It’s the only reason he’s still alive right now.
“What about Eli?” I angle my chin at the computer again, the name raising bile in my throat. “Have you found anything on the asshole who tried to buy Emery?”
Who tried to buy her virginity.
Anger ripples through me. As if I don’t have enough reasons to make Zane suffer, his selling his niece to a business associate sealed his fate.
“He’s untraceable.”
“Like Zane?”
Ghost shakes his head, pulling up a file on Eli. “Worse. Even with every surveillance program running, I can’t get a hit on his location.”
“Maybe he’s keeping a low profile.”
“That’s what I thought at first, but then I saw this.” Ghost pulls up an article about a recent restaurant opening; Eli stands at the center of the group photo. “He’s all over the fucking city but moving like a wraith. Charity events. Warehouse visits. Somehow, he manages to move without triggering anything. It’s like the grid erases any trace of him the second he does anything. The benefits of being loaded, I guess.”
“What does the heir of an oil tycoon want in Vegas?” My hands clench as I stare at his smug face on Ghost’s computer screen.
Eli is young—late twenties. There’s a woman on his arm at every press event. And his smile tells me everything I need to know about him. He’s a snake.
“I’m still figuring that out.” Ghost taps the screen, and it changes to an info sheet. “His net worth is more than Zane’s, so if he’s after money, then Zane is hiding it somewhere Legacy hasn’t been able to dig up yet because it’s nowhere near what Eli has.”
“Maybe it’s not about money. Zane might have connections Eli can’t secure without him?”
Ghost shrugs. “Maybe. It’s as good a guess as any.”
Footsteps at the doorway pull our attention as Luna reappears. Ghost pops out of his seat, hurrying over to her. The color has completely left her face, and there’s no bounce in her step like usual. She presses her hand to her stomach and frowns as she looks between us.
“Sorry for earlier. I guess we can add the smell of lunch meat to the long list of things that make me vomit.”
Ghost grips the sides of her face. “Don’t apologize for anything. You need to go lie down. I’ll take you back to the house.”
“I’ll leave you guys to it.” I step around them to give them their space. “Feel better, Luna. And thanks for the research, brother.”
Ghost nods, and Luna smiles. The moment he puts his arms around her, she melts against him. He locks his office, heading out front to take Luna back to the neighborhood, while I split off to the bar at the back of the clubhouse. A headache is blooming between mytemples, and everything Ghost just said about Zane and Eli didn’t help.
They’re always a step ahead, and I’m tired of chasing phantoms.
“Shot?” Venom asks, holding one up as I stop at the bar.
“It’ll just make shit worse.” I pinch the bridge of my nose. “I can’t wait to get my hands on him.”
“Zane?” Venom guesses, and I nod. “Right there with you.”
Wren sets down a water for me and disappears to the other end of the bar. Her red ponytail swishing behind her as Venom’s gaze rakes down her body.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt you two,” I joke, taking a sip.
Venom shrugs, downing his shot. “We were just talking.”
“Talking… right.” I chuckle.
He drags his fingers through his pitch-black hair. The snake inked up the full length of his arm flexes with whatever tension stirs. Black ink vibrant even with his summer tan. A warning he wears on his sleeve.
“It’s not like that with me and Wren.” Venom shrugs, turning his back to her.
“Since when? You’ve been trying to fuck her forever.”
