Chapter 37
Ipaced in the foyer, walking from one end of the hall, near the room I’d first been in when I was dumped here, all the way to the front door. They’d even emptied the room in there, and there were a few more work out machines piled inside. Fern was on her way, but it felt like forever.
I rubbed my chest as if I could calm the ache.
Dorian’s words kept echoing. I could let them stay in there, turn my back on them and never see them again. But I didn’t want that. He truly expected me to sit pretty and do nothing. And he was wrong. So terribly wrong.
As soon as they left, I’d called the lawyer like Dorian said to do.
I’d filled him in, and he said he would figure out what was happening.
When he called me back literally minutes later, he’d told me there had been a report made against them and that he was driving over to where they were being held.
The phone I clasped in my hand vibrated, and I answered.
“Mrs. Ironwyld.” I didn’t bother correcting him again.
“I forgot to inform you. We were in the process of adding you to the will and naming you as the primary benefactor of the Ironwyld estate. Since we haven’t finalized the document, you can find the Power of Attorney in his office as well as all the banking information for you to purchase anything you need. ”
“He has an office?” I blurted. He went silent. Seemed like something I should know.
“Yes, past the kitchen.”
I’d never gone past the kitchen, so that made sense. I rushed down the hall, across the living room and into the kitchen. “Did he know this would happen?”
“He always has a plan.” There was humor in his tone. At the far end was a slim door, but I always thought that was a pantry.
“Okay, have you reached them yet?”
“No, I’m pulling in. If you need anything, give me a ring.” He hung up, and I turned the knob of the slim door to a pitch-dark room. I slid my hand over the wall and flipped the switch. Sconces came to life and lit up the office. His desk was pushed to the back.
Was this where he went when he wasn’t working on the couch? I padded over the gray carpet to reach his desk.
I sat practically swimming in his big chair. The surface where the monitor sat was clear other than the keyboard. I reached for the lowest drawer on the side. It rolled open smoothly. Files were neatly lined up, separated by dividers. I started from the front, reading the little tabs at the top.
Invoices, mortgage receipts, donations .
. . I went through the rest, and it was all business stuff, but when I reached the last tab, it was almost hidden, and there was nothing written on it.
I scooted all the documents forward, pulled out a thick folder, and dropped it on the desk.
The mouse to the side of the keyboard moved and illuminated the screen.
I sucked in a breath. It was a picture of me sleeping. My hand was tucked under my cheek, and I had a small smile curling my lips. I looked cute.
Scowling, I flipped the file open.
Forest Peak VS. State of California.
Flipping through, I scanned the report. Each word I read made my stomach sink. They’d been witnesses in the lawsuit against Forest Peak. I hovered over the images of disgusting people charged.
There were Alphas and Betas both that hurt all those children. Parts of the report were missing, other than everything pertaining to them.
None of my Alphas’ first names were there, just Ironwyld Victim 1, and so on. It didn’t take me long to guess who was who and my stomach kept sinking. Not only had they beaten Dorian frequently, but they’d also starved Cade and locked him in closets for days.
Other than the regular beatings. Rafe . . . Rafe was raped. And he’d been hit across the neck with a metal pipe. That’s why his voice was the way it was.
The pages blurred, and I blinked them away.
A man raped him. According to their testimonies, the one time it happened, Dorian had found out, and that was what led to him being hospitalized; he had confronted the rapist. One of the defendants, named as the director of the orphanage, had beaten Dorian to the brink of death.
When they’d taken Dorian to the doctor, they’d stated it was an altercation with another problematic youth. The report continued with the interview of the C.I. that had been there. I kept flipping, my stomach swirling.
On the last page was a collection of newspaper reports with every single abuser’s suicide.
One by one, they’d ended up dead. Some in altercations with other prisoners, and many more ended up hanging from the ceiling.
Most were ruled as suicides. The last report was someone’s blog describing how suspicious it all was, hypothesizing that there were hits ordered.
I sat back in the leather chair, reeling.
I wouldn’t blame them if they had them murdered. Not after harming children. There were certain crimes that were so viscerally abhorrent, and anything involving children was one of those.
The high-pitched buzzing of the doorbell ripped me out of my numb state, and I shot to my feet. Fern was finally here. I bolted to the front door, careening down every corner until I flung it open.
There was concern in her eyes and in the puckered line of her lips. I waved her inside to shut the door, and she followed me.
“Please sit,” I croaked.
“Are you okay, Eva? You disappeared out of the blue, for days, and when I finally hear from you, you ask me if I made a report against those Alphas.” She crossed her arms. She hadn’t been the one to report them, but she could help me figure out who did.
“I’m sorry, I should have gotten in contact with you before all of this, but I didn’t know what to say.” I stabbed my fingers through my hair. “Did you find out who made the report?”
“Reports,” she emphasized.
I dropped onto the couch. “Multiple?”
“Yes, both at the same place. I guess the first one seemed too overinflated to the investigators, but when the second report came in, they decided to take them in for questioning.”
Mierda.
“Was it The Bordello?” I guessed.
“Yes.”
I groaned and yanked at my hair. “How can I get them out of this?”
Fern frowned. “Okay, I know a lot is happening, but after this I need some sort of explanation.” I was already nodding.
“The easiest way is for the charges made to be dropped. If they have a lawyer, it’ll be more likely to have the case dismissed.
” She continued speaking, but I fixated on the first option.
“Will you drive me to The Bordello?” I blurted, interrupting her.
“Let’s go.”
I jumped to my feet, desperate to get my Alphas free.
“Please, I just need to speak with her,” I insisted to the woman at the front desk. Music thrummed through, making even the floors vibrate.
“Again, no, Demi’s indisposed,” the Beta insisted.
I slapped the surface of the desk. “What about Sonia?” I spat. “Is she here?”
“She’ll be here for the night shift.”
Maybe Fern should have come in with me. Panic was choking me.
“What about Elias?”
Her eyes widened and flicked to the side like I’d said the bogeyman.
“No one is allowed meetings with the Greymont Pack.” She pursed her lips. “Least of all a walk in.”
The door jingled. A divine force must have been listening to me. Elias Greymont entered, striding past with quick steps.
“Elias!” I shouted, trying to keep up with his pace.
“Ma’am,” the Beta snapped from behind me. I ignored her.
“Elias,” I repeated.
He jerked at the entrance of the main floor where the music was coming from, and slowly turned. There was no sign of his levity from the first time I’d met him. He looked . . . scarier.
I couldn’t afford to cower.
“I need to speak to you.”
“Not right now,” he rumbled, still walking away from me. I chased after him through the sea of round tables.
“Please,” I cried, desperate.
He came to a stop and turned toward me, the anger on his face forcing me back a step.
“Demi put in a report against the Ironwyld Pack,” I huffed, trying to catch my breath.
He raised an eyebrow. “And?”
His response left me speechless. I blinked, and the irritation grew on his face.
“Did you know she was the Omega they were looking for?” The accusation spilled from my lips, and his bland stare told me everything I needed to know. “Can you make her drop the report?”
His eyebrow twitched even higher.
“Please, Mr. Greymont.” I hated that I couldn’t make my voice softer. It sounded more like a demand and he did not like that. “You need to do something.”
He stepped forward, leaning close to my face, and I flinched back. “If you have an issue with Demi, speak with her. My Pack’s fuck toy isn’t high on my priority list.”
With that, he straightened, smoothed his hand on his coat, and left. I gawked, reeling from his words. When Demi had explained it, she’d been wanting them as her Pack, but all they saw her as was another body. At least she’d get her karma.
That nugget of good news didn’t stop the feeling of overwhelming helplessness from taking over.
My lips trembled, and I pressed them together. One of the scantily dressed servers approached with a bouncer. They were going to kick me out.
Turning on my slippers, I hurried away. My heart drummed in my ears. I shoved open the glass door and walked out into the bright morning.
Fern was leaning against the door, arms crossed. Her eyes widened at the look on my face.
“It’s going to be okay,” she said as I approached, her hand settling on my shoulder. “I have a friend who works . . . places. She found the girl’s address, Sonia Fina.”
“Will you take me to her?”
Fern was already nodding. “I was planning on it.”
I rushed to the passenger side of the car, vowing to learn how to drive.