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I nod numbly. Good.
“My dad played him. And us. Fucker didn’t tell us any of his plan ahead of time and pulled a gun on Eli while we were interrogating Thorne.”
I look at Eli, terrified that he may have a wound I hadn’t even noticed but he smiles at me softly and kisses my cheek.
“I’m okay, Kate.”
“Was able to get the contact info for who Scott and his family all answer to. Thorne was his uncle.”
“Cobra,” I say softly and they eye me surprised. “I forgot,” I say, shaking my head. “Scott said something about his dad and uncle, and how they would be killed if they didn’t fulfill their end for Cobra. Or the Cobras? What does that mean? Do you know who he is?”
Ax rubs a thumb along the back of my palm. “Take a breath, Katie. It’s okay. Just breathe.”
When my breathing returns to normal I jump at the sound of a throat clearing. Roy and Axel Senior are in the doorway looking at the three of us. Eli shoots Axel Senior a dirty look and the man just rolls his eyes.
“I’d never shoot you boy, get over it. You fucks have shit poker faces. If I told you what I planned to do you’d never be able to sell it.”
“Fuck you, Axel,” Asher mutters.
“Cobra,” Roy sighs and interrupts them. “Is someone you don’t want to fuck with. His guys are known as the Cobras. When the Vipers were dealing drugs before dear old dad got locked up,” he says rolling his eyes at his dad. “We ran into them a few times. They mostly deal out near High Point and it was an unspoken agreement that we stayed out of each other's towns.”
“They have their hands in everything,” Axel says, shaking his head. “Drugs, guns, sex.”
“Colt linked them to this Valley Hill Hospital chain as well,” Ax tells me with a sigh. “They have a lot of people in their pocket and are spreading out to expand even more from the looks of things.”
“Scott said once they own you, they never let you forget it,” I say quietly. “So, this isn’t over. It’ll never be over.”
Eli grips my chin and turns me to face him. “We will find a way to end this, Kate. We aren’t going to let anyone hurt you again.”
I stand up, feeling my nerves sending adrenaline through me and my head aches as I wander out to the brightly lit kitchen. Everyone falls quiet as they eye me and my guys trail behind me hesitantly.
“Kate, it’s going to be okay,” Eli says gently.
“No, it’s not!” I snap and tears brim my eyes.
“I won’t let anyone lay a hand on you—“ Ax starts as he grips my wrist but I look at him defeated and shake my head.
“But it’s not just me!” I practically shout.
Jayla and Bianca catch my eye and I shake my head. “Killing Thorne, getting away from Scott, even if we find his dad… none of it matters. They are still out there. These hospitals and these fuckers that are selling other humans not to mention the scum that buys them. Even if you can keep me safe…”
“What about everyone else that doesn’t have anyone to keep them safe?” Jayla adds quietly as she fills in the rest of my thoughts.
“Or the others who are being hurt by the ones that should be protecting them,” Bianca says, eyeing me.
Her black eye is yellow around the edges and her lip is split open.
“What do you want, Katie?” Ax says confused and shaking his head.
“I want to fucking take them down. All of them.”
Roy chokes on his beer. “The Cobras?”
The Vipers seem to tense as they eye Roy and then me.
“Yes.”
“We can start there,” Colt says from behind his laptop as he continues typing away. “But even if we do, that hardly will make a dent. Human trafficking is at an all time high. The fact they are now sprouting up these hospitals to find and locate the most vulnerable kids and teens is alarming.”
