by Kelsie Rae
Located in the basement, with generic navy blue sheets and dark wood floors, I assume the room is standard living for lowly soldiers like myself. Regardless, once he points me to the private bathroom, I almost groan at the prospect of a shower.
Reading my mind, Leo orders, “Take a shower, and get some rest. We have a lot to discuss, but you need a clear head if we’re going to put out all the fires that accompany a massive FBI raid followed by Burlone’s disappearance. Stay here. Someone will come get you in a few hours.”
Then he’s gone.
And I’m left with a few hours to rethink my life and my past mistakes that led me to a life without Regina by my side. But who am I kidding? A guy like me could never deserve a princess like her.
It’s fucking torture.
Leo doesn’t bother to knock.
Twisting the handle, he opens the door and sees me lounging on my bed with my forearm lying across my forehead as I try to catch a few minutes of shut-eye.
“Kingston wants to see you in his office.”
I’m on my feet before he finishes his order. “Lead the way.”
The walk is silent as we make our way up the stairs. The only sound that’s heard is the occasional scuff of our shoes against the wood or a quiet creak in the floorboards as they take our weight.
With a flourish, Leo motions to Kingston’s office. “In you go.”
I knock against the door and wait to hear Kingston allow me to enter.
“Get in here, Dex.”
As I step over the threshold, I’m surprised to find it almost empty other than Kingston sitting behind his desk with his phone in his hand.
“Where’s D?” I ask, unable to help myself.
“He’ll be hit or miss for the next little while, thanks to his current task,” Kingston explains before setting his phone down. “Take a seat.”
It’s weird for me to be here, but I do as I’m told and pull out a leather cushioned chair across from Kingston’s desk. Once I’m seated, Kingston dives right in. “You’re going to be busy for a little while. Everyone knows you were one of Burlone’s right-hand men. But the rumors have run rampant over the last twelve hours, and we need to make sure they’re hearing our side of the story instead of dwelling on potential lies that seem to spread like wildfire.”
“And what would you like them to know?”
“Exactly what we previously discussed. Burlone was working for the Feds. We narrowly managed to escape with Burlone before they stormed the estate where the tournament was being held and arrested Mr. Russo, Mr. Carbonne, Mr. Moretti, and the other gentlemen in attendance. We took care of Burlone, who died a traitor’s death, and all of his dealings have now been passed on to you.”
“Wait, what?”
“You heard me. Any dealings that Burlone was involved with have now fallen on your shoulders.”
“But—”
He raises his hand. “Don’t worry. We’re done with Burlone’s seedier activities, but they aren’t going away on their own. We didn’t go through all the shit in the last twenty-four hours only for someone else to step in and take over.”
“Burlone’s associates aren’t going to be happy that orders have gone missing,” I explain while attempting to hide my frustration. He’s putting me in the middle of a damn war zone.
“No. They won’t. But you have the Romano name behind you now, and if any of them have a problem with missing fruit, then you can send them to me. The fruit promised to them were taken in by the FBI, and we won’t be collecting any more. It’s non-negotiable.”
They’re not going to be happy about that. At all. But I can see Kingston’s point. If we don’t nip this in the bud, someone else will take over Burlone’s kingdom, and we’ll find ourselves in the same situation as before. And because of our previous decisions, there’s chaos right now in the underground skin trade. I’m just not sure I can smooth things over.
Sensing my hesitation, Kingston presses, “There a problem, Dex?”
“I’ll see what I can do,” I concede as a heavy weight falls on my shoulders.
“Good.” Pushing himself up from his seat, he rounds his desk and rests his hip against the edge of it. “Now, even though you’ve proven yourself to me, and I’ve made the informal announcement, a few of my associates would like to meet you in person and have suggested a”––he pauses in search of the right term––“more formal celebration to welcome you into the fold. I’ll be inviting associates who had a connection with the Allegretti name to attend, as well. Will that be a problem?”
Squeezing the back of my neck, I shake my head. “No, sir.”
“Good man.” He pats me on the shoulder. “Stefan will go with you to corroborate your story when you meet with Burlone’s associates.” The threat is clear in his tone. I have a babysitter, and Kingston will be the first to know if I step out of line and spread any lies that don’t coincide with Kingston’s plan. Little does he know, it isn’t necessary. I just want to leave my past behind me, along with the memories that continue to haunt me from my previous life. But apparently, that won’t be happening anytime soon.
“That’s fine,” I answer him. “When is the celebration?”
“Soon. I also need you to recruit the trustworthy Allegretti men and to dispose of the untrustworthy.”
“Dispose?”
His mouth quirks up on one side before disappearing just as quickly. “You’ll be an assassin to our enemies as well as a delegate to our potential allies. Is that a problem?”
Shaking my head, I mutter, “No, sir.”
“Good. Now, get out of here. Stefan already has the car pulled up to the front.”
Pushing myself up from my chair, I leave with my mind reeling. If shit hits the fan, it’ll be on me. Kingston’s hands will remain clean.
I gotta give the bastard credit, though. He knows what he’s doing. Now, I need to figure out my next move.
Chapter Thirty-One
Jack
The pile of paperwork in front of me is mind-numbing. With a groan, I roll my shoulders and rock my head back and forth before hunching forward and reading over the confession another time. I still haven’t gone home after arresting four of the top five human traffickers in the region. There’s too much to sort through. Too many lies I need to make sure are hidden. Too many tracks to cover. And it’s all because I made a deal with Kingston Romano and his girlfriend, Ace. Part of me wonders if I should regret my decision to give them false documents that incriminated Burlone to be working with the FBI. Then I look down at the images that were taken early this morning. A handful of girls’ faces shine back at me. Some are pretty. Some aren’t. Most are bruised and battered with a sloppy amount of makeup to cover the damage. But all of them are free now because I made a deal with the devil that prevented them from being sold.
So, no. I don’t regret my decision one bit. I can’t.
“Connelly!” my boss bellows down the hall, causing my head to snap up. Stalking through the doorway, he slams my office door behind him and stabs his forefinger at the images on my desk.
“You said you brought them all in!”
Brows furrowed in confusion, I reply, “I told you Burlone got away—”
“Not him! The girls! You said you brought all the girls! Some are missing! Where are the other girls?”
I shake my head, convinced I heard him wrong. “I’m sorry, what?”
“I didn’t stutter, Connelly. Where are the other girls?” His face is red with anger. “And where the hell is Burlone?”
Probably dead, I think to myself before smoothing my expression and answering, “We’re still searching for Burlone—”
“That’s not good enough. Who are his contacts? Where did he go?!”
Frustrated, I slam my hand against my desk and stand to my full height. “We’re doing the best we can. I haven’t slept in almost thirty hours and am elbow deep in paperwork right now, but we’re going to figure this out. You just need to give me a little more time.”<
br />
“You’ve had enough time! Now, answer the damn question. Who wasn’t arrested today that worked for Burlone? What do we know? And how can we find the other missing girls?”
“What do you mean, the other missing girls?” I ask, still misunderstanding how he would know that Ace and Kingston’s sister got out of there before we showed up.
“Moretti’s statement mentioned six girls. We only have four.”
There were seven girls, I want to correct him. He’s missing Ace, but I bite my tongue. I don’t know what Kingston did with his sister, or the blonde that Moretti mentioned offhand in his statement, but it doesn’t stop the walls from closing in. I’m gonna get caught. I’m gonna be raked over the coals for being a double agent when I was only trying to help.
I’m so screwed.
“We don’t know where they went,” I mutter.
“And do we know who’s still out there with Burlone?”
“His right-hand men weren’t brought in,” I finally admit. Dex was never meant to be arrested. Kingston made sure I knew he wasn’t supposed to be touched. And Sei, the other sonofabitch, wasn’t on the premises when we stormed the estate. I have no freaking clue where he is.
“And do we know where they are?” Mr. Reed asks condescendingly.
We know where one of them is.
“No.”
“Then find out. Now. And get me those girls.”
“They’re innocent. I assume they got out during the chaos. I doubt we’ll be able to—”
“That’s an order, Connelly,” he sneers.
Then he’s gone.
And I’m screwed.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Regina
I haven’t left my room. I don’t want to. I’m still pissed, and despite what I’m sure my brother thinks, I’m not pouting, and I’m sure as hell not begging for his attention, either. I just can’t deal with running into Dex, or Kingston, or even Ace right now. I just want to be alone.
Unfortunately, when I hear the brash knock against my bedroom door, I know who it belongs to, and I know he won’t let me hide in here forever.
“What do you want?” I call out, instinctively knowing that it’s my brother.
“Can I come in?”
I scoff. “Since when do you ask questions like that? You always do whatever the hell you want. Why stop now?”
The handle twists, and he comes into view before muttering, “I’ll take that as a yes.”
“Of course, you will,” I quip.
With a sigh, he takes a step closer but continues to give me plenty of space at the same time. “Still pissed at me?”
“Are you surprised?”
“No.” He rubs his hand down his face in defeat. “Look. I’ve been thinking a lot since you disappeared. I don’t want you to feel like you’re in a prison anymore. You’ve lived like that long enough.”
My heart thrums in my chest like a hummingbird’s wings, his comment taking me by surprise. “W-what do you mean?”
“I mean, I want you to have more freedom.”
He can’t be serious right now.
“The last time we tried that, I was kidnapped,” I point out, though I have no idea why. Don’t I want more freedom?
“We kept you hidden in hopes of keeping your identity anonymous. Once Burlone sent out that email with your picture, I think it dashed any hope of us going back to the original game plan. Which means we have a choice.”
“And what choice is that?”
“Would you like to attend a gathering?” he mentions.
A gathering is basically a master networking party where different families gather together to connect, create alliances, transact business, and even form marital ties. They don’t happen often, and I’ve always been ordered to hide away in my room like a dirty little secret whenever they’ve been held at our estate. Kingston’s proposition to let me attend is…staggering.
Holding my breath, I blink a few times and try to register his words. “Y-you want me to go to a gathering?”
He nods. “Yes. I do.”
“Why?”
With a dry laugh, he says, “I already told you. There’s no putting you back in the bag now. You’re out, Regina. And instead of trying to hide you all over again, I think we should own it. Let you be the queen you were born to be. Let them see that you’re more than a weak girl hidden away in a tower somewhere.”
My mind reels. “A queen?”
“Yeah. I’m not the only one who holds power in this family, Regina. You could own any man in that room, especially when they realize you’re still on the market.”
Aaand there it is––the catch.
“I’m not going to whore myself out for the family,” I spit.
Holding up his hands in surrender, he states, “That’s not what I meant—”
“Of course, it wasn’t,” I sneer, losing whatever respect I’d still had for the bastard. “I can’t believe you’d come in here and say that to me! I love him, Kingston. But you’ve forbidden us from ever being happy together. Why would you do that?”
Pinching the bridge of his nose, he releases a sigh. “He’s not good enough for you.”
“Bullshit. In your eyes, no one will ever be good enough for me.”
“You’re right,” he admits. “No one ever will be, but I’m going to do my best to make them rise to the challenge before I ever give you away, do you understand me?”
“I hear you loud and clear,” I seethe.
“Good. I should probably give you a head’s up. The gathering is for Dex. He’ll be the star of the show. Do you think you can handle that?”
Tears pool in my eyes, and one slips out, sliding down my cheek. My voice breaks as I ask, “And will all the desperate sluts be attending, as well?” It’s common knowledge that these kinds of parties attract all the women who have yet to be married off. They swarm like hungry wolves, circling any new soldier like a piece of meat that needs to be tied down. My insecurities rear their ugly heads, quietly whispering that I’ll never be enough to hold Dex’s attention when we’re already on shaky ground, and I cause so much more trouble than I’m worth.
The sound of Kingston’s phone buzzing with a call prevents him from divulging which desperate women will be in attendance to distract the love of my life from remembering what we share together. Or shared. I’m not sure where he stands anymore. Not after he accepted Kingston’s orders to leave me alone so easily. Does he even want me anymore?
With a finger raised at me, Kingston slides his thumb across the phone’s screen and answers, “Why are you calling me, Jack?”
Silence.
“Our business is finished—”
A muffled voice on the other end cuts him off. His expression remains indifferent, but I can see a slight tick in his jaw that tells me he’s close to snapping.
“Thank you for the update. I’ll get back to you.”
Ending the call, he turns back to me. “If you don’t think you can handle the crowds, then don’t come, but consider this your official invitation. I have to get going. Get some food and take a shower.”
He storms out of the room seconds later, and I raise my arm, then take a whiff of my armpit. Yup. I totally need a shower. And I also need to figure out if I’m strong enough to see Dex swarmed by sluts from all sides.
Nope. Definitely not strong enough for that.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Dex
Stefan hits the lock button on his fob as we pull up to our current destination.
“Why are we here?” I ask as I take in the massive mansion with a wrap-around porch and a welcome mat by the front door.
“Lou traced an email that went to this IP address. It was in regards to Q’s future…employer.” His nose wrinkles in disgust while I read between the lines. Interesting. Sei had said that Burlone would let him keep Q for his own sick activities. Apparently, he’d been lying and had already set up a buyer. I’m not surprised that Burlone was going to fail in holding up
his end of the bargain with Sei. I am surprised that he’d sell her to this man, though.
“Are you sure this is the right place?” I prod.
Stefan nods. “Yeah.”
“Johnson has a kid. Do you know if he’s home?”
Shaking his head, Stefan pulls out his phone and mutters, “Let me make sure. One sec.”
I blow out a deep breath and wait for Stefan to do a bit of research when my phone rings. After I pull it out, I answer, “Yeah?”
“How’s it going?” Kingston asks.
“Fine,” I grit out.
“Good. I just got a call from an…acquaintance. Apparently, the Feds are searching for Burlone’s body.”
“And what does that have to do with me?”
“It’s in the back of your car.” Tossing a glance over my shoulder, my eyes zero in on the trunk. “Well, that’s…inconvenient.”
“Or convenient, since I’d put it on Stefan’s to-do list to dispose of it. Tell Stefan it needs to be more public than we’d initially anticipated. I’ll also be sending you a number. I want you to give that number the location of his body so that we can be done with this. If the acquaintance has any more questions, he’s going to contact you from now on. Understood?”
Piecing together the information Kingston just gifted me with, I realize that this acquaintance is likely the Fed who gave him the forged documentation that incriminated Burlone to be working with the enemy. I can also assume that by Kingston passing the buck to me, he’s washing his hands and his connection, leaving me in the crosshairs in case anyone ever figures out our association with the FBI. Again.
Smart, Kingston. Very smart.