AllFreeNovel
Share Us
We made our way back to HQ where Teo and Grayson were waiting. The room was filled with tension as we explained what we’d found. As usual, Teo seemed on edge, but Grayson listened calmly, nodding along as we spoke.
“So what’s the plan now?” Grayson asked once we’d finished.
“We need to track down the drug lord,” Teo said. “Find Miranda. Bring her in, question her ourselves. You guys have done amazing things uncovering this woman and finding connections, but it’s time we get our hands dirty.”
“What are you going to do when you find her?” I asked, though there was a part of me that definitely didn’t want to know.
Teo’s eyes flicked to mine, then back to Grayson. “We’ll question her,” he said. “And if she resists, we’ll use force.”
I felt a chill run down my spine at the coldness in his voice, but I knew better than to argue with him. This was his world, and we were just living in it. It would do me good to remember that.
“Okay,” Grayson said after a moment’s hesitation. “But let’s make sure we’re prepared for anything. We don’t know what kind of backup she might have.”
Teo nodded in agreement. “We’ll take the necessary precautions,” he said, then turned to look at me. “Don’t worry, sunshine. We’ll do anything to keep you safe.”
Yeah. That was exactly what I was afraid of.
Chapter Eleven: Jace
“Soyou’resureaboutthis,” Sofia said. She had probably said it about ten times and my answer hadn’t changed.
“He won’t hurt her unless she does something to piss him off,” I reassured her. “But messing with you is the easiest way to anger Teo, so it could still go down.”
“I don’t want anyone else to get hurt on my account,” Sofia said. She was looking out the window of my apartment, which was a mess. The wall to her left was covered in sticky notes and newspaper clippings, while my computer was open on the coffee table. Victor was out for his morning jog. There was nothing to do here except work and I could tell he was going stir crazy.
We all were.
I was in full tech mode trying to find any additional information we could gather about the drug lord and Miranda Olivier.
“We’re all in this together, Sofia,” I said, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “We’ll get through this.”
“I know,” she said, turning to face me. “I just can’t shake this feeling of dread.”
I nodded in understanding. Teo’s possessiveness had been getting worse as we got closer to the truth, and it was affecting everyone in the group. Even Grayson was showing signs of tension, which was unusual for him.
“We’ll keep you safe,” I promised, holding her gaze. “Whatever it takes.”
“You keep saying, but what’s the point of being safe if I can’t go anywhere?” she said, her eyes darkening. “Not that I don’t enjoy spending time in your apartment. I just...”
“I get it,” I said. “I wish you had free range of Orlando too.”
Sofia let out a deep sigh and leaned her head against my shoulder. “This whole situation is just so messed up,” she said, her voice heavy with emotion. “I never would have thought that my investigation into the Strangler would lead to all of this.”
“He tried to kill you,” I said. “He manipulated your brother. This isn’t your fault.”
I could see her bite the inside of her cheek. “Then why does it feel like my fault, Jace?”
I knew what she was feeling, that overwhelming sense of guilt that came with any kind of trauma. She’d been through so much already and it was only going to get worse before it got better. But I couldn’t let her spiral into that dark space. Not when there was still so much left to do.
“It’s natural to feel that way,” I said gently, running a hand through her hair. If Teo was around, I would’ve never even dreamed of touching her. It felt a little wrong to do this behind her back, but she seemed to enjoy it. “Whatever is eating at you, we got you.”
“Sometimes I just want to forget about all this,” she said, her gaze suddenly meeting mine. Her pupils expanded as she looked into my eyes. “About the fact that I’m being stalked, about the Strangler, about what my life is. Sometimes I just...”
Her voice broke as her eyes brimmed with tears.
“Sometimes you just want to feel alive,” I finished for her, my voice low and understanding. “To forget all the pain and fear and just live in the moment.”
She nodded, a tear rolling down her cheek. Without thinking, I leaned in and wiped it away with my thumb. Her eyes fluttered shut and when they opened again, they were filled with desire.
