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He laughs a little. “Women. Sex slaves, to be exact. I acquire them for my customers who don’t have a partner. I acquire them for the men who want a little something extra.”
My eyes widen. Bingo. Bishop’s been selling the sex slaves to Humphrey all along. “Extra?”
He waves a hand. “You know, a woman who will do whatever they want.”
I nod. “Yes, I do.”
“I used to have a man who would help me gain these assets. For years he’d help, but now he’s gone off the grid, engulfed in his own little plot to take over the world.” He waves his hand again. “So, I need new assistance.”
I shrug a little. “I wouldn’t know the first place to look for women like that.”
Humphrey laughs, peeling back the lapel of his suit jacket and producing a cigar. “Smoke?” He offers the cigar to me. I shake my head and he spins it around in his hand. “I can find the women. I just need someone to protect my property while they’re in the club.”
“You need security.” It’s all making sense. Whatever deal he’s had before with these women and the men who use them nightly has changed, and he’s looking for more security to either keep the ladies in line, or to hide what the men are doing to these women better. I’m hoping it’s not the latter.
“Yes, some of the men feel their privacy could be encroached on and they’d like to do as they please with some of the women.” He pulls a cigar cutter from his pants pocket. “I just need a new operation. I feel like mine is crumbling.”
My ears perk up a bit. “Why’s that?”
He shrugs, lighting his cigar after clipping the tip. “There’s been a shift in management.”
I smile. “That’s never good.” I want to get more into what exactly he means. I know Bishop was supplying him with women, and now Bishop is on his mission to take down the Four Families, so I’m wondering who the management is.
“It’s time for a change.”
I nod, agreeing with him as he puffs away on his cigar, the cloud of smoke encompassing the room. “Who used to run things?”
He laughs. “You know him. Eddie Gallo has been working for me for years.”
I should have known.
Fuck.
“Ah, and he’s not in the business now?”
Humphrey shakes his head. “He was getting a little too rough with the merchandise.”
Acid churns in my gut at the mention of this. Just knowing what Humphrey does makes me want to punch him, but I know I can’t let my rage take hold of me. “I see.”
“Would you like a tour?” Humphrey smiles, standing from his seat, stamping the cigar out in a glass ashtray on the table. “Follow me.”
I rise from my seat, following him back out into the club.
“Well, look who’s here.” Humphrey points across the room and my heart drops.
Sophia stands in a little black dress, hanging on the arm of Eddie Gallo. My heart jumps into my throat and I try to settle the acid in my stomach. I want to kill Eddie, and knowing he likes it rough with the sex slaves makes me fear for Sophia.
“I should say hello.” I cross the room, no longer caring that I’ve left Humphrey standing there. I don’t stop walking until Sophia is standing right in front of me. “Well, hey there, darling.”
Her eyes register her shock. “Dean, um, what are you doing here?”
I laugh a little. “I could ask you the same thing.”
She laughs, like this is all so very normal. “Eddie called and wanted to meet up, so I rushed right over.”
Eddie stares at me, like I’m encroaching on his woman. It makes me growl a little.
“How very thoughtful of you,” I tell Sophia. Jealousy runs through my system at warp speeds, and I try to mask my reaction at seeing her here with him.
“Remember, we discussed me playing alone tonight and telling you all about it later,” Sophia says.
I push my hands in my pockets so I don’t punch the ever loving shit out of Eddie. “I thought about it again, and I fucking hate that idea.”
Sophia’s eyes widen. “Well, it’s not really up for discussion.”
“Oh, I think it is.”
Eddie places a hand on my arm. “The lady said she doesn’t want to talk about it.”
I glance down at where Eddie’s hand wraps around my bicep. “Mind taking your hand off me?”
Sophia laughs. “Come on, Eddie. Let’s head off to a private room.” Together they walk away, and Sophia glances over her shoulder at me.
Chapter 23
Sophia
* * *
I don’t really know what I’m doing here tonight. All I do know is seeing Dean standing there in his suit with sadness in his eyes spears my heart in two. I thought when Eddie called to meet him, I could get more info about Bishop. About where the girls are. I want to bring down this sex slave operation, and I know this club has so many answers.
