AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Well, apparently, someone has.” I glance at my phone. The elegant black and gold color scheme design could easily be an invitation to a ball, a stark reminder that even the most beautiful things can hide the darkest intentions imaginable.
Like Enzo said, human trafficking is an area of crime that the High Table refuses to get involved with. If you think the equestrian world is rich, the amount of money spent on the buying and selling of human beings would blow your mind. The business is a vicious and disgusting truth in the world. A cancer of the darkest kind that refuses to die. And this is coming from a man with more blood on his hands than most.
“We have to tell your dad,” Enzo says with conviction.
“And then what? Ask his permission to go?” Raphael grunts. “For the sake of argument, let’s say he gives us permission. We can’t just go in there, guns blazing. We need to be smart about this. We’ll fill him in afterward.”
“If we want to kill this at the root before it spreads, we need to scout the auction. See if we can identify the ringleader,” I add.
“You’re seriously considering attending?” My friend looks at me in bewilderment.
I gesture at my phone. “I was invited. It would be rude not to go.”
“It might be a trap,” Raphael points out rather unhelpfully. I thought he was on my side here.
“Your brother’s right,” Enzo agrees. “You can’t risk going. For all we know, this whole thing could be a setup, and there’s no auction at all. It could just be a way for the Triads to get their hands on you.”
“If it is, don’t you think the invitation with the plea to ‘save her’ is going a little too far? Even Xiao isn’t that smart.”
Enzo mumbles, “Well, neither are you right now.”
I snag Enzo with a narrowed-eye glare. “Watch it.”
“I call it how I see it.”
I growl out my only warning. It seems my friend is in a fighting mood this evening. Raphael steps in before I can throw something heavy like a stapler at Enzo’s head.
“Michael.” I turn my glare on my brother. He swallows hard at my icy look but pushes on. “Let one of us go in your place.”
“No. I’m going, and that’s final. I don’t know who I’m supposed to save, but I’m sure it won’t be anyone you two would know. Besides, it calls for a mask. No one will even know who I am.”
Enzo sighs hard. “It’s too risky. I don’t like it.”
“Then it’s a good thing it’s my decision and not yours,” I fire back.
“Raphael, talk some sense into your brother,” Enzo pleads.
Raphael snorts. “Are you joking?”
“Pull the heir card then,” my stupid friend suggests, and I do pick up the stapler and throw it at him this time. It hits his shoulder…hard.
“Hey! You asshole!” He rubs at the sore spot as he scowls at me. “That fucking hurt.”
“Good.” I point my finger at my brother. “And don’t you even think about ordering me to stand down or I’ll throw the lamp next.”
“I wasn’t going to,” Raphael assures me with a deep breath. “If you won’t let one of us go in your place, then I guess I’m going with you. The invitation said you’re allowed a plus-one.”
“Oh, hell no!” Enzo shouts. “Sending you both in is not a good idea.”
“Enough,” Raphael cuts in. “We don’t have the time to sit here and argue with each other. If Michael’s set on attending to ‘save her’ or whatever the fuck this mysterious sender meant, then he’s not going in alone.”
“Great, it’s decided. Raphael and I will go in,” I say to Enzo before adding, “I’ll need you to stay with the car in case shit hits the fan.”
“You mean, when shit hits the fan,” Enzo grumbles under his breath.
I ignore my friend’s dig and glance at the clock on the wall. It’s approaching ten o’clock, and the auction location is a solid forty-five minutes away on a good night. The time for discussion is over. I stand and grab my phone. “We need masks, Raphael. Go grab some from the employees and then work on the money. Enzo, get us an unmarked car that we can get rid of after.”
As they leave to do as I ordered, I look back down at my phone and read the words for the hundredth time.
