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“The liability you put on Redleg’s shoulders isn’t something you have the authority to do. What you did may have drastic consequences. Legally and financially. You could have ruined Redleg. Not to mention the target that’s painted on our backs. What gives you the right to make that decision forallthe people who work here and count on Redleg to put food on their table?”
Shit.
In my periphery, I take in Mia’s free hand cupping her stomach like she took a strike to the gut.
I was so laser-focused on the op I didn’t consider the risks to everyone else at Redleg. If something went wrong, I knew we’d be screwed, but I didn’t consider the impact it could have had on the livelihood of everyone who counts on Redleg for a paycheck. They didn’t agree to risk all of Redleg for one girl.
If they knew what Mia and I knew, I suspect they’d have made the same choice we did.
But as usual, Boss is right. We didn’t have the right to decide for them.
The room is silent while his words penetrate our defensive exteriors. I search the faces of the team. Everyone seems appropriately rattled.
With a repentant tone, I begin my apology, “Boss, you’re right. I can’t speak for everyone here, but I’m deeply sorry for not coming to you first. I was so focused on saving her I didn’t think about the larger consequences to Redleg. It won’t ever happen again.”
Mia clears her throat and squarely meets Boss’s piercing gaze. “I know I’m new here, and I could use that as an excuse, but I won’t. I knew it was risky, but I still chose to spearhead the rescue. My only defense was I was blinded by my past with Lenkov and a personal fight against human trafficking. Knowing Violet is Redleg family was the last straw. I’m very sorry. If you choose to keep me on the payroll, you can rest assured I’ll never do anything this reckless again.”
“Boss, for what it’s worth, Mia and Klein told the team it wasn’t Redleg-sanctioned,” Shep chimes in, his voice devoid of his typical lightheartedness. “We were under the impression that if shit went sideways, we were on our own to deal with the consequences. It wasn’t a Redleg op, as far as I was concerned. We were willing to do it because we don’t turn our back on family.”
“That’s the thing I don’t get,” Boss grits out, fist falling to the table. “I was chewing on it all night long. Why the fuck did my team think I wouldn’t support an op to save Tomer’s girl? Have I ever left family hanging out to dry?”
Guilt threatens to crush my chest like a hundred-pound medicine ball was tossed at me by the giant across the table.
Mia and I glance at each other from the corner of our eyes. Her throat bobs, and her jaw and lips press tight, as if she’s physically holding her tongue.
When no one speaks— we already gave our flimsy excuse last night about asking for forgiveness with time not being on our side and distrust of the FBI in this case— Boss continues, “No sense bellyaching over this anymore. Just don’t fucking do anything this asinine again.”
Nods and mumbled agreements sweep around the table.
“Now let’s unfuck this shit. We’ve got three people we need to figure out what to do with— two traffickers and a vic who wants to stay with one of them for some unfathomable reason.” He shakes his head and widens his eyes, as baffled about it as the rest of us are. “We have another vic who Tomer won’t let out of his sight. We don’t trust potentially dirty law enforcement to prosecute this. And we’ve undoubtedly infuriated Lenkov by taking,” he looks at me, brows raised, “how many girls out of his ring?”
“Sixteen,” I answer.
“Sixteen girls out of his operation, along with two guys who bring in new vics. Then we have a third one still out there, right?”
Shep answers in a gritty tone. “The third is the one who works at Yuri’s club as his personal guard. And that means we have to deal with Yuri too.”
“Right. That reminds me.” Boss smirks, but it’s not a playful smirk. It’s more likeI hate you fuckers and want to ring your necks. “With you leaving that guy at the club, bloody and battered, there’s no way he won’t talk. At least to Yuri. And that will 100 percent confirm our team was behind the rescue op. So we need to put all personnel and clients on heightened alert. We must assume Lenkov will seek retribution. Redleg’s already on his hit list, and this will piss him off to no end.”
He scrubs his forehead forcefully, grinding his teeth. “Did I miss anything else we need to worry about?” His eyes probe the room.
I hate to bring this up, but since we’re airing all the shit, here goes. “It’s probably covered under our status as Lenkov’s number one enemy, but the tangos we left alive at the trafficking house might be able to ID some of us. Mostly Tomer because he shucked his mask to search for Lettie. But they didn’t hear our names.”
“Jesus.” A gruff rumble comes from Big Al. “Anything else?”
“I think that’s it,” Mia says.
Suddenly, I’m hit with the memory of why we left her place in a hurry this morning. “And someone disabled Mia’s home security system last night while we were on the op, broke in, stole her personal tablet, and planted two surveillance bugs in her room.”
“Fuck,” Shep exclaims.
Mia swats my shoulder. “Cal!”
A bevy of curses and swears surround us. But I can’t focus on them since my tiger’s baring her claws.
My wrists roll out, facing my palms to the ceiling. “What?”
With her nostrils flared, she snaps her attention to Big Al. “It’s probably not related, Boss. That’s my issue. Not Redleg’s problem.”
