AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No one you need to know about,” he says suspiciously.
“Hacker, I assume?”
“Amongst other things, yeah.”
Opening one of the video files attached to the email, I wait with bated breath for the image to appear.
I know it’s wishful thinking, but I can’t help praying that my sister’s face will appear.
12
REID
Ireally hoped we were going to find something. Anything to give Alana some hope that her sister might still be out there somewhere.
But the hours of footage we trawled through yesterday in my office gave us nothing.
We had information on staff members for a handful of clubs and a lot of footage from inside of the girls working, but we didn’t see a single familiar face.
Even if we didn’t spot Kristie—assuming we’d recognize her now, of course—I was hoping to find another old Creek girl we could have gone and spoken to. But all we came up against were dead ends.
There is still a lot more intel on that thumb drive from Luciana; we just need to be patient while everything is dug up.
At some point, something useful will appear, I’m sure of it.
Whether it’ll be what we’re all hoping for, only time will tell.
It was late by the time we all trudged up to bed, and while I might have been silently yearning for Alana to crawl into my bed with me, I knew she wouldn’t. Instead, I was forced to watch as she followed Mav into their room with JD right behind them.
I was left standing out in the hallway like a moron who had no friends.
Could I have barged in and joined them? Probably.
Did I? No.
I took my sulky ass to my own bed and laid there staring up at the ceiling, trying to listen to what was happening in the other room.
I was pretty confident they were up to stuff. It’s clear she’s forgiven JD. She happily hopped onto his lap and made out with him for a good thirty minutes while Mav and I were reading through the staff lists and other documents accompanying the footage.
Sure, she’d kissed me. But there was something different about the way she melted for him.
I get it. I’m the boss here and the decision to keep her in the dark with what was happening at that safe house ultimately fell to me. I enforced it, so I get the worst punishment. I’ll take it if it means keeping her safe. I’d fucking do it again too.
* * *
Iswear the day is longer than any other I’ve experienced. Every minute that’s passed has felt like an hour. But as the sun begins to set, a fresh wave of unease rolls through us.
Alana shifts on the sofa, curling herself up on Mav’s lap.
His arms immediately wrap around her, his lips pressing a kiss on the top of her head.
Yearning burns through me.
I want to be the one holding her. Comforting her.
But she doesn’t want me.
She wants them.
