by Mary Potter
I also know that I can’t just go in there and demand the property. That’s a fight I’m not willing to get involved in right now, not when everything is still so tentative. I’ll have to speak to Viper so that we can decide what to do about it.
I pour myself a coffee and stare out the window. My old apartment feels empty, full of memories of Lacey. I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of it when I left, and I’d simply paid the rent on top of my other bills while I was away. Returning had been a kick in the gut; all Lacey’s stuff was still here.
Thanks to Viper and Tex, a lot of her stuff is now packed up and in a cupboard. Only a few things remain—a glass rose that I gave her on our one year anniversary, a painting that she adored, and the brightly colored cushions she bullied me into buying. The memories they evoked were soft and sad, but it reminded me of the amazing person she was.
With a sigh, I pull myself back to the present. Time to get to work. There’s still a lot to do.
As I leave my apartment and turn to lock the door, someone approaches me. I recognize her vaguely. She comes and goes from the apartment up the corridor, and I’ve gathered that she’s being paid to do some sort of job here. Beyond that, I don’t really care. The lives of strangers aren’t my concern. Yet, there’s something about the expression on her face that makes me pause. There’s fear lurking in her eyes, and she’s wringing her hands.
“I’m sorry,” she blusters. I can see a fine tremble in her shoulders. “But you haven’t seen Kyra, have you?”
“Who?” I ask blankly.
“The woman who lives up the hall,” the woman says with a poor attempt at a smile. “She has long, dark hair and blue eyes?”
I vaguely remember seeing a woman of that description. We pass each other every now and then, but I’ve never spoken to her.
“Sorry, I haven’t,” I say, shaking my head.
She slumps. “I’d hoped you had since you normally return late, and so does she,” she says. “I have no idea what to do…”
“Is she missing?” I ask.
“She was supposed to come home from work last night,” the woman says, shaking her head. “I was babysitting her daughter. But she never came home, and that’s not like her. I’m concerned. She doesn’t work in a very good place.”
I start to get a bad feeling. “Where does she work?” I ask.
“A club called Night Pleasures.” She sighs. “Please don’t think ill of her.”
Shit. Maybe I should have moved on this club sooner. Now a woman who works is missing. How many others have disappeared? This Kyra woman is lucky that she has someone to sound the alarm for her.
“Where’s her daughter now?” I ask.
“School,” the woman says. “Sorry, I’m Carla.”
“Can you look after her daughter a little longer?” I ask. “I can make sure you’re compensated. I know a little about this club, and I think I might be able to find your friend.”
Her eyes widened. That wasn’t what she had expected.
“I… are you sure?” she asks, hushed. “Shouldn’t I call the police?”
“Wait until I look into it,” I say, shaking my head. “We need to move now, and waiting for the police to do things by the book will take time. She hasn’t been gone long enough for them to do much, either. Give me your number. If too much time passes, I’ll message you.”
“Right,” she says, shakily pulling her phone out of her pocket.
We exchange numbers quickly, and then I shoot an urgent message to Viper. This is our fault. We allowed Chains to run the show, and now innocent people are in danger. This has to be stopped now.
“Thank you,” Carla says.
“Keep your phone close,” I advise. “I’ll let you know what’s happening.”
My phone rings, and I turn away before Carla can respond. I hear her scurry away as I stride down the hall, my steps purposeful. This is my first major incident as the president.
“Reaper?” calls Viper through the phone. “I thought we agreed we weren’t going to move on the strip club until we had more back up.”
“The situation has changed,” I reply tersely. “I have reason to believe they might be involved in human trafficking. Get Thor over to the club, and tell Tex and Fury to meet me at the hall. We’ll go over a game plan then.”
Viper curses and hangs up, not bothering with a farewell. If Chains and the club really are involved in human trafficking, then time is now of the essence if we hope to find these people or track down where they’ve been sent.
I shove my phone in my pocket and wait impatiently as the elevator carries me down, crossing my arms as I think about what to do now. I’ve sent Thor, who is both our resident tech expert and the best at passing unnoticed, to scope out the club. I’ve gathered three of my best and most loyal men. Should I have a larger task force? No, human lives are on the line here. I don’t want them to see us coming and take drastic action to keep us from rescuing the victims. I don’t plan on losing any lives over this.
First, we need information. We need to act quickly and quietly before we attract any unwanted attention. If we’re lucky, we’ll take down the whole operation today. Right now, though, I’ll settle for just saving who we can.
********
Viper and Fury are waiting for me when I arrive, both looking grim.
“Reaper, any word?” Viper asks the instant he sees me.
“Not yet,” I say, shaking my head. “Thor should be there by now.”
Fury stands. He’s a small guy, which belies the deceptive power behind his fists and his surprisingly fiery temper. He’s one of the few men who I would trust to have my back in a fight.
“Just point us in the direction you want us to go,” he says darkly, cracking his knuckles. “I’ve wanted to deck Chains since you took off.”
I can relate. I haven’t dealt much with Chains because he’s steered clear of me since I was the vice president, but I hate to imagine what the club would have been like under his brief control. I’m surprised none of the guys lost their tempers with him and kicked him to the curb.
“Hey, y’all,” Tex drawls behind us, and we turn as he enters. There’s a smile on his lips, but I can see the anger in his eyes. “We got us a situation here?”
“A pretty bad one that could involve human trafficking at Night Pleasures,” I say with a nod. “My neighbor’s sitter approached me this morning. The kid’s mom never came home from the club last night, which is apparently unusual. With Chains in charge of that place, I hate to think about what’s going on.”
“So, what’s the plan?” Fury asks immediately.
“First, we wait for Thor. He’s getting us some intel,” I say. “We should be able to move tonight. I’ll get Carla and the kid to go to my place, where they can be safe. Fury, do you think Mandy can stay with them?”
“I’m sure she won’t mind,” Fury says with a nod. “I’ll just owe her one.”
I allow myself a brief smile. Fury and his sister, Mandy, have a very odd relationship of one-upmanship, but it seems to work for them, so I don’t question it.
“Tex,” I say, glancing at the tall man. “I need you to go over there too. Ask Carla if there’s any information she’s forgotten. Her friend’s name is Kyra, the one who’s missing. Maybe she might remember something that Kyra told her about the place.”
“On it, boss,” Tex says with a salute, turning on his heel and rushing out the door.
“Viper, can you check out weapons?” I ask, turning to the last one of my trusted men. “Make sure the guns are loaded and that we have spare ammo.”
“You think we’ll need them?” Viper asks.
“I don’t know,” I admit. “But we need to be prepared.”
He gives a short nod in answer and disappears, leaving me alone in the hall other than Fury, who is speaking quietly into his phone in the corner. I run a hand down my face. When I got up this morning, all my focus was on furthering my plans for the brewery. I definitely didn’t e
xpect this.
“Mandy is going to head over and look after the two of them,” Fury announces. “She’s heading over the apartment now.”
That’s a weight off my chest. I have no idea if Kyra’s kidnappers will come after her kid, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
My phone rings, and the sound is loud in the almost empty hall. I press it against my ear as soon as I see Thor’s name scrawled across my screen.
“Any news?” I ask, not bothering with a greeting.
“There’s a lot of workers here,” Thor grunts. “But I’ve managed to hack into their wifi. There’s a firewall on what looks like an office computer, but I’ll need more time to crack it.”
“I’ll leave you to that, then,” I say with a nod. “Anything else?”
“I waved over one of the workers as she was leaving and got a bit more info on these rumors that are flying around,” Thor says. “A lot of girls have disappeared over the last few months. The rumor is that they’re being sold as prostitutes.”
My suspicions are confirmed—sex trafficking. It fits Chains’s personality to a tee. I meet Fury’s eyes, certain that my face is reflecting his disgust.
“They also mentioned something interesting about one of their regular customers,” Thor continues. “I don’t know who it is, but the girl told me that some businessman is constantly hanging around this place and talking to Chains.”
“It’s probably one of the leaders of those groups that he tried to make nice with,” Fury snorts.
“Maybe,” I say with a shrug. “Thanks, Thor. Let us know if you crack the computer.”
“When I crack it,” Thor corrects and hangs up.
I grin. Thor is the tallest, bulkiest guy in the club and is one of our heavy hitters, but his true talents lay beyond that, on a computer screen. He’s an absolute genius with anything related to technology, and if there’s anyone who can crack Chains’s security and give us direction, it’s him.
That leaves me to finalize our preparations. We’ll get what we need and move tonight. I can only hope we won’t be too late.
Chapter Four: Kyra
Consciousness returns slowly to me. I’m lying on something hard, and my whole body aches the way it does after I spend an entire night twisting my body for the satisfaction of prying eyes. More than that, I feel sharp, bruising pains on my arms, as though I’ve been roughly grabbed. I try to cast my mind back, wondering what has happened.
I’d left the club, hadn’t I? Glad to be done with my shift, I’d left out the back after I was fully clothed and made my way over to my car, ready to get back to Emma for the night.
And then…
And then?
Two men, I remember vaguely. One of them I recognized, and the other one made me wary. Who was it again?
My head is pounding, and the feeling grows more intense when I roll onto my side, making me groan. Ah, shit, I can’t think properly. What the hell happened to me last night? I don’t usually drink on the job, but I’m feeling all the effects of a nasty hangover.
Wait.
A memory slams into me. Arms winding around me, preventing me from running or fighting back. Screams tearing themselves from my throat, uselessly floating in the night air with no one else around to hear. Being dragged toward a black sedan and seeing a door opening right before something hit the back of my neck. The world going dark.
My eyes pop open. I hiss at the sight of the bright sunlight streaming through the room, and I turn my head as my head pounds. When my headache is manageable again, I open my eyes more slowly.
I was kidnapped.
“Fuck,” I whisper to myself, slowly pulling my sore body into a sitting position.
I’m still clothed, which is a relief, but my phone and bag are missing, which is to be expected. I’m lying on the carpeted floor of a barren room, and the door is shut. If I were to test it, I have no doubt that it would be firmly locked.
What about the window, then? I stagger to my feet, using the wall to help me pull myself upward, and shamble toward the only source of light in the room. The moment I look out the window, however, my stomach sinks.
I have no idea where I am, but I do know that escape from this window is completely impossible. I’m on the third floor, and if I try to jump from here, I’ll be lucky to get away with just two broken legs.
Where the hell am I? Why am I here? I remember the way the man that was with Chains, Griffin, had leered at me, telling me that my talents could be of more use somewhere else. The memory of those words alone sends a shiver up my spine. They can’t mean anything good, that’s for sure.
Despite the dire situation, I can’t help but feel curious as I look over the grounds. I seem to be trapped in some sort of manor. The gardens are well cared for, and there are several cars parked out front. Some people are wandering around the yard in pairs or in groups, looking completely carefree.
I frown and lean forward. One of the women in the garden, escorted by a tall man, looks oddly familiar. The tiny outfit and the tight curls are new, but I’m certain I know her from somewhere.
My thoughts are disrupted when the door opens. I turn sharply.
If I had been expecting either Chains or Griffin, I would be disappointed. It’s a shame because I would have loved the chance to try and take down one of them. The person who enters is a tall, heavyset woman. She looks me up and down, making me feel oddly exposed, and huffs.
“Get over here, girl, so I can get a proper look at you,” she demands. “And take that damn coat off. I need to see all of you.”
I lean back toward the window, unable to help drawing my coat closer around myself.
“Where am I?” I demand.
She snorts. “A fighter, then,” she says, and I watch as she makes a mark on her clipboard. “Mr. Griffin said you would be a handful. You’ll be popular with a certain crowd, at least.”
“What crowd?” I ask. “Have you seriously kidnapped me and brought me here to strip for you?”
The woman pauses and looks up. “Strip? Oh no, girl, nothing so vulgar as that. You’ll be offering a far more complete service to our guests.”
It finally clicks. I can feel the color draining out of my face, and as the woman makes more notes, I glance out the window again. Of course I recognize that girl. Her name is Nancy. She quit Night Pleasures and completely disappeared three months ago.
I feel like I’m going to be sick.
“Are you serious?” I ask when I find my voice again. “You kidnapped us from our jobs to make us have sex?”
“Don’t look down on it,” the woman sniffs. “It’s a lucrative business.”
“Take me back!” I demand shrilly. “I want no part of this!”
“Get off your high horse, girl,” the woman says, rolling her eyes. “You expose yourself for money all the time. How is this any different?”
“Taking my clothes off and having sex with a stranger are two completely different things,” I growl, glaring. “On top of that, I haven’t agreed to this. You can’t force me to sleep with anyone here.”
“We’ll see,” she says with a dark look in her eyes. “Now, come away from the window before I make you. I need some measurements.”
“What for?” I ask suspiciously.
“You can think you’ll be wearing that for work,” the woman says, shaking her head in exasperation. “You need clothes.”
“I have clothes,” I stress, narrowing my eyes. “At home.”
“This is your home now,” the woman says.
Emma. God, what is she going to believe when I don’t return home? Poor Carla must be beside herself with worry. Has she gone to the police yet? I’d like to believe that they’ll take her seriously, but as soon as they tell her I’m a stripper, they’ll probably decide that I must have run off with some exciting new lover. It could take days before they think to follow my trail, and by then, it will have gone cold.
I can’t give up, though. No matter what, I need to get out of here.
I need to get back to my daughter. As soon as I return, I’m going to grab her and run far away from Emerald Springs and its seedy clubs.
“Are you going to let me take your measurements?” the woman asks, tapping her pen against the clipboard and looking entirely impatient with my coming to grips with this new situation.
“You don’t need to,” I say stubbornly. “I won’t be here long enough to need new clothes.”
She sighs, apparently not caring about my attitude.
“All right, come in. She’s being difficult, as we were warned,” she says.
Two tall men come into the room. Their expressions are grim as they stalk toward me, and I try to draw back before they grab my arms and pull me forward. One of them starts pulling my coat from my shoulders.
“Get off me!” I shout, twisting in their hold.
But there’s two of them and one of me. Eventually, my coat is on the floor, leaving me shivering in my jeans and blouse. The woman smiles in satisfaction and steps forward. After everything else, seeing the fucking tape measure in her hands feels strange.
I hold myself still and stiff as she winds the tape around me, though I almost kick her when she checks the width of my neck, wondering if they were going to use this chance to strangle me and be done with it. She quickly proceeds with all the measurements, muttering to herself as she writes the numbers down. When she is finished, she steps back and looks me over.
“Light colors,” she says finally. “Her skin tone is the type that will suit pastels or warm browns, so we’ll use those for the makeup. Blue clothes should make her eyes pop more, as will greens, so we’ll start with those. Based on the measurement, her bust size is thirty-two B, so we’ll need some suitable clothing in that size.”
She’s talking about me like I’m not even here, as though I’m some sort of doll for her to dress up and play with. The urge to kick out at her grows stronger, but her two henchmen still have me in a tight grip. They haven’t said a single word or looked at me even once. It’s unnerving.
“Right,” the woman finally says, clapping her hands together. “We’ll make the preparations tonight. Tomorrow, you’ll be able to start with your first customer.”