Beautiful Collision

by T. G. Ayer

  And I can't believe I'd had the guts to run away from Nikolai. One thing I know is he will look for me until he finds me. He is ruthless and it shows in how afraid everyone is of him. From the beginning, I've been naive and gullible, fooled by his charm and apparent care for me.

  I could never live my life knowing I'd done nothing for the other girls. So, I'd posted all the letters they'd given me.

  But that isn't enough.

  Those girls are all still there, still living this life of hell. I have to do more than just mail letters.

  I stand staring out of my bedroom window, tears filling my eyes. My fists are clenched and I relish the pain. I don't deserve this freedom. Not when Ilya and all those other girls are still living that horror, day to day.

  In that moment I know I will do whatever it takes, if it means writing letters or going to the press, I don't care.

  I will not sit by and do nothing.

  CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

  Gray

  Four Weeks Ago

  I'd caught the first bus that I could, taking it only as far as a lonely diner on the side of the highway. I entered the small establishment and headed for a booth at the back where a couple missing light-bulbs gave the area a darkened, dingy feel.

  The waitress, Daisy, came by with black coffee and a mug and I nodded gratefully. I sipped slowly, mulling over everything I'd been through in the last few months. A little while later Daisy came to take my order of burger and fries. As soon as she left I retrieved the envelope from my backpack and reached inside. All I wanted to do was to count the envelopes and locations so I'd know what stamps to buy. But when the first envelope dropped onto the table and I could see that it was open, something pulled me to reach inside and take out the letter. I shouldn't have worried too much about invasion of privacy because the writing was a foreign script and so I'd never know what was in the letter.

  But it still bugged me that nothing was being done for those poor girls. The girl who died was gone forever, her parents, if they were searching for her, would never know that their child was now dead.

  I couldn't stand it anymore.

  A quick rifle through the envelope revealed more open letters and more foreign script. But there was one envelope that sent shivers up and down my spine. It was made out to T. Brosnan, to an address in Virginia. The back of the envelope had a name printed in neat letters: Emily Brosnan. I read the letter and could barely make out the words for the tears that filled my eyes.

  Dear Kermit

  I hope you get this letter. My darling brother I don't know how to tell you how much I miss you. I thought that when the time came to tell you the truth about where I am, that I would feel ashamed but all I want right now is to come home.

  I'm so scared that when you find out what I've been doing you will no longer respect me but at this point I don't care. If you despise me, I will understand. All I want is to be home again, and safe again.

  Sara is going to post this for me. She's Nikolai's daughter so we don't know what he is so angry with her about. Ilya says Sara is going to escape so I wanted to put this letter in along with all the others. I know she will post it. She's not like Nikolai at all.

  I know you didn't want me to come to LA alone and you were right. Please forgive me for what I am about to tell you. When I arrived I hung out with a few friends and we went out to a club. We were all having fun. It was all so innocent. So stupid.

  Someone spiked my drink and when I woke up I was tied to a bed and there was a girl sitting on a sofa opposite me. Dead. She had white stuff around her lips and I thought she must have overdosed on drugs or something. But I couldn't think about the girl. It was the man in the room that I was terrified of.

  He was tall, dark, quite handsome in a dangerous way. He didn't look like a bad guy but I knew from the way he stared at me that he wasn't good. I won't go into detail about what happened next. I'll just say that afterward I couldn't even look at myself in the mirror.

  When he was done he said that the girl's death was my fault and that I must take her place and work her debt off because money is the root of all life. Those were his words. I couldn't understand what he was trying to say, I didn't know the girl, hadn't even seen her in the club. And he's saying I need to work off her debt.

  I shook my head and was about to tell him to let me go when he came to me and held me by the chin and said, "I own you little girl. From today you are mine." Then he went to the door and called a guy in, gave him instructions in a foreign language and left. The guy took out a silver box and tattooed a bar code on me. When I asked him what it was he said it was number, so everyone will know that Nikolai owns me. Then he injected me with some type of drug and knocked me out.

  When I woke up I was alone in a small room. Someone came in later to inject me again. I don't remember how long I was there. The more they gave me the more I wanted it. When I finally woke up I did everything they told me to do just to get more of the drugs.

  I know they did this to me but how do I stop?

  Please help me, big brother. You're the only one that can save me.

  His name is Nikolai and he runs a human trafficking operation. Mostly prostitutes, some bought brides, and some for porn movies. Those that are sent to the film set, some of them don't come back. The ones that do say these men are feeding the snuff film market. We see a lot here from the other side. The guards are all Russian and sometimes I think they too are held against their will in some way. He brings the girls in from Russia and Eastern Europe, lying to them about jobs as nannies and seamstresses and housekeepers. They believe him, and why wouldn't they? He looks so good, how could he possibly lie to them.

  When they arrive they get the same treatment I did. Maybe Nikolai does it or one of his men. I don't know but then they are working just like me. Working for the next fix. There are new shipments of girls coming in every month. I think Nikolai's operation covers the entire country.

  Now, Sara is our only hope for freedom. All the other girls wrote to their families back home. I'm writing to you so you can tell your people. So that you can save us all.

  Please, Kermit. Please save us.

  Your living sister ,

  Emily.

  ps I hope you can check to make sure Sara is okay. Nikolai won't be happy that his daughter has run off and she could be in serious danger. Please can you find her and make sure she is safe.

  pps Please don't tell Mom. I don't know if I can live with her knowing the truth about me.

  -----------

  Daisy brought my order just as I finished reading the letter. I wiped my eyes and stuffed the letter inside the envelope.

  "You okay honey?" she asked, though her eyes said she really wasn't interested in a heart to heart. I wasn't either.

  "Allergies," I said sniffing loudly.

  "Pain, aren't they," she answered, her tone bland.

  I nodded and turned to my backpack for a tissue and she walked off to attend to another customer.

  I stared at my food, sitting there unmoving. I'd lost my appetite. But, I can't be stupid or reckless. I need to be alive to post those letters. And that meant I needed to get as far away from here as possible. As soon as I'm safe I planned to copy those letters and keep them with me just in case.

  I knew that someday I would be able to use the information in that envelope.

  CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

  Thane

  Gray's reaction to the news report confirmed one thing for me. She definitely knows something about Nikolai's operation. More importantly it makes me admire the girl all the more. I thought she was the daughter of Roshkov; Russian mob boss, human trafficker, gun runner and drug cartel boss. And even when I knew what type of family she comes from I'd felt there was something about her, something that I could trust.

  I draw in a deep breath.

  And I'm thankful Gray isn't here to see the tears in my eyes.

  I'm in this investigation because it's personal to me. Way too personal.

&n
bsp; CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

  Thane

  Three Weeks Ago

  Wade had tried to convince me that I was too close to it, that my personal involvement would cloud my judgment, but I'd refused to be sidelined on this mission. In fact, I'd insisted that I be the one to take point. I had too much at stake not to.

  Reading the letter had killed me. The mail-guy had dropped it off in my in-tray, as if it was nothing more than a bank statement. He had no idea that particular delivery would break hearts and ruin lives. The other agents around me were busy at their PC's typing up statements or completing file reports.

  In the midst of that work calm, I'd forced myself to read the letter then placed it slowly onto the desk in front of me. There was nothing strange about my behavior but maybe it was my stillness that called attention to me.

  I glanced over my shoulder, knowing Wade had a perfect line of sight to me. And I found him watching me through his open doorway. I could feel his eyes on me, but I bent my head and tightened my fists.

  Tears surged to my eyes and I swallowed the lump in my throat. Then, Wade was beside me bringing the attention of the rest of the room to us. "What is it Thane?"

  I said nothing.

  Just sat there, staring at the letter as if it were written in her blood. Wade picked the paper up and it crinkled as he read it. He sucked in a breath. "How long has she been gone from home?" was all he asked.

  "Four months and two weeks." My voice broke on my words and Wade laid a hand on my shoulder. I sucked in a breath to speak. "She left ... not on good terms. We put it down to teenage lust for life, or whatever it's called these days." I gave a bitter laugh and ran my hand over my head.

  Wade turned on his heel. "Harding, Westman. Get me everything you've got on the Russian Mob in the US. Plus I want everything we have on Nikolai Roshkov." Wade walked to the wall of monitors that slowly began to display the information feeding through from the FBI's database. Everything we had on Roshkov.

  And everything we needed to find my baby sister.

  CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

  Gray

  Memories of Emily's words make me feel sick. I pray that her letter got to whoever 'T. Brosnan' is. From the sound of the poor girl's letter, she has people she cares for and who care for her.

  More than I can say for myself.

  And now I hope that T. Brosnan will show up soon to get his sister out of Nikolai's hold. I wonder what life will be like for her. She sounded desperate and ashamed and I hope that whoever her family is that they will not blame her for what Nikolai did to her, or for what he'd made her do.

  Reading her letter had been a defining moment for me. It had been the moment when it had finally sunk in what kind of person Nikolai was. Even after he'd tattooed me and made me his possession, I hadn't been completely convinced.

  Or maybe I'd been in denial.

  But reading Emily's letter had ripped away the last vestiges of guilt that I'd had for taking Nikolai's money and for reneging on what he called our contract.

  It makes me even more certain that I will not rest until Nikolai is in prison.

  Or dead.

  CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

  Thane

  Something is wrong with Gray. She's been in her room for the last hour and I'm getting worried. At last, I figure what the heck, I might as well check on her even if it means intruding on her privacy.

  I wipe my palms on the back of my jeans as I walk to her room. I knock on her door and wait a while. When she doesn't answer I'm too worried to care if I walk in and she's naked or something. She may need my help, so I have no choice.

  I push the door open slowly. She's sitting at the foot of her bed facing the far wall, staring off into space and I don't think she even heard the knock. I knock again, harder this time.

  The sound rips her out from wherever she was deep in thought and she jumps, then glances over her shoulder at me. Her eyes are red and there's no doubt she's had a pretty long crying fit. I step inside and go to her. But she turns her head and wipes her tears.

  As I sit beside her she sniffs. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to run off like that. The floor must be a mess," she says as she gets to her feet and starts to walk past me.

  I grab her wrist, which is covered by a wide black cuff made of soft leather. She gasps and tugs her hand free as if I've just burned her. Then she steps away, backing up against the wall, her expression cornered.

  I got to my feet. "I'm sorry, Sara. I didn't mean to upset you." She nods and looks away, as if barely listening to me. She blinks again as her eye begin to moisten. "I just want you to know that I'm here for you."

  "Thanks." Then she laughs softly as she fiddles with her leather cuff. "I'm sorry to be so high maintenance."

  "You're not. Everyone has the right to have feelings, you know. I'm here if you want to talk."

  She sticks her hands into her pockets and shrugs. "I guess I'm just getting cabin fever. Maybe it's time I got out of the apartment for a while," she says softly.

  I nod and offer her a small smile. "Sure. Why don't I take you to dinner?"

  She stares at me shocked for a moment. Then she shakes her head, the movement a little jerky. "No I didn't mean that . . . you don't have to do that."

  I laugh softly, feeling a little exhilarated by the thought of dinner with this girl. The longer I know her, the more amazing she becomes. Maybe Wade is right after all. I'm probably too close to this whole thing on two counts; Emily and now Gray.

  "I'll be only too happy to take you to dinner." She stares at me for a moment, her mouth open. "Wear something nice. I'll make reservations for seven," I say as I walk out, secretly hoping she'd wear that hot pink dress.

  I head out into the lounge and grab my phone from the kitchen counter where it sits right beside Gray's cell. How comfortable we'd become in this time we'd been together, as if we fit together so well. I stiffen at the thought. I can't get too close.

  But I know I am kidding myself.

  It's already too late.

  CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

  Gray

  Dinner with Thane.

  The best idea I can think of.

  And the worst.

  What is happening between us? The longer we stay together the closer we become and I'm not sure I can handle it. He makes my stomach do somersaults and my heart beat way too fast to be healthy. And I just can't get enough of him.

  But it's getting dangerous.

  He sets my blood on fire and all I want to do is get closer. Which is a bad, bad idea. I should never have agreed to take care of him. He'd been miraculously lucky that the bullet hadn't injured nerves or hit any arteries. And his luck means he will recover very soon.

  I should have said no. I should have.

  But it's too late.

  And now we're going to dinner.

  I grab the only dress I own and some clean underwear and head into the shower, my mind a whirl of denial and self-recrimination.

  I have better things to do than to mess around with Thane.

  There are girls that need saving.

  CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

  Thane

  When I emerge from the bathroom, Gray is already dressed. She's at the kitchen counter and she's wearing that dress. She looks so innocent, so perfect, but I know better. Being involved with Roshkov means the end of ones innocence and I am still yet to find out how exactly Gray has ended up in the Russian's house.

  But now as I watch her cheeks redden when she sees I'm shirtless. I feel a pull toward her that I cannot control. My feet take me right to her and I stop less than a foot away, and drop my shirt on the counter. She's averted her eyes but I touch her cheek and pull her to face me.

  "Are you okay?" I ask her softly.

  "I'm fine." Her answer is a soft whisper and I find my fingers are cupping her cheek.

  If she'd remained stiff I would not have moved either, but she'd tilted her head to fit her cheek into my palm and that tiny movement was my undoing.

  My hand
slips behind her neck and my fingers buried themselves in her hair. Her head tilts back and in the same breath I lower my lips to hers.

  My mind is screaming at me to stop but the fire in my belly tells me this, whatever this is that Gray and I have, is so right, so perfect that I can't step away.

  CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

  Gray

  There is a burning fire in Thane's kiss. He doesn't hold back either. His lips seek mine, ravaging my mouth. There are flames in the touch of his tongue to mine and it takes my breath away. It burns me alive.

  And I surrender to the fire.

  My arms curl around his biceps, tracing the inky blackness of his tattoos as they move slowly up his arms. The slight stiffening of his muscles confirm his shoulder is still causing him pain. My touch is light as it drifts upward until my fingers clasp behind his neck and I pull him toward me.

  This thing between us, it makes me forget everything. I'm so drawn to him. How can I deny either of us this conflagration of passion? This explosion of desire that makes my head spin and my heart yearn for more.

  Thane's hands leave my hair and run down my back, his fingers trailing the contours of my spine beneath the thick fabric of the dress. His hands skim the curve of my butt and linger at the hem of my skirt.

  Then his fingers settle on the backs of my thighs, calloused skin against baby soft.

  And the fires die an instant death.