Adam by Teresa Gabelman, Hot Tree Editing Page A

“How you doing, Anne?” Pulling her mouth away from hole, she placed her ear against it.
    “I ’m okay,” Anne whispered back. “He only took me once last night so I’m not as sore. He was drunk or something, so when he was finished; he stumbled out of the room.”
    A sneer formed on Angelina ’s face. “Did you do what I told you?” Angelina forgot to put her mouth to the hole, but Anne heard her anyway.
    “Yes, I did ,” Anne replied, her voice sad and broken. “But I don’t know if it helped or not. Not even my happy place can take away what he does to me.”
    Angelina ’s empty stomach churned in revulsion. Hearing a door open, her heart constricted. She knew another girl was about to live a nightmare they were all caught in. “We better stop now, Anne.”
    The girl on the other side of the wall was silent for a moment . Angelina thought she had already moved away, but a soft voice reached her from the hole. “Do you think of him? The man who came here for you.” Anne’s voice was barely a whisper as her voice traveled through the small space. “Is he your happy place?”
    A single tear of regret and loss fell down Angelina’s cheek. Turning her head, she pressed her forehead against the dirty wall so hard it hurt. “Yes,” she whispered back.
    ******
    Adam stood outside Sloan’s office where the door was shut tight. He had knocked, but was told by Jared to ‘go the fuck away’ unless someone’s life was on the line.
    “What ’s going on in there?” Jill stood next to him, but her question was directed toward Caroline.
    “ Not sure?” She leaned against the wall and glared at the door. “But I wish they would hurry up because I have things to do.”
    Picking up on the anger in her tone , Adam was even more curious about what the hell was going on. “Where’s Lana?”
    Before Caroline could answer , the door to Sloan’s office opened and Sid stormed out glancing around. “Where is she?” His eyes landed on Caroline.
    “You told her to leave, so she left.” Caroline gave him a disgusted look. “Is this going to be much longer because I have stuff to do?”
    Adam watched the change come over Sid and frowned. There must be some serious shit going down because Sid rarely looked like he was about to kill someone.
    “Tell me where she is.” Sid’s growl rattled the walls. He stalked toward Caroline, his eyes black as night.
    “Hey!” Adam grabbed Sid, who was poised threateningly over Caroline. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
    Sid pushed Adam away, his eyes never leaving Caroline. “Where is she, Caroline?”
    Adam scrambled back toward them, but stopped when Sloan, who just walked through the front door of the compound, sent Sid flying through the air landing against the newly plastered wall.
    Sloan placed himself between Sid and Caroline, his face a mask of furry. “What in the fuck is going on?”
    Adam, Jill and Steve all stood in shock wondering the same exact thing.
    Sloan stormed over to Sid who had pushed himself away from the wall and was visibly trying to get his shit together. “If I ever see you treating a lady like that again, I will flay your ass alive.” Sloan’s body tensed as Sid looked him straight in the eyes, clearly fighting the urge to strike out. “You got me?”
    Sid finally looked away toward Caroline. “Yeah, I got ya , boss.” His eyes made their way back to Sloan. “We got some serious shit going down. Why the hell didn’t you answer your fucking phone?”
    “ I don’t answer to you.” Sloan’s voice was low with authority, his eyes narrowing dangerously.
    “I didn ’t say you did,” Sid replied, anger and frustration edging his tone, his body tensing again.
    Adam was just waiting for all hell to break loose. He had seen the Warriors going at each other, but this was different. Sid didn ’t look in control and that was saying something. Sid was always in control.
    Sloan nodded toward his office. “Go.”
    “We need Caroline.”