Page 215 of The Monster and the Masochist

But that all depended on Vox and what he came back with in terms of the reverend’s connections.

He was currently out on bail, as he’d been arrested immediately after Viv and Ed sent the footage I’d uncovered to the police. So, I was hoping that even if he was associated with some bigger underground trafficking ring, they would just be happy to have him taken care of. Surely if the attorney general was involved in something so sinister, he would think of the reverend as a loose end…

But that begged a bigger question… Once I took out Sterling… then what? Did I just sit back and do nothing about the fact that whatever he was doing was a part of a larger operation?

My brother had taken out Apex…

But he’d had to, or he would have never been free of the man who held his chains. Was it really my responsibility to dig into something that could potentially get me and my wife killed?

Remembering that girl that the reverend had dragged through the lobby of the Antoinette and how absolutely hopeless she looked… I didn’t think I could turn a blind eye.

Whether it was smart to get involved in this or not, I wasn’t sure my morals would allow me to let it go. I had to do something to help these children…

These were the thoughts spinning through my head when I received a text from the man himself.

I frowned down at my phone to find Vox had sent me a bunch of those big red exclamation point emojis, followed by a link to a folder that held several emails with Viktor White’s tag on them.

My eyes flew across the screen as I read the messages.

It was an email chain between Reverend Sterling and the attorney general. Sterling was essentially asking White to use his influence to get his name cleared, and White was basically telling him he was on his own.

Es

They don’t have anything. I’m certain it’s that little bitch running her mouth. She told her whore wife about the lessons I put her through as a child. Once we get rid of Fairview, they won’t have anything.

Vw

This is your mess; clean it up. I won’t risk being implicated in this any more than I already am.

The detective on your case sent me your file. They have video evidence, Sterling. How could you be so stupid?

Es

We just need to eliminate the whistleblowers. I already took care of that little cunt, Meredith. I’ll take care of Fairview, too. I just need you to give me the contact list of the neanderthals that fight in your ring. She’s involved in it. Maxwell told me she’s got some headliner coming up with someone who already has a few casualties under her belt. I’m sure I can… convince her to slip Fairview something before the fight and then take her out. It’ll just look like the little bitch lost. It’ll never come back to us.

Vw

Fine. I’ll have Randal forward the list to you. But then don’t bother me with this shit again. It’s not my fault you’re incapable of keeping your little sluts quiet.

My blood turned to ice as I read, and my eyes flew to the date stamps on the exchange. This was two days ago. Did that mean Theo was about to walk into a rigged match?

I barely had time to consider how fucked up it was that Theo’s underground league seemed to be run by the fucking attorney general… but I supposed that explained why it hadn’t ever faced any sort of heat from authorities.

My phone buzzed again, and I hissed in frustration as Vox sent me another string of emails.

These were between Sterling and someone I assumed was the Russian’s coach.

He asked for a meeting with them, and a powerful explosion of rage and fear surged through my chest as it became clear that a meeting was agreed upon and set.

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck!

I had to warn Theo… Oh my fucking god.

The fight was still a few hours away. I had time to warn her… I had time.

I rushed to our bedroom and ripped open the bottom drawer of my end table to grab several boxes of ammo before hurrying back into the living room to snatch up my bag.