Chapter 30
CHAPTER 30
Morgan
Since my run-in with Agent Weathers, I felt I’d been followed all week. Stepping into The Hamilton Group building, I took the elevator to Roman’s office, where music was blasting. I opened the door and covered my ears until he turned the music off.
“What’s up?” he asked.
“I need to use your computers.”
“Go ahead. I need an answer, Morgan.”
“An answer?” My brows furrowed.
“This has gone on long enough. I need to know if you’re going to accept the job I offered you. I think I’ve been more than patient.”
“I haven’t decided yet, Roman.”
“Bullshit. You already made your decision. If you really wanted to stay in Los Angeles, you would have accepted it already. I’m not playing your games anymore.”
“I’m not playing games. What the hell do you want from me?” I threw my arms out to the side .
He stared at me, his once beautiful blue eyes filled with anger. “Here.” He handed me an envelope.
“What’s this?” I opened it and pulled out a check.
“That’s payment for helping my mother. Take it and go.”
“What do you mean?” My brows furrowed.
“I want you and your things out of my house by tonight.”
“Wow. You’re an asshole, Roman Hamilton.”
“You’re not the first woman to call me that, and you certainly won’t be the last. Just go, Morgan.”
“Roman, please. Just let?—”
“NO!” he shouted. “I’m done.”
“Fine.”
“Leave the car in the driveway and the keys on the island before you leave.”
“Yeah. I will.” I stormed out of his office.
I ran out of the building, climbed into the car, and gripped my chest. My heart ached so badly that every breath I took hurt. Why was I so afraid of settling? I drove to Roman’s house and began packing my suitcase. Tomorrow night was when the shipment was coming in, so I’d check into a hotel for a couple of nights, follow Weathers to the port, bust him, and return to New York and try to move on with my life. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I placed my hand on my belly and held it there, thinking about the baby growing inside me—a baby that didn’t deserve a mother like me. What kind of life could I give the child when I couldn’t even figure out my own?
I rented a car and checked into the Marriott. The phone I had tied into Agent Weathers’ rang, so I quickly grabbed it.
“What’s up?” he answered.
“We got him.”
“Good. Where is Miss Ashley?”
“We lost her, boss. But we’re trying to find her. ”
“You better. I’m on my way there. So, you better find her fast and bring her to me. She better bring that program if she wants to see her boyfriend again.
“On it.”
My heart raced out of my chest as I quickly dialed Roman’s number. No answer. I called Julian.
“I was just going to call you, Morgan. Is Roman with you? Because his car is in the parking garage, but he’s nowhere to be found.”
Shit. Shit. Shit. This was all my fault.
“I have to go, Julian. I’ll call you back.”
“Morgan, wait?—”
I pulled up the tracker I put on Roman’s phone. According to the flashing green dot, he was at that old building where I saw Weathers with those two young girls. I walked over to the mini bar, pulled out a small bottle of vodka, opened it, and tipped it to my lips. Then I remembered the baby.
“Fuck!” I screamed, throwing the bottle against the wall.
I grabbed my gun from my purse to ensure it was fully loaded. Sitting down at my laptop, I inserted a flash drive, made a copy of my father’s program, and tweaked it. I threw it into my purse and flew out of the room and out the lobby doors.
When I reached the run-down building, I sent a ping to Simon’s phone. I grabbed the flash drive from my purse and tucked it into my front jean pocket. I grabbed my gun and shoved it into the back of my pants.
“Don’t worry, little one.” I looked down at my belly. “I’m going to save your daddy.”
I carefully walked around the back of the building, staying low to the ground so they didn’t see me. Peeking through a window, I saw Roman tied to a chair with duct tape covering his mouth, his head hanging to the side. I carefully opened the back door, tip-toeing inside with my gun.
“Let him go, Weathers. He has nothing to do with this.”
“There she is. Miss Madison Morgan Lucido.” He smiled, holding out his arms. “I knew it wouldn’t be long before you showed up. Although, I thought it would be my guys bringing you in. How did you know where to find him?”
“I put a tracker on his phone.” I slowly circled around him, pointing my gun.
I glanced at Roman. His face was bruised and bloody. He looked at me with fear in his eyes.
“How did you know who I was?” I asked.
“I didn’t at first. My partner took your picture that day at the restaurant, and the more I stared at it, the more you looked familiar to me. So, I ran your picture through a program that unaged you. That’s when it all came together. So, I did some investigating. You’re a ghost, Miss Ashley. Your father would be proud of you.”
“Don’t you dare talk about my father.”
“It was a good thing I killed him when I did. Because when I found out the program he handed over was fake, his death would have been a lot worse. I would have slowly tortured him and taken pride in his agonizing pain.”
“Shut up, you sick fuck!” I shouted.
“Be a good girl and put the gun down. My men will be here any minute. I hope for your sake that you brought the program with you.”
“I did.” I removed it from my pocket and held it up. “Now, let him go. He needs medical attention.”
“The two of you aren’t going anywhere. I’m going to kill him, and then I’m taking you and selling you to the highest bidder. I have a special client I know will pay big for a woman like you. ”
“So you are trafficking women. That’s where the five million in your offshore accounts came from.” I needed to keep him talking.
“I’m not surprised you found out about that. But yes, the trafficking business pays well. You know what the best part is? No one would ever suspect an FBI agent.”
Three men entered the building, all pointing their guns at me. Suddenly, I thought about the baby.
“Here.” I dropped the flash drive and kicked it to him. Take it.”
“Sonny, grab it and put it into the computer. I’ll ask you one last time, Miss Ashley, to put the gun down before I tell my men to shoot you.”
“You won’t do that. I’m too valuable to you. You just said so.”
“You’re starting to get on my nerves. Put the fucking gun down now. Set it on the ground and kick it over to me.”
I needed to think and fast.
“Since she’s not listening, point your gun at her boyfriend’s head,” he told one of his guys.
“Okay. Okay.” I slowly set my gun on the ground and kicked it over to him.
“Good girl. “Brent, get her out of here. Don’t mark her up. She has to look perfect for our client.”
“Come on.” Brent grabbed onto my arm. He started leading me out of the building, and Roman tried to scream.
As soon as we were out of sight from Weathers, I took the man named Brent down, knocked him out, and took his gun. I needed to get the two other guys out of there, so I tossed a small rock at the window.
“Go see what that was,” Weathers told one of the other men.
As soon as the guy emerged, I hit him over the head from behind, and when he fell to the ground, I took his gun. Searching his pockets, I pulled out his keys and pushed the button to set off his car alarm. When the third guy ran out, I ran up from behind and knocked him out. Grabbing his gun, I emptied it and tossed it next to him.
I went back inside the building, pointing both guns at Agent Weathers.
“I guess your guys aren’t so tough after all. Where did you find those losers?”
“You stupid bitch.” He grabbed his gun from his back and pointed it at me. “You think you’re so tough? Your father thought the same thing, and look where he’s at, buried six feet in the ground. Drop the gun, or your boyfriend gets a bullet to the head.” He pointed the gun at Roman. “You have until the count of three. One. Two?—”
Before he reached three, I aimed at his leg and pulled the trigger. The gun flew out of his hand.
“You bitch!” he screamed.
I ran over and kicked the gun across the floor. He tried to get up, and when he was almost off the ground, I shot him in the other leg.
“Goddamn it!” he shouted.
I ran over to him as he lay on the ground and shoved my gun in his mouth.
“How does it feel? How does it feel to be lying here bleeding and helpless? Don’t worry. I’m not going to kill you. Death would be too easy. You’re going to prison for the rest of your life. But I can’t guarantee how much life you have left because you know what they do to FBI agents in prison, you piece of shit!”
“Morgan, stop!” I heard Simon’s voice from behind. His hands gripped my arms, and he slowly lifted me up. “Let us handle him. ”
I turned and saw the swat team gathered around. I ran over to Roman and pulled the tape from his mouth. Grabbing his face, tears streamed from my eyes.
“I am so sorry.”
“You’re safe, and that’s all that matters,” he quietly spoke.
I quickly untied his hands and feet from the chair, hugging him tightly.
“I love you, Roman.”
“You do?” His lips formed a small smile.
“Yes.”
“I love you too, baby.”
The paramedics ran in, and I called them over.
“Over here. He needs medical attention.”
They ran over and put him on the stretcher.
“Are you okay?” Simon walked over and hooked his arm around me.
“Yeah. I’m fine. I recorded everything he said. He admitted to sex trafficking and to killing my father.”
“Good work. Are you sure you don’t want to come work for the LAPD?” He smirked.
“Nah. I already have a job.” I smiled. “I’m going to ride with Roman in the ambulance.”
“Okay. I’ll call my cousin Grayson and tell him you’re coming. He’s an excellent doctor and will take good care of Roman.”
“Thanks, Simon.”
“I should be thanking you.” He hugged me.