My lips separated and I grabbed the table for some form of stability. “Here? I don’t understand. How is that possible?”
“Well, most of the boys and girls are young. Junior High age and up. Some even younger. They’re taken and fear is instilled to the point of them being too afraid to reach out for help. Sometimes drugs are administered for dependency. They’re made to prostitute to numerous men on a daily basis. In hotels, truck stops…there are things I’ve heard that would turn your stomach. We try to do everything we can, but like I said, the numbers are growing at a very alarming rate.”
“I had no idea.”
Elle took a drink, keeping her focus on me. “Not very many people do. And when they hear about it, most think they’ll never be affected by trafficking. I just wish they would see how bad this situation really is.”
“Yeah,” I said, lowly. My mind was going while I tried to figure out a way to cause awareness. There had to be something I could do. Something that went beyond the norm. A billboard? Was there already one? Maybe if I had ten posted up. One hundred? Maybe a commercial?
A horn blasted outside and I jumped, my vision distorting. Elle faded out as the honking increased in volume. God, I was swaying. I felt sick. Over and over, I could feel my restrained self rock back and forth. Arabic yelling broke through and repeatedly the horn blew. I tried curling more into myself, but the ropes were too tight, restricting most of my movement. The smell of sweat and blood assaulted me and I gagged. My mouth was already full of something. Cloth.
“Lily? Lily.” The voice grew louder and my gasps were the first thing that came to light. Elle’s eyes were wide. She was standing before me and Brace was kneeling on my other side. Pain flared at my scorched hand and the Styrofoam cup I’d been drinking from was crushed in my palm. Instinct had me pushing to my feet at the agony that had taken over my skin. “Let’s get her to ER.”
I nearly tripped over the chair behind me at Elle’s words. “No, I’m fine now. I want to go home.” My response sounded slurred. Loud. God, was my tongue swollen like before when I’d been drugged? Suddenly, I couldn’t breathe at the realization that I had relived my first moments awake in Afghanistan. “Thank you for meeting me.” I spun, already heading for the door. Brace’s arm went around me and he led me to the left. I almost fought, but his voice had the urge easing.
“Let’s wash your hand first. It’ll stop some of the pain.”
He pushed the men’s door open and pulled me through at a fast pace. The cold water had it soothing on impact, but what followed had me wincing. It wasn’t too bad. Reddened, but the skin wasn’t missing.
“Fuck, get me home.” A sob escaped and I tried my best to hold it in.
“We’re going, sweetie. Come on.” His arm held on tight as he pushed open the door and the cold air rushed to meet us. “Put this on.” The jacket was already being placed around me and I accepted it gladly. With the temperature difference, the shakes turned into full-blown trembling. My jaw chattered and my legs felt weighted down. Each step was harder than the last.
Traffic zoomed through the light and I closed my eyes, trying to make myself disappear from the hectic everyday bustle of the city. A hand pressed over my ear and Brace pushed my head into his side. When we started walking again, I kept myself closed off, trusting his direction. Forever seemed to go by and yet, only seconds. We came to a stop and his hand removed. My eyes opened and I unlocked my fingers from his shirt. The elevator was before me and I stood straighter, catching my reflection as the door opened. Shit, I was so pale. I looked so rattled.
“He’ll know.”
“Slade needs to,” Brace weighed in. “And you’ll tell him.”
Chapter 38
Zain
“So, let’s go over this one more time.” Blake paced in front of the sofa, the notepad full of names I gave him, smacking against his palm. “You’re one hundred percent positive that you have never dealt in the trafficking of humans, male or female?”
My gaze had him coming to a stop. “I’ve said no three times. The only deal I was supposed to be a part of was the one I botched. Do you seriously think I’d participate in something I was so openly against? I told you, I dealt on the money side of things. Collected debt, so forth.”
“For
slaves
. And you accepted one to begin with.” Preston had been quiet the majority of the time. I looked over to where he sat, throwing him a look that had a warning written all over it.
“Slaves were a very rare debt I had to collect on, but yes, amongst other things. And you watch how the hell you speak about Lily. I saved her life. To understand what it would have meant to decline is something beyond you. You were not raised in the same household, nor in the same culture.”
Blake glanced down at the names. “If you hadn’t been taken yourself at such a young age, I’d kill you so much as look at you. That’s the only thing keeping you alive. That, and the fact that you didn’t willingly, per se, carry on with the life you led. I believe you didn’t have a lot of choices. I, for one, would have found a way out a lot sooner, but you’re not me, and I didn’t live your life. Perhaps I’m wrong on that account, too.”
“You’re right. You
haven’t
lived my life. Every return to my father’s could have been my last. I’m not afraid to die. What I am afraid of is leaving Lilian in a state of mind or place where she might not be safe. I couldn’t have protected her dead. And I needed to know she was okay before I returned in her life. Buying my time to make sure I didn’t fuck her up worse was the hardest fucking thing I’ve ever had to do. Do not, for a second, try to put yourself in my shoes. You don’t deserve to be there! You’ll never know what distancing myself did to either one of us.”
My gaze cut over to Preston again. I couldn’t stop the anger I had for both of them. I understood their dislike toward me, but it didn’t mean I had to put up with it.
“Can we get off the damn plane now? We landed over an hour ago and we still have a long way to travel to even get there. I want this over with. I’ll kill Adul and take care of Saul at the first opportunity that presents itself.”
“I don’t think so,” Blake said, placing down the notepad. “You see, I didn’t bring you for your help. I’ve got it covered. What I needed were those names. You being here,” he said, gesturing around the interior, “was a great cover in case I didn’t want you to return.”
I stood, pulling my gun free from my waistband. “Well, you got what you wanted, but I didn’t come all this way to chill out in your jet while you took care of my dirty work. This is
my
family. My responsibility. Not yours.”
“Unfortunately for you, this is no longer a choice you get to make. My ass is covered if something happens. Yours isn’t.”
I moved my head in quick shake, signifying that I didn’t care. “I’m going, that’s final.”
“I’m government protected. You’re not.”
Blake pushed a button on the coffee table and the lid lifted, exposing a mass of weapons. He put something small in his hand and stepped closer. I lifted the barrel, aiming it at his chest. “You take more step, I’ll pull this trigger. I won’t be hitting that vest either.”
Preston moved to the side and I jerked the gun in his direction just in time to feel pain shoot through my thigh. The small dart was unmistakable. My eyes widened in surprise.
“Sleep well, my friend. Someday maybe you’ll understand why it has to be this way.”
The room flickered and time slowed. Darkness swept over me almost immediately and I could feel myself falling. I was out before I ever hit the floor.
****
“What’s your name?”
Crying had me trying to force my eyes open, but for the life of me, I couldn’t find the strength. Throbbing pounded against my temples and the need to gag was on the verge of pushing itself out.
“It hurts,” a girl sobbed.
“I know, but we’re going to get you all better soon. Drink this.”
Preston’s voice was calm, soothing. I groaned, finally seeing light flicker though as my eyes obeyed the commands in my mind. Lifting my head felt like the hardest thing in the world, but I somehow managed to hold it up long enough to see Blake sitting across from me, staring. A large scratch rested on one of his cheeks and there was blood soaked at the hem of his neckline.
“Wake up,” Blake growled, lowly. “I have some questions and you’re going to answer them.”
Turbulence had me forcing my eyes back open. His threatening tone didn’t.
“Just ask.”
I heard him get closer before I processed the action. My fist clenched. If I would have had the power to swing, I would have clocked him good for what he’d done. Drugging me. Denying me what was so rightfully mine. It pissed me off to no end.
“I know what room was yours. You care to explain the chains mounted to your ceiling?”
My eyes closed at the pain and I rested my head back again. “That’s none of your business and has nothing to do what you probably think it does. Since when is kink a crime?”
Silence.
“You don’t believe me, ask Lilian,” I continued. “Not that she should have to answer or be interrogated.”
“Did you have those before she came to you?”
“Like I said, kink isn’t a crime. It’s just who I am. Are you going to call your government friends and get permission to off me, too?”
I lifted to catch his reaction but all I got was a hard stare. “I need no one’s permission when it comes to who I take care of. I wasn’t always government, Zain. They came to me not long ago and I still go by my rules. No one else’s. All they want is names and I have no problem providing those. Luckily for you, I believe what you’re telling me.”
“I have nothing to hide.” A groan left my mouth. “Did you kill my uncle?”
Blake glanced toward the three girls Preston was speaking with. “I did. Not nearly the way I would have liked. He killed one of them in front of us to prove that he’d do it again if we got any closer. Fucking coward. I’ve never lost a girl. Ever. God, I would have loved to just…” His jaw tightened and he looked toward the floor. “Anyway, they’re all dead.”
“All but one,” I said, trying to force myself to sit up straighter. “And he
is
mine. If you take that from me, Blake…” My head shook as we stared into each other’s eyes. “Don’t.”
“I gave you your revenge or did you forget? You killed the man who took you. This one—”
“Killed my child!” I yelled. “He’s mine.” My hands went to my head to try to balance the room. I was beginning to spin. To feel sick from not only whatever was in my system, but from the mere thought of not being able to finishing this.
Blake’s face turned hard and he looked down, becoming quite. My stomach knotted at having to bare my painful past and a ragged breath left me. I felt drained and exhausted. All I wanted was to spill blood from my enemies or be with my slave. Not be in the presence of Blake and Preston.
Crying had me groaning and glancing over. I knew all three girls. Two, barely at all, but one for years. It immediately had my heart racing. She could help me. I switched to Arabic, knowing that was her primary language now. Russian was now part of her past. I wondered if she even knew how to speak it anymore.
“What is your name?”
There was a hesitancy, but she came closer. “Alina.”
“Alina. That’s a nice name. You knew my Lily. You remember?”
She took another step. “Your slave. Yes. She helped me.”
“Yes,” I said, smiling. “Lily always tried to take care of all of you.” I swallowed back the bile as I moved to the edge of my seat. “It’s time for me to help her. I need to find Saul and put a stop to him once and for all. Have you heard anything that could possibly help me?”
One look at the other girls and they all exuded the same fear.
“He can’t hurt any of you anymore. Please. If you know something, you have to tell me.”
The newest one began crying again and Preston threw me a look that clearly said to back off.
“I don't know where he is.” Alina pulled at the wrap around her head and eased it off, revealing long brown hair. “When he learned of your father’s death, he planned to make you pay. He said he wouldn’t be back until it was done. But you’re alive.” Her voice quivered and I knew it must have been hard for her to defy the man she’d spent years fearing.
“Thank you, Alina.”
I took the bottled water Blake held out and swallowed a big drink. “She doesn’t know anything.”
“You sure about that?”
“I just said it, didn’t I? He left and vowed I would pay. She didn’t expect him to return until the threat was carried out.” Another groan had me collapsing to the sofa. All I wanted to do was go back to sleep, but I couldn’t. Not yet. “How long have I been out?”
Blake sat down beside me. “For a while. Listen, I need you to read something for me. I could call it in, get someone to do it, but I don’t want the hassle. I found it at your father’s. Maybe it’ll be of some help.”
My head rolled in his direction and I reached out, taking the paper. The Arabic writing was so poorly scribbled, it took me a minute to decipher.
“Tell me why I should help you anymore than I already have. You tricked me. Lied to me. Stole part of my revenge. Shot me with a dart and drugged me. I feel like shit because of you.”
His mouth twisted and he shrugged. “You’re alive. Does that count for something?”
“No.”
“I called your woman for you while you were out. How about that?”
A big thump in my chest had me sitting up “Now that might count. Tell me what she said and I’ll decide if it’s worth telling you over.”
He sighed, dropping his hand in his lap. “She was asleep. I talked to Slade. Apparently, she had some sort of episode yesterday when she met Gaige’s wife, who I happened to call and question for you, too, by the way.”
I jumped to my feet, feeling nothing but panic set in. “Episode? What sort of episode?”
“He didn’t say and apparently neither did she. From what Elle told me, I’m guessing some sort of flashback or something. Said Lily mentioned it happening on her way there. Something about the sound of brakes setting her off. Then a car honked and she froze up. Busted her coffee cup in her hand and didn’t feel the burn until she snapped back to. If you ask me, I’d say she has PTSD, but I’m thinking you already know that.”
Any form of sickness I felt didn’t compare to the rage that overwhelmed me. “Get me the fuck home. Now,” I roared. “It was pointless for me to leave to begin with. Now Lilian has to do this alone. No. I could have easily given you the names without your interrogation type settings. I could have done that while still being there with her.” I paced, shaking my head, wanting nothing more than to rush back to San Francisco. Being trapped in a small ass room, I was losing my mind.
“The paper, what does it say?”
I turned on Blake, having to stop myself from ripping him off the sofa and pounding my fist into his face. My slave was alone. Probably scared out of her mind. She wouldn’t open up to Slade or anyone else. She needed me and once again, I was unavailable.
I reached over, grabbing the water, but never breaking our eye contact. “It’s an address. But you’ll never know what it is from me if you don’t promise me something right now.”
Blake raised an eyebrow, not the least bit fazed. “And what’s that?”
“When we get off this plane, you’re finished with me. I know nothing more. My uncle will be handled, so you have nothing to worry about that. Just drop me off and go track down everyone else on that list. If you can give me your word, I’ll tell you right now.”
A bored expression faded and he shrugged. “Sure. Doesn’t mean you’ll never see me again, but I’ll stop hassling you.”
I wasn’t sure how I felt about that, but if it bought me enough time, I’d take it. “It’s the penthouse I was shot at. He’ll be looking there to see if I stayed or not. When he does, I’ll finish him off.” It was the truth, but a lie concerning my uncle. He wouldn’t go. He’d send someone to see if I still resided there. Regardless, any inquiry would lead me back to him.
“I’ll have it verified. If you’re telling the truth, you’re off the hook. For now.”