroom.
“We’ve got a few shirts. Let’s get you into them,” Nolan said.
The men helped them slide them on, button them up, and then roll up the sleeves.
Holly grabbed the towel she still had wrapped around her when Jonah tugged it.
“Easy, sweetheart. I’m not going to hurt you.”
Holly bit down on her lip and nodded before she released the towel. Jonah tossed it to the side while he had a hold of her upper arm. She was glad for the support because she could feel her strength start to fade.
“Here, let’s get you on the counter, and I’ll blow dry your hair.”
“Do either of you need to see a doctor? Do you have any injuries?” Nolan asked.
Both women shook their heads.
“We just have scratches and bruises. Nothing serious,” Holly said.
Holly noticed Nolan had Caylee on the counter farther down, and he was working the snarls out of her long hair.
She gasped when the towel on her head was pulled away, and Jonah took a comb and started taming her hair. She almost groaned in ecstasy because it had been so long since anyone had brushed her hair, and she had always loved it. Hell, the only person who had brushed her hair was Caylee. She couldn’t ever remember her mother doing it.
When he had it smooth, he turned on the blower.
She felt her eyelids start to close, and then his arm went around her to steady her. “Whoa, honey. Let’s get you into bed. You can’t stay awake anymore.”