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“Alaric.” I said the name quietly to myself, still having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that I now knew who my father was.
“This is insane,” she said. “But I have to ask… do you really believe it’s true?”
“Trust me, I had all of my bullshit detectors operating at full capacity. When he got out those pictures, though…” I trailed off, thinking back to how I felt when I first saw the photos.
“So are you going to go?”
“I have no idea. I mean, part of me trusts Luc. Another part wonders if I’m going to hop on that plane and never be seen again.”
“Human trafficking,” she said knowingly. “I listened to this NPR thing about it. Super scary and a huge problem for girls like us.”
“But those pictures! They were Mom, one hundred percent. If this is true, then it’s the only way I’m going to meet my father.”
“It’s a tough one for sure. What are you leaning toward?”
“I want to go.” The words tumbled out of my mouth with a speed that surprised even me. I’d been going back and forth on the issue for the past few hours, weighing the pros and cons. But there in the truck, I suddenly knew what I wanted.
She nodded. “Then you should go.”
“It’s not that simple.” I gestured around me. “What about the business?”
Hailey shrugged. “I can handle it on my own for a while. And if I need an extra hand, I can hire some part-timers. You’ve been talking about how you’ve been wanting to expand the work force beyond just the two of us, maybe even open another truck. You ask me, this is the time to try it out.”
“And what about the whole human trafficking thing?”
“Well, I know where you’re going. We’ll stay in touch and do some prep beforehand like make copies of your passport and all that. And if you get the slightest whiff of a weird vibe, call it off.”
Hailey made a good case. She had a good head on her shoulders and wouldn’t let anything happen to me on her watch.
“But if I go, I’ll have to deal with Luc.”
“And what’s so bad about that? He’s totally hot.”
“Yeah I guess he is, but he’s kind of a prick, too. Really stiff, totally humorless.” After I said the words, I thought about the couple of dry, sardonic jokes he’d cracked during our meeting. “Well, nottotallyhumorless. But still.”
“Well, it’s not like you’re going to be marrying the guy or anything.” Her eyes flashed immediately after she said the words. “What if that’s what happens? Like, they bring you there and tell you that Luc is actually the third prince of whatever, and that you’re going to be a royal match.”
I chuckled. “That’s not going to happen.”
She grinned. “There’d be worse things, right? Heisreally sexy.”
I shifted my stance, intrusive thoughts of Luc filling my mind. I thought about those steely gray eyes, serious and narrowed, like a hunter’s. I thought about his tall, powerfully built body, those big hands. I swallowed hard, finding myself getting a little hot right there in the crab truck.
“His looks don’t matter! He’s a super serious asshole, and I’m going to be stuck around him if I go.”
Another shrug. “Just for the time it takes to get there. That’s what, a ten-hour flight? You’ll probably never see him again once you land.”
I glanced away, thinking it all over.
“I know it sounds kind of silly, but I do feel like my destiny’s calling out to me.”
“Then you’ve got to answer. But first, let’s make some money. Ready?”
“Always.”
Chapter 6
Luc
