“No.” Ronnie holds his stare for a few seconds before he opens his mouth again. “I need dirt. ASAP.”
“On who?” Reign asks.
“Bruno McJames.”
“The congressman?” I chime in, confused as to why Ronnie would give a shit about a politician.
“Why?” Reign asks him, ignoring my interruption.
Ronnie glances at me before he looks back at Reign, obviously deciding to keep his mouth shut. I can see Reign’s face fall a little, the change barely noticeable but there.
“What?” I yelp, my head moving back and forth between the two of them.
Ronnie raises his black eyebrows at Reign, clearly asking him for permission to disclose whatever he feels he can’t say in front of me.
“Just spit it out, Ronnie. Whatever it is, she can take it.”
Ronnie lets out a sigh before he starts talking.
“He’s part of Vernon Walt’s network. He’s on our payroll because he was blackmailing our political connections, wanting a few large every month in exchange for silence.”
“Network?” I have a feeling where this is going, and I don’t like it. I turn my head towards Reign, who shows me what I assume is supposed to be a comforting smile.
“I found out that Vernon Walt was in a secret society that rents out girls for the night. Forced,” he explains.
I suck in a shocked breath while I cover my lips with my hand.
“Like me,” I mumble against my fingers.
“Yeah, like you. Unfortunately, there are a lot of men in it. Men with power. Like congressman McJames.”
“Exactly,” Ronnie continues. “I already hated that political bastardo for blackmailing us, but now that I know he has a preference for girls who say no, I want him to go down.”
Reign runs a hand through his messy hair before he starts to rub his neck.
“How much do you need?”
“Enough to make sure he owes us instead of the other way around. Anything you can find.”
“All right,” Reign agrees before he walks to the bedroom to retrieve his laptop. He comes back out maybe ten seconds later, then takes a seat on one of the bar stools before he opens the damn thing. I’m still standing in the same spot, blinking wide-eyed and wondering what the fuck is going to happen.
He opens his computer and starts pressing keys on the keyboard before he gives me a reassuring smile. Ronnie moves next to Reign, looking over his shoulder at what he’s doing. My gaze focuses on Reign and his concentrated look that is staring at the screen. It’s like he’s gone into full nerd mode, his eyes moving back and forth to whatever he sees in front of him. He presses his lips together and narrows his eyes before he glances up, shooting me a cocky wink.
Fuck me, he’s also the sexiest nerd I’ve ever seen.
I walk around the kitchen island to stand on his other side, watching him type in all kinds of shit that I don’t understand. For several long minutes it’s silent, other than the sound of him clicking on the keyboard.
“Well?” Ronnie asks impatiently.
“Shut up,” Reign counters, forcing me to stifle the chuckle eager to escape me.
He types like a madman for another minute before a shitload of pictures pop onto the screen. I look at the pictures, horrified by the sight in front of me. The congressman is all over a blonde girl who is clearly drugged out of her mind while two men stand beside them, watching. A nauseous feeling is starting to form inside me as I stare at the passed-out girl.
Short breaths are filling my lungs as a fog enters my head, memories flooding back, reminding me that I was almost that girl just a few months ago.
“Angel, are you okay?” Reign’s voice snaps me out of it, and I whip my head towards his.
“What?”
“Are you okay?” He wraps his arm around my waist, moving me closer before he grabs my chin and forces me to look at him.
“Y-yeah,” I stammer, still glancing at the screen, trying to clear my head.
“You sure?” He narrows his eyes at me with a worried look on his face.
I take a few deep breaths before I give him what I hope is a convincing smile.
“I’m okay. Why would they take pictures of this?” I ask, genuinely confused.
Reign looks at me intensely before he lets out a troubled sigh.
“To keep them quiet. This organization allows recordings to make sure their members will never talk. Keep the society and what they do a secret. These files are better secured than the Pentagon’s archives.”
“You can hack into the Pentagon?” I blurt incredulously.
“Maybe.” He winks at me before turning his head back to Ronnie. “This enough?”
“Yeah, this will do,” Ronnie agrees.
“Great, I’ll send you a file.”
“Thanks, man.” Ronnie claps Reign on his back in that weird way men do before he snaps his fingers at the boys on the couch. Like well-trained dogs, they get up and follow Ronnie as he walks out of the door. Reign settles in front of his computer again, clicking at the keys as the door slams shut behind Ronnie and his crew. Trying to wrap my head around what I just saw, I stare out of the window, feeling both disgusted and pissed off at the thought of girls being used like that.
Finally, Reign closes the laptop shut and moves me between his legs, his hands resting on my hips. My eyes lock with his as he gives me a sad smile.
“Sorry you had to see that.”
“I feel so naïve. Part of me thought it was just a sole action of my brother, and not part of any criminal organization.”
“Unfortunately not. There is a whole network where women are moved around like livestock.”
“That’s disgusting.” I softly shake my head, swallowing in discomfort.
“It is,” he agrees as he gives me an affectionate kiss. “Sadly, it will never stop. There will always be people who take advantage of other people.”
I lay my hands on his neck, brushing his skin with my thumb while I take another deep breath to try to calm myself down.
I know he’s right. The world is filled with bastards, and for every bastard’s death, a new one is born. It’s an endless cycle.
But I’m glad at least one will be stopped now.
“How the hell did you find that shit so fast?” I ask, amazed by his quick skills.
“I’m good at what I do.” He shrugs as if he just Googled how to bake cookies online.
“What is it exactly that you do?”
“I hack into a bunch of shit to find the information that I need.”
I cock an eyebrow, thinking that explanation is way too easy.
“A bunch of shit? Like the Pentagon?”
He gives me a smile without responding.
“How long have you been doing that?”
“I can’t remember exactly when I started. But I was ten when I first hacked into the local police station.”
“You did what? Why?” I laugh.
“My older brother got charged with something he didn’t do. Or I thought he didn’t do. I crashed the system, removing all potential evidence. They couldn’t charge him anymore. After that, well, the line blurred at some point.” He tells me this in a casual tone that makes him the criminal that he really is, but there is also a hint of regret on his face. As if he did things he’d rather not have done, but did anyway. Not wanting this to become an uncomfortable conversation for him, I excessively start to examine his face.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m looking for your glasses. Since, apparently, you’re just a big nerd.”
“Oh, my family would definitely agree with that.” He snickers as he brings his face closer to mine. “I guess you have a thing for nerds, Angel.”
“Nah, just one,” I whisper before I press my lips against his.
Nineteen
Callie
Present Day
The few hours of sleep I got on the jet helped to keep my head together, but they did nothing for the anger bur
ning a hole through my skin. I’m agitatedly tapping my finger against the side panel of the door while I stare out the window where I’m currently sitting in the very back of the black SUV. Imogen is sitting next to me, but she’s known me long enough to keep her mouth shut, and Liam is sitting in the seat before us. Kane must’ve taken my rage filled glares and brooding silence as an excuse to drive, while Jeremy took the passenger seat.
I saw Kane’s face when we exited the jet, and he looked pissed as fuck when Imogen trotted to the other side of the car, to make sure she sat next to me.
Little does he know she fucking did him a solid, because my level of anger is indescribable. If he would’ve just told me what he knew from the start, this whole situation could have been avoided. I would’ve given him all the information I had before I would’ve demanded he bring those bastards to me to give me answers.
Instead, he kept his mouth shut, playing with me like one of his toys.
Asshole.
I have no clue where the fuck we are. All I know is that we were on the jet for about six hours, but when we started to prepare for landing, there weren’t any landmarks I could see. Now that we’ve landed, I’m not liking it one bit that I don’t know where I am. But at this point, I’m too pissed to ask. We’ve been in the car for two hours and passed a small town about thirty minutes ago. The longer we ride, the more it starts to rain, making me realize I’m seriously underdressed.
Where the fuck are we?
My curiosity almost gets the best of me when we finally arrive at a huge mountain house, not visible due to the high treetops until you’re directly in front of it. My eyes widen in amazement, instantly falling in love with the wooden house. I take in as much as possible before the car stops, which I take as my cue to get out of the car as fast as possible, making a statement like an angry toddler.
Real mature, I know, but fuck that right now.
I just found out a bunch of shit about my so-called family. I fucking deserve to have a small tantrum.
I ignore the cold air and pouring rain as I storm over the gorgeous porch. I would love to get myself a drink and enjoy the view, but pleasantries like that will have to wait awhile.
“Baby,” I hear Kane shout behind me, making me spin around.
“I’m picking a room, finding myself another bottle of whiskey, then I don’t want to hear shit from any of you for the next four hours, you got it?” I glare viciously at him, pointing my finger at the men in front of me. They are all looking at me with wide eyes, Kane, Liam, and Jeremy, standing in the rain, looking like a hopeless bunch of fuckers.
Except Imogen, who is suppressing a grin, fucking entertained that I’m bossing these big guys around, I’m sure. I cock an eyebrow at her, silently telling her to fuck off. Apparently, she can’t hold it in any longer as she lets out a full laugh.
“What the fuck are you laughing at, blondie?” Liam scowls at her.
“She bosses you guys around like you’re pussies. It’s hilarious,” Imogen answers.
“Just shut up.” Liam stares at her, but she fearlessly holds his gaze with a taunting smile.
“You shut up, pussy. I’m going in, I’m freezing my ass off out here.”
I let out an aggravated sigh, frustrated by all of them as Gen walks up the stairs to join me on the porch. I turn back around, facing the guard blocking the front of the door.
“Move,” I bark, looking him straight in the eye while raindrops creep down my forehead.
He eyes me with his deep brown eyes, his mustache twitching, clearly not knowing what to do. He quickly glances at Kane, pissing me off even more.
“Let her in,” he calls out while I hear his feet move up the porch steps.
Not wanting him anywhere near me right now, I push his guard aside and storm through the door. I quickly look around the foyer, not taking the time to appreciate the cozy interior before my eyes land on the wide set of stairs, and I jolt upstairs.
The first half of the upstairs hallway has a clear view of the downstairs living room, and my eyes lock with Kanes when I glance down. Feeling the need to trigger something, I glare at him, hoping it will piss him off. To my irritation, his stoic face morphs into a big grin, making me roll my eyes before I continue walking towards the last door in the hall. I stalk through it, then slam the door shut with a loud bang before I drop myself on the large bed on the other side of the room.
I let out a big sigh, staring up at the ceiling covered in brown beams, while my hands stroke the soft, black bedspread just to keep my hands busy.
I am not a Reyes.
What a fucking joke. I’ve been lied to my entire life. By everyone. Trying to get my mind off of the bomb that was just dropped on me, I lift my head up, my eyes roaming the spacious room.
The wood-framed bed is placed in a corner diagonally with a liquor cabinet under the window on the left side of it and a fireplace on the right. A fire’s already burning, giving the room a warm feeling that barely comforts my tense body. At the foot of the bed is a huge basket filled with different kinds of plaid blankets, while across from the bed is a four-foot brick wall, half shielding the massive bathroom from the bedroom. In the left corner next to the door leading to the balcony is a leather armchair, and next to that is an open doorway leading to a walk-in-closet.
I get off the bed and pour myself a whiskey before I walk towards the brick barrier to peek into the bathroom. The tiles are a brown marble, all detailed with a hint of gold.
Not bad.
I turn around to check out onto the balcony, which contains two outdoor chairs, a fire pit, and a massive Jacuzzi. As soon as I step outside, I feel the crisp air expand my lungs in a cleansing way. I take a sip of my whiskey, warming my insides, then I lean my arms on the railing. The full moon is already starting to shine over the woodsy area surrounding the property, ready to push the day away and literally call it a night.
You and me both, buddy.
Staring at the luminous ball in the sky, I let out a shiver as goosebumps pepper my skin. I’m exhausted, so I swallow my entire drink before I turn around and head inside.
My eyes are met by his hypnotizing arctic eyes, leaning against the balcony door with his arms crossed in front of his body. He took the time to put on a black hoodie, giving him a boyish look that turns me on even more than he already does.
Where the fuck did a man his size learn to walk as quiet as a fucking ballerina?
“I thought I told you to fuck off,” I snap.
“I never listen. To anyone.”
“Clearly.” I want to walk inside, but he’s blocking the way, and I know touching him will make all of my defiance melt away. I lean back against the railing, mimicking his stance, pretending I’m not cold as fuck.
“I just got you back less than twenty-four hours ago. I’m not fucking going to waste time arguing.” It’s not even a question, he’s just pointing this out in a heavy tone, leaving no room for argument.
Basically telling me to shut up.
Asshole.
I turn around, not wanting to deal with him for what he said as I focus on my breathing, in an attempt to prevent my teeth from chattering. I hear him growl behind me before he walks back into the room. I know he’s still in there when I hear the tinkling of glasses, and about a minute later he comes back out. I ignore him, looking straight ahead in a stubborn way.
I’m dying for him to touch me in any kind of way, but I’m listening to those devil twins on my shoulders who are being fueled by the stubborn blood that runs through my body. When he comes closer, he places two tumblers filled with whiskey on the edge of the railing before he wraps one of the big blankets around my shoulders.
Even though I’m still pissed, I appreciate the gesture and take the drink from him, wrapping the blanket tighter around my body. He picks up his own glass before he wraps his arms around my body and presses his chest against my back.
“I’m still pissed,” I grumble, even though I lean back to settle against his chest, e
njoying the warmth that radiates from his body.
“I don’t care, baby.” His warm breath fans my cold skin when he murmurs the words against my skin.
I close my eyes at his touch, feeling my stubbornness running for the hills even though I’m shouting in my head for it to come back.
“Tell me about your brother.”
Instantly, my walls are back up again.
“You have a weird way of apologizing.”
“I’m not apologizing.”
“You lied to me.”
“No,” he growls in my ear. “I didn’t tell you everything I know. And you didn’t give me a reason to. You could’ve told me about Junior, you could’ve told me about that Italian fucker, but you didn’t tell me shit. How is that any different?”
His voice is composed yet intimidating at the same time.
“Those things didn’t have anything to do with you.” I clench my jaw, my glare focused on the treetops while he keeps me in a tight grip.
“Maybe, but I wasn’t sure about your father either. I had to know if I could trust you, and since you stole from me, I obviously made the right choice.”
“Fuck you.”
“Gladly.” His tone is menacing, and I hate how it’s heating the area between my legs.
I want to slap him, yell at him, tell him what an asshole he is for keeping such important information from me. But the truth is, he’s not wrong.
And right now, I just don’t give a shit.
“Did you ever think that telling me would’ve made me open up to you? I gave you Fernando.”
“Callie, shut up about this.” I feel his teeth scrape my neck, making my pussy ache for more. “I’m not apologizing. Get over it. Now tell me about your brother before I fuck you against this railing just to shut you up.”
Catching Fire (The Fire Duet Book 2) Page 14