by Hilary Storm
Chapter Nine
Gabriel
Fuck. I can hear her crying along with the others that I let down last night. All of their whimpers are echoing in my mind, making me almost regret ruining my chances at more information last night.
Stay silent. Just observe and watch the doors. Watch who acts like they run it all and then find out who’s really calling the shots. Think like an evil bastard while you’re there. That’s the company you’ll be in.
Evil doesn’t come close to the wicked those men are capable of. I could see it in their faces. You can tell how pure a person is with a simple look in their eyes if you know what to look for. That’s always the first thing I look at when I meet someone. Of course, that may have something to do with the next time I’m planning to see them, I’ll be looking through my scope with the target straight between their eyes.
When my dad originally called me about this sex ring being right in our back yard, I wanted him to be wrong about all of it… but I knew he wasn’t. He never is.
Most of my jobs involve me and the person I plan to kill. I don’t have the extra added tension of saving the lives of so many others right in the moment like this one has. I knew it would be different, but I underestimated how much it would get to me.
At least Aubrie is safe now and Victoria is safe.
With that peace of mind, I can really fuck shit up when I go back in there. Which I will be doing soon, with or without the rest of the King team as back up. I reach for my phone with one phone number in mind.
“Hello.” As always, he picks up on the first ring.
“When we goin’ in?”
“My source says there’s another sale Friday. I’m sending Ivan and Titus in this time. You can run the perimeter with Victoria and Max.” I have to accept where he’s putting me because that’s what we do.
We let him position us like chess pieces in the giant game of peace he’s trying to win. He’s damn good at it and we always get the check mate. It’s just that chess is a game of patience and I’m lacking it at the moment.
“What about the girls we missed.”
“I’m working on the intel that’ll tell us who bought the girls. We can decide what we do from there. Let’s get through Friday first.”
“Keep me posted.” I end the call when I hear footsteps in the hallway. Aubrie passes by my bedroom door without looking in, but I find myself following her into the kitchen. She’s been through so much; I feel like I need to check on her.
The silence on the drive over here confirms to me that she has no idea that I’m the one who saved her the other night and that’s the way I plan to keep it. She’s safer this way.
I know Aubrie Winters enough to know that she’d try to get involved with taking this fucked up ring down by herself if she didn’t think things were happening fast enough. She was always an independent minded pain in our asses; I can’t imagine that’s changed much in the past few years.
“Sorry. I need some water.”
“Bottles are in the fridge, help yourself.” She bends over, making her dress slide up her thigh. Memories of her chained up naked stop me from looking any longer than just enough to see the curve of her gorgeous ass begin to show. She turns back toward the hall only partially allowing me a view of her tear-soaked face.
I want to follow her and let her know I’m going to kill the mother fuckers that did this to her and then hold her and let her feel safe, because she’s never been safer than she is in this house with me right now. But I can’t do either of those.
The pull I have toward her doesn’t stop when Alex opens the garage door or even when he walks into the house. “Where’s Aubrie?”
“In the spare room.”
“How’s she been?” He drops a bag on the table before he moves to grab a beer.
“Distant. But can you blame her?”
“Thanks for picking her up.”
“Sure.” He seems far off too. Hell, we all are. This has been a fucked up few days and I can’t wait until Friday rolls around and I can put an end to this. “I’m gonna head to the shower since you’re home.”
“I’m gonna crash, so lock it all up if you leave.” As if I don’t always lock up everything. He knows me better than that.
I let the hot water beat down on my back longer than normal. It’s been awhile since I’ve been here to use this shower. I had this one custom built when I bought the house to match one that I had used once while traveling. The powerful shower head feels like a massage against my sore back.
I try to get her out of my mind, but the truth is, the longer I stand in this shower the more I regret not telling her that I’m the one that saved her. That I’m the one that’ll make this all go away because it’s what I do. But fuck… she doesn’t even know what I do for a living. Alex is the only person outside of our family that has a clue what the Kings do and he’s not even fully aware of all of it.
I finally admit defeat and leave the shower without the calm feeling I was hoping to get. My towel is barely wrapped around my waist when the other door to my bathroom begins to slide open. “Oh. Sorry.”
“I’m about finished.”
“I love this shower and thought maybe a long hot one would help me clear my mind a little.” I watch her eyes through the mirror as she scans over my body. She quickly lowers her head as if she’s too shy to take me in when I know better. She’s done it on purpose many times just to get a reaction out of her brother.
“You use my shower often?”
“When I’m here I do.”
“Give me just a couple of minutes and it’s yours. I’m headed out for the night.”
“Thank you.” I can barely hear her quiet voice as she slides the door closed. The pull is still heavy to go to her and try to sooth her emotions, but I force myself to not move a muscle in her direction. It’s best for everyone if I just let her brother take care of her tonight. This will all pass over soon and I’ll be back on the road cleaning up the trash and she’ll get over everything that happened to her and live the happy easy life she’s destined to have.
Chapter Ten
Aubrie
I listen for Gabriel to leave before I tip toe back to his bathroom again. I’m pretty sure my brother is asleep in his room and the last thing I want to do is wake him up and have to answer any more questions. I know he loves me and is just trying to help, but for now I just need a minute.
The second I open the door, I’m taken back to last night with the aroma of cologne still lingering in the air. The same smell. Goosebumps cover my skin as I stand frozen in the doorway contemplating whether or not I should go in or scream.
I start to think about the man who carried me out of that hell. Whether or not the feel of his body was similar to what Gabriel looks like. What the sound of his voice was like amongst the rest of the chaos in the room.
I scan the bathroom counter for the cologne that’s causing all of this and close my eyes when I inhale the nozzle. I’m instantly overwhelmed with the possibility that it was him at the same time so many questions begin to surface.
He would know where my parents live. He would recognize me, and I would hope since he’s my brother’s best friend, he’d try to save me… but to pay five million dollars for me? I’ve never known him or his family to have that kind of money.
I begin to replay the night and think of everything that was said to me, trying to gain some sort of similarity in the man who saved me last night and the boy that has been a giant jerk to me my entire life. Struggling to understand the madness going on in my head, I decide to be nosy and open the door to Gabriel’s bedroom.
His room is obsessively clean. There’s not a single thing out of place and the bed is even made. I guess he’s not as much like my brother as I thought he was.
His closet door is open, so I find myself standing in the large space as I take in his clothes. I scan the floor and the top shelf for any sign that he’d be the kind of guy that could even pull something like this off
. It isn’t until I turn around that it all slams me in the face.
I can’t bring myself to move, my breath hitches at the sight before my eyes.
Three suit jackets. All of them the same brand as the one that was draped over me last night. I slip my fingers down the sleeve of one of them and replay his words. How protective he was. How he saw me naked.
How he almost fucked me in front of everyone.
Before I have a chance to decide what to do, I hear the front door close and then his bedroom door opens in a rush. He’s moving toward me in the closet with his cell phone tucked against his shoulder, the whole time not paying attention to the person he’s got on the other end of his call.
“I need to call you back.” His large frame traps me when he stops in the doorway, his eyes never leaving mine while I watch him struggle for the right words to say.
“What the fuck are you doing in my room?”
“It was you wasn’t it?” He turns quickly, outright ignoring my question.
“I didn’t give you access to my fucking closet Brie. Can’t you raid your brother’s shit and leave mine alone?”
“I’m not in here for your damn clothes and you know it. It was you wasn’t it, Gabriel?” I ask him once again. He continues to move around the room as if he’s looking for something he left behind.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. And I have to go, so just take whatever you want… I don’t have time for the chit chat.” He starts to move toward the door as if he’s too busy to deal with facing me or answering the question we already both know the answer to.
“Five million dollars. Sex-trafficking. Does any of this ring a bell?” He doesn’t turn to me in shock like a person should when hearing those words yelled at them. He barely even slows his step before he slams the front door, leaving me standing in shock with the realization that Gabriel King is actually the man who saved my life.
The very man who has always been annoyed by me, always acting like he couldn’t tolerate anything I did over the years spent that kind of money to save me. And he did it without wanting me to know who it was.
I contemplate chasing after him and making a scene at the local bar I already know he’s headed to. It doesn’t take much to guess where he’s going. I also consider waking up my brother and taking all of this out on him, but I find myself right back in his bathroom, stepping into the shower.
Everything has happened so fast and I can’t think straight. I’ve been through so much in the past twenty-four hours; I’m not sure I’m ready to go head to head with that stubborn ass. The way I feel like reacting right now will only clash with his perfectly composed demeanor and I’m sure he’d be irate if I made a scene.
I squeeze his body soap in my palm and make it about half way over my body before I decide that I don’t really care about what Gabriel King wants. I need to talk to someone about what happened and how to stop it from happening to anyone else.
Since I can’t go to the police about any of it, maybe with the kind of money he just threw around, he knows someone who can help.
Chapter Eleven
Aubrie
Luckily, my brother left his keys on the table and made it easy on me. I have to get my car back soon, I can’t stand being completely dependent on everyone else. If I want to get in my car and leave town, I need to be able to do that even though right now my only goal is to talk to Gabe.
His truck is parked on the edge of the parking lot, easily visible from the street when I pull up. I purposely park so close to his driver’s door that he can’t get in quickly and escape me.
I already know he’s going to try to ignore me and act like I’m being ridiculous, then attempt to escape the conversation I plan to have, purposely leaving me standing with my jaw open at his rudeness. Or he’ll revert to flirting with me. That’s what he does when it comes to me. I’ve known this man for most of my life and he’s never once acted like he cared if I lived or died, so trying to comprehend that he’d spend five million dollars to save me is hard to do.
Even though there’s been a few times I’ve found myself wondering what it would be like if he weren’t a jerk most of the time. I’ve seen the soft side of him a few times, but it never lasts long. I’d like to tell you I can’t stand the man… but I’d be lying. He’s always been a great friend of my brother’s and has always watched over me. It’s hard not to respect a guy who’s that loyal.
My nerves may not be ready for all of this, but I take a deep breath and walk forward anyway. The loud music escapes the building each time the door is opened, making the tension in my shoulders even worse and almost has me reconsidering the whole thing.
I could go back to the house and wait for him to come home… but something tells me he won’t go back there anytime soon after the run in we just had.
I have to do this. I have to make him talk to me because I need to know why he was there and why he did what he did.
The bouncer nods at me as I walk through the door and even though it doesn’t take me but a second to spot Gabe in the back corner, I go straight to the bar and order a drink. Maybe some liquid courage will help me face him.
“Max King… I didn’t know you work here.” I smile and notice the younger King brother watching the back corner as I hop up on the bar stool. I take the silent language he’s sending his brother as confirmation that he knows what happened to me too. He doesn’t seem to react to me any other way than he always has and I guess there’s something to be thankful for. If they all know about it at least they aren’t treating me any differently than they always have.
I lean forward to order my drink before I notice the date I walked out on last night is also in the room. I’m not sure how much more great luck I can handle this week, but it just seems to be pouring in my direction.
“Is that how you treat all your dates? Disappear out the backdoor when you get bored.” For a few seconds I feel bad and consider telling him what happened, but then I remember how absurd the truth really sounds.
“I’m sorry. I got a call and had to leave.” He gets even closer, putting an arm around me at the same time he’s squeezing my sore shoulder.
“I think you need to make up for that dinner you cost me. How about you come home with me and pay your damn dues?” He grits his teeth as he talks in my ear.
“Excuse me? I don’t owe you a damn thing.” I shove him away only to have him grab me tighter.
“Is there a problem here?” Max hands me my drink, scowling at Brandon the entire time.
“It’s none of your business.” It takes about two seconds for Max to push up on the bar and land on our side of it… and just another for his fist to slam into Brandon’s jaw and send him to the floor. I don’t have time to react or make a sound. Max is already walking away and signaling to the bouncer.
“Take the trash out, Joe.” My eyes grow wider when the big guy from the door walks over and literally drags Brandon’s unconscious body out the front door. “It’s on the house.” Max speaks to me as he wipes the bar and acts as if none of that just happened.
“Thanks.” I feel awkward as I realize all eyes are on me after the scene that just happened at my feet. I can almost see the questions on all the girl’s faces in the room. The men don’t seem to even care that someone was just drug out of here on their ass.
I scan the room until my eyes are locked with the one man I came here to see. He’s watching me over his glass as he takes a long drink. The girl sitting with him doesn’t seem to realize he’s not even listening to her, let alone giving her a single ounce of his attention.
He has to know I’m here to talk to him and is just challenging me to interrupt his night with the floozy he’s chosen to bore him tonight. I take my drink all the way back before I scoot off the stool and walk straight over to Gabriel King… the man who literally owns me at this point, whether I like it or not.
“What are you doing here?” He questions me before I take the last few steps to his table.
“We need to talk.” I set my hands on my hips and keep my focus on him even when I hear his female friend begin to fuss.
“Excuse me, Bitch. I’m here with him tonight.” I watch Gabe’s jaw move, but his stare never moves from my face.
“Goodnight Trina.”
“Uh. This is bullshit. You can’t treat me like this.” He finally looks away from me to answer her.
“I just did. Now get the fuck out of here.” I swallow hard at his harshness and thank God it’s being directed toward her and not me… this time anyway. This is the Gabriel I know.
When the girl slides out of the booth, I take her place and prepare myself for the battle I’m about to have with the most stubborn man I’ve ever met.
Chapter Twelve
Gabriel
Jesus Christ. Brie looks sexy as fuck tonight.
I can’t hear Trina’s nagging over my own thoughts the second she enters the room. My brother handled that fucker at the bar before I had the chance to stand up, but that doesn’t mean the stupid fucker didn’t piss me off just as bad. I’ll just save my reaction for a later time when I can get away with more damage than is allowed in public.
“Was it you?” She jumps straight to the five-million-dollar question.
“Who was that guy that grabbed you at the bar?”
“Not on your life, Gabe. You don’t get to answer me with a question.” She’s always made my dick twitch when she argued. That hasn’t changed a bit. I can’t count the times I’ve imagined that sassy fucking mouth wrapped around my cock. “Stop smirking at me and answer the damn question.” She closes her fist and slams it on the table in front of her.
I stare at her for a few seconds… taking in her eyes. Her mouth. Her beautiful face. I can’t help but notice how much she’s grown up since I left. I don’t need to look at her tits to know what they look like. I saw her perfection last night.