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“I’ll come to you.” My arm fell as Lark crossed the room. She hugged her like they were old friends. It made the tightening in my chest intensified. “How are you feeling?”
“Completely fine.” Grace waved a hand in the air. “Do you know everyone?”
Something settled inside me as she made the introductions. Watching Lark with my family was making me feel calm in a way I hadn’t expected. It was like clicking in place the last puzzle piece. She fit. She completed the group.
“You ready?” Vander tilted his head towards the hall as he walked past. I looked back in the living room, searching for Lark’s gaze. She gave me a reassuring smile, so I followed my brothers.
As soon as the door to Cole’s office clicked close, the restlessness built under my skin. I wanted Lark in my sights. I didn’t even have a camera to look at this time.
“We need a plan for Aaron.” Vander stood staring out the window and down at the city.
“We should just kill him already.” Angelo grumbled as he leaned against the wall.
“We’ve talked about this.” Cole dropped into the chair behind his desk. Like Vander, I couldn’t sit. My fingers dug into the back of a chair. “We can’t do anything without knowing who’s funding him. We risk retaliation.”
“So make it look like an accident.” Angelo grunted.
“We know he has a brother who’s doing the same shit a couple of hours away.” The edge to Vander’s tone told me how he felt about the disgusting things they did. “Maybe he’s someone we can convince. Or kill.”
My knuckles turned white as I gripped the chair tighter. My ears buzzed as I listened to them argue about different options. Zara’s research reported that Aaron had grown up in a middle class family with an older brother and sister. They’d had an uneventful childhood.
Got accepted to a university, but only stayed two years. Suddenly, they dropped out and started making money. They had a connection that they shouldn’t.
They’re running a highly organized sex trafficking ring with a leader who buried himself several layers deep. And they wanted a piece of our city.
The fact that I couldn’t find him was fucking annoying. But at this point, I didn’t care. He could have the whole town. I just wanted to be with Lark.
That wouldn’t happen until we figured this out.
“Why don’t we hit them where it hurts?” I said, cutting off whatever argument they’d been having.
“What do you mean?” Vander crossed his arms over his chest.
“If their cash flow dries up, so does everything else.” It was an idea I’d been considering for a while, but I wasn’t sure they’d agree. “We go after their clients. Threaten them, so they stop working with Aaron. If there’s nobody in the city for them to sell to, they’ll have no choice but to leave.”
“I like it.” Angelo’s smile was cruel. “I’m sure I can find a few creative ways to deter them.”
“There’s always business. But if we make it inconvenient, that might be enough.” Cole mused. “We could start with people who are already working with us. Anyone we’ve lent money to. Or who visit our escorts.”
“Call Leif and Matteo.” Vander said, referencing the leaders of the Vancini and Gallo Mafias that also lived in Sayton City. “Have them do the same, but quietly. Let it be known they won’t sell drugs or weapons to anybody buying girls from Aaron.”
“The cops, too.” I added. “Whoever is on our payroll. Have them make unexpected traffic stops on Aaron and his men. Cite them for petty violations.”
Vander smirked. “Let’s remind them who owns this fucking city.”
34
Lark
My smile was tight as Nathan walked away. These women overwhelmed me. I tried to focus as Grace made introductions.
“This is Alessandra.” The pretty brunette with big blue eyes smiled. “Cole’s wife.”
“Hi.” I immediately felt silly as I gave her a wave.
“This is Isla; our recent mama.” The woman with silver dyed hair chuckled as she shifted the baby on her lap. He looked about a year old, possibly younger. “Angelo’s wife. Lark is the doctor that helped Nathan and me.”
I blushed at Grace’s words. I struggled to think of myself as a doctor when I let them run me away from working at the hospital. “It’s nice to finally put faces to the names.”
