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MICK
“I’ve never been,” Mick said again as the inebriated man who’d stuffed himself into a too small tuxedo used his drink to point across the room.
“You have to go. You just have to. Skiing the Alps is as good as they say. My buddy over there, Don, he goes twice a year. Once with his wife and once with his girlfriend.” The chuckle roared across the bar and heads turned their way.
“Speaking of wives,” Mick grumbled, nodding his head in Charlize’s direction. “Here comes by ball and chain now.”
“That one?” the man asked, spilling some of his drink as he pointed in her direction. “You sure that’s not your mistress? She’s smoking hot.”
“Wife.” Mick shrugged. “I should check in with her and see if she’s breaking me out of this shit-fest any time soon. I’m ready to go.”
“I know, these parties are so self-indulgent,” the man slurred. “I just come for the open bar and to write whatever big check my wife tells me to. And to check out women who look like your wife. Lucky man.”
“Don’t let that figure fool you. She nags as good as the rest of them.” Mick slapped the man on the back, harder than a friendly pat, and stepped away.
“Having fun?” Charlize asked, stepping into his open arms. She was easy to hold. This wasn’t a chore of the job. Something he had to grin and bear. Quite the opposite. He could do this part the whole night. He breathed her in for a long moment before reluctantly letting her go.
“We apparently need to go to Switzerland to ski. Or if you aren’t interested I can take my mistress. Also I got about ten insider trading stock tips and the name of the best tailor in town for my custom Italian suits.”
“Nice. You’ll certainly put all of that to good use.” She patted his shoulder as she stepped back.
“How about you? Hopefully one of us is having fun here tonight.” It was a loaded question. He was desperate to know if she’d been able to find anything out, but he also understood no one in this room could be trusted to talk in front of. But they spoke the same language. She would know what he was asking.
“I’m having a great time. Lots of good conversations. So enlightening.” She smiled coyly in that way that let him know she’d made some important progress. “We should take our seat, they’ll be starting some part of the ceremony soon. Remind me to introduce you to Rose before we go. She’s lovely.”
“He wants to go now,” the man from the bar burped out. “And if he does, I’m happy to take his place here tonight then take you home.”
“Charles Everson,” a sharp-chinned woman with tightly pinned back hair gasped. She scurried toward the man and slapped his shoulder with her perfectly manicured nails. “You absolute drunk pig. Get over to our table now.”
“Oh no,” he chuckled then hiccupped. “I’m going to have to write a check twice as big now. You got me in trouble.” He pointed playfully at Charlize as though she’d had anything to do with his shit behavior. His wife tugged him along but his eyes stayed on Charlize.
It filled Mick with rage. She didn’t wear that dress for Charles, or any other man in this room. She was his and he’d put down any man who tried to prove him wrong.
“I see you made friends with the cream of the crop here,” Charlize whispered in his ear, her warm breath sending a shock up his back.
“If he comes within ten feet of you, I’m going to knock him on his ass.”
“Not if I get to him first.”
“You’ll blow your cover. No punching out jerks. You’re a nice corporate woman with a heart of gold. But I’m your asshole jealous husband who had a couple glasses of old scotch. I can start swinging.”
“Just one more time men get to have all the fun,” she purred, slipping her hand in his and walking him toward the table.
Don’t let go.That’s all he could think. He finally had her back in his life. And needed to hold on to her this time.
CHAPTER 8
CHARLIZE
It was nice sitting in a car with Mick again, waiting to see what might happen next. They’d done so much of this in their time together. Waiting. Watching. The tip from Rose had proven helpful. Not only did they now know where to stake out, but the address could prove important as Charlize got more access to documents within the company.
“I’ve had some luck keeping an eye out while you’ve been in the office. Some of the women work day jobs. Retail. Restaurants. Hair salons. They leave in the morning with someone who drives them and picks them up. They work that job, come home for a couple hours and then head out to sell whatever product they’re pushing. I think it’s mostly pills. Things they can move at clubs, bars, and college hangouts. A lot of these women are young and blend in well. Their children are held in these buildings. I’ve only seen three children leave.”
“Under what circumstances? Were they under duress?” Charlize kept her eyes fixed on the building. This would be the time of night the women would be heading out to go to their next bit of forced labor.
“The kids look relatively healthy, but they are always in the presence of another adult. Usually men. They looked like skilled security. Rough characters. I followed one, a child, a man, and one of the mothers to a pediatrician’s office.”
“That would seem like the perfect opportunity to get away. To say something and ask for help. A doctor’s office would have to step in and do something if the child was in danger.”
