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“Fuck, get me home.” A sob escaped and I tried my best to hold it in.
“We’re going, sweetie. Come on.” His arm held on tight as he pushed open the door and the cold air rushed to meet us. “Put this on.” The jacket was already being placed around me and I accepted it gladly. With the temperature difference, the shakes turned into full-blown trembling. My jaw chattered and my legs felt weighted down. Each step was harder than the last.
Traffic zoomed through the light and I closed my eyes, trying to make myself disappear from the hectic everyday bustle of the city. A hand pressed over my ear and Brace pushed my head into his side. When we started walking again, I kept myself closed off, trusting his direction. Forever seemed to go by and yet, only seconds. We came to a stop and his hand removed. My eyes opened and I unlocked my fingers from his shirt. The elevator was before me and I stood straighter, catching my reflection as the door opened. Shit, I was so pale. I looked so rattled.
“He’ll know.”
“Slade needs to,” Brace weighed in. “And you’ll tell him.”
Chapter 38
Zain
“So, let’s go over this one more time.” Blake paced in front of the sofa, the notepad full of names I gave him, smacking against his palm. “You’re one hundred percent positive that you have never dealt in the trafficking of humans, male or female?”
My gaze had him coming to a stop. “I’ve said no three times. The only deal I was supposed to be a part of was the one I botched. Do you seriously think I’d participate in something I was so openly against? I told you, I dealt on the money side of things. Collected debt, so forth.”
“For slaves. And you accepted one to begin with.” Preston had been quiet the majority of the time. I looked over to where he sat, throwing him a look that had a warning written all over it.
“Slaves were a very rare debt I had to collect on, but yes, amongst other things. And you watch how the hell you speak about Lily. I saved her life. To understand what it would have meant to decline is something beyond you. You were not raised in the same household, nor in the same culture.”
Blake glanced down at the names. “If you hadn’t been taken yourself at such a young age, I’d kill you so much as look at you. That’s the only thing keeping you alive. That, and the fact that you didn’t willingly, per se, carry on with the life you led. I believe you didn’t have a lot of choices. I, for one, would have found a way out a lot sooner, but you’re not me, and I didn’t live your life. Perhaps I’m wrong on that account, too.”
“You’re right. You haven’t lived my life. Every return to my father’s could have been my last. I’m not afraid to die. What I am afraid of is leaving Lilian in a state of mind or place where she might not be safe. I couldn’t have protected her dead. And I needed to know she was okay before I returned in her life. Buying my time to make sure I didn’t fuck her up worse was the hardest fucking thing I’ve ever had to do. Do not, for a second, try to put yourself in my shoes. You don’t deserve to be there! You’ll never know what distancing myself did to either one of us.”
My gaze cut over to Preston again. I couldn’t stop the anger I had for both of them. I understood their dislike toward me, but it didn’t mean I had to put up with it.
“Can we get off the damn plane now? We landed over an hour ago and we still have a long way to travel to even get there. I want this over with. I’ll kill Adul and take care of Saul at the first opportunity that presents itself.”
“I don’t think so,” Blake said, placing down the notepad. “You see, I didn’t bring you for your help. I’ve got it covered. What I needed were those names. You being here,” he said, gesturing around the interior, “was a great cover in case I didn’t want you to return.”
I stood, pulling my gun free from my waistband. “Well, you got what you wanted, but I didn’t come all this way to chill out in your jet while you took care of my dirty work. This is my family. My responsibility. Not yours.”
“Unfortunately for you, this is no longer a choice you get to make. My ass is covered if something happens. Yours isn’t.”
I moved my head in quick shake, signifying that I didn’t care. “I’m going, that’s final.”
“I’m government protected. You’re not.”
Blake pushed a button on the coffee table and the lid lifted, exposing a mass of weapons. He put something small in his hand and stepped closer. I lifted the barrel, aiming it at his chest. “You take more step, I’ll pull this trigger. I won’t be hitting that vest either.”
Preston moved to the side and I jerked the gun in his direction just in time to feel pain shoot through my thigh. The small dart was unmistakable. My eyes widened in surprise.
“Sleep well, my friend. Someday maybe you’ll understand why it has to be this way.”
The room flickered and time slowed. Darkness swept over me almost immediately and I could feel myself falling. I was out before I ever hit the floor.
****
“What’s your name?”
Crying had me trying to force my eyes open, but for the life of me, I couldn’t find the strength. Throbbing pounded against my temples and the need to gag was on the verge of pushing itself out.
“It hurts,” a girl sobbed.
“I know, but we’re going to get you all better soon. Drink this.”
Preston’s voice was calm, soothing. I groaned, finally seeing light flicker though as my eyes obeyed the commands in my mind. Lifting my head felt like the hardest thing in the world, but I somehow managed to hold it up long enough to see Blake sitting across from me, staring. A large scratch rested on one of his cheeks and there was blood soaked at the hem of his neckline.
