AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I’d expected this—the bad cop, worse cop routine.
If they weren’t the closest people I had to brothers, I’d punch them in the face for overstepping their positions.
“Stop glaring at me and say what you two need to get off your chests.”
“We don’t have to do this, Devani. You don’t have to play the sacrificial lamb.” Neil rose from his seat and leaned against the now closed door.
This was his signature move to ensure no one could return to the room and accidentally interrupt a conversation.
“Of course, I do. I won’t let any of the fuckers win. Do you think my uncles, your father, Ashok Shah, or their friends should get away with what they have done?”
Neil was my original partner at Solon over fifteen years ago. And we’d worked countless cases together since. However, my unconventional and extremely underaged start in the organization had given me a bit of seniority over him.
We’d both climbed through the ranks at an unheard-of speed with the same mission in mind.
To take down our families.
His was to destroy his father, Arun Joshi, and brother, Lukesh. They’d taken the real estate empire his grandfather had built and turned it into an organization to fund various illegal businesses, including human trafficking.
Mine wasn’t so virtuous as Neil’s.
All I wanted was to take down the uncles I knew were involved in the deaths of my parents and brother. Deaths I couldn’t prove were murders.
My grandfather had offered all four of his sons the option of gaining their inheritance early through cash or later in the form of equal shares in the company. My uncles took the money, and Papa inherited the entire company.
When Papa found diamonds and rare gem veins on land he’d purchased through the company, my uncles regretted their decision and wanted back in. And the rest was history. My parents and brother lost their lives, I became an orphan, and my uncles squandered my inheritance.
“Cut the bullshit.” Noah propped his feet on the table. “This is us. We know the truth, even if you don’t want to admit it.”
I lifted a brow. “Elaborate, then.”
“This is about more than destroying the Circle of Ten.”
If they only knew. By taking down the Circle of Ten, I could accomplish my main objective.
The Circle was an underground network of men going back over thirty-five years. This group of men had met in England during their university years and decided to join forces. They used their connections to assist each other in various ways to further their agendas, everything from money laundering to their most lucrative endeavor, human trafficking.
We’d managed to identify nine out of the ten members. Somewhere at the top of the hierarchy stood Joshi and Shah, followed by three European aristocrats from old families. What their true roles were, we hadn’t quite narrowed down yet. Then there were my fucking uncles. In my opinion, they couldn’t be more than errand boys at most, but who knew?
The last seat had belonged to Neil’s brother, Lukesh Joshi. The supposed heir apparent to the Circle. We learned Joshi had made room for Luke by disposing of an original member whom he no longer found useful.
Too bad Luke would never lead the Circle or occupy his seat ever again. Well, unless someone wanted to scuba dive in the international waters off the coast of Florida, collect any remains the sea life hadn’t consumed, and pile them in a chair at their next meeting.
With Lukesh Joshi out of the picture, the count for the demise of the Circle was one down and nine more to go.
“Since you know so much, tell me. What else is it about?”
Neil answered in an angry, hard tone. “It’s about Sam King.”
“Sam and I fucked when we got the itch. After that, there was nothing more to it.” I kept my words emotionless.
I’d kept my relationship with Sam as private as possible. And the select few who knew anything about us thought of us as a fuckbuddies situation.
“I call bullshit, again.” Noah stood, bracing his hands on the table, the relaxed demeanor from earlier completely gone. “You trained me. I learned every fucking thing about manipulating from you. Don’t think I can’t see what’s happening.”
“Since you’ve figured it out, keep going.”
“This case goes deeper than our assignments and taking down your corrupt family. You’re avenging what happened to Sam King.”
