Chapter 21 The Terrifying Truth
THE TERRIFYING TRUTH
SYDNEY
Sydney had a short amount of time to gain Tara’s trust. She needed Tara to feel like she was sincerely interested in a side hustle of her own.
“So, you and Mr. Santini,” Tara said. “That’s cool.”
“We’ve been hanging out,” Sydney said. “He’s chill. I like that about him.” She smiled at Tara. “And I get the whole Santini brothers thing. I melt whenever he looks at me.”
“They’re all so handsome, it’s kinda crazy.”
“I’m super interested in your other job,” Sydney said. “My consulting gigs are dying, but The Sovereign Method sounds so pious.”
Tara laughed. “Actually, it’s just the opposite.”
Sydney leaned forward. “Oh, yeah?”
“I talk to lonely guys.”
“I can do that.”
Tara hesitated, glanced over her shoulder. “You cannot tell anyone, especially Mr. Santini. I think he’d fire my ass straight away—”
“No worries.”
“Sometimes I do a strip dance or I’m naked,” Tara confided. “I’ve done some sexy things, like touching myself.”
Sydney nodded. “Lots of women earn extra money that way.”
“I was seeing this man, Hollywood. He got killed. It messed me up a little, but I’m okay now.”
“Were you seeing him for long?”
“No, but we got close fast. He told me he was in love with me.”
All part of their mind-fuck manipulation.
Sydney stayed quiet, hoping Tara would continue.
“He started pressuring me to get together with these guys, you know, in person, and talk—” she did air quotes around the word talk. “I’m pretty sure he wanted me to have sex with them. I’m sad he’s dead, but relieved in a way because I didn’t want to do that.”
“Were the guys paying you?”
“The money went through the app, so my clients didn’t pay me directly.” Tara started fiddling with her napkin. “I see where you’re going with this.”
“I’m looking to make an extra grand or two a month. Your side hustle sounds perfect.” Sydney drank down some of the water. “If your boyfriend is gone, who’s your contact now?”
“I worked with the head of the group, King A.”
Inwardly, Sydney cringed.
“He came in to tell me that Hollywood was dead and told me he’d follow up, but I never heard from him.”
“How can I start?” Sydney asked.
“You need a sponsor,” Tara said, “I can be yours, and you need at least one paying customer.”
“What if I don’t like it?” Sydney asked. “Can I quit?”
Tara swallowed. “Well, that’s where things get a little wonky. I definitely didn’t want to have sex with any of these guys, but when I tried to quit, I got pushback. If you want out, you wouldn’t take on any new customers and you’d stop accepting invitations from your existing ones.”
“Is it worth the money you’re making?”
“I’m pulling in a few grand a month, but I only see a third of that. Still, it’s enough for now.”
“I’m in.” Sydney did a little shimmy. “And I’m ready to get wild.”
Tara chuckled. “Great!”
Using her alias— Sierra Turner—Sydney signed up. After adding Tara as her sponsor, she said, “I don’t think Tank would want me using his real name.”
“Good point. Just list him as TS.”
When Sydney finished, she shot Tara a grin. “Time to make me some fast cash.”
“Tank—and all your clients—will be invited to download the members-only app. They can view your schedule and book a time with you. Most of my clients book an hour to talk, but they don’t really want to talk.”
Sydney nodded along, as if eagerly invested in this new business venture, but her skin was crawling. She wanted to tell Tara the truth. The Sovereign Method—To Serve Man—was nothing more than a sex trafficking ring. But she had to be patient. The truth would come out… it always did.
“Your vacation sounds fab,” Sydney said.
Tara beamed. “I was stoked to get an invitation. Not all the women did.”
“How many are going?”
Tara opened the app, then showed Sydney.
And that’s when Sydney’s stomach lurched into her throat. “Five hundred women? Is that for real?”
“We’re flying to Hawaii in a chartered jumbo jet, you know, the really big ones that seat, like, five hundred people.” Tara laughed. “I can’t believe this is happening. It’s like a dream.”
Or a freakish nightmare come to life.
“When do you leave?” Sydney held her breath.
“Wednesday,” Tara replied. “We need to be at the airport by five in the morning.”
“This Wednesday?”
“Yes, and I can’t wait.”
Fuck.
“Flying out of Dulles?”
“Right. It’s an adventure of a lifetime.” Tara glanced over her shoulder. “We’re open. I’ve gotta get to work. Welcome to The Sovereign Method, Sierra Turner.”
After Sydney thanked her, both women left the booth. Tara, to do her job, and Sydney, toward Tank’s office. They had so much to do… and so little time to do it.
She stood in the doorway admiring the man she’d be spending the rest of her life with. Despite the challenges that lie ahead, her heart rejoiced, her insides burned. Tank did it for her in all the best ways.
He glanced up, a fiery shadow darkened his gaze.
“Come in,” he said, “Shut the door.”
The command in his tone, paired with his smoldering gaze turned her into a bundle of need. She walked in, shut the door, and stood there while the sexiest man she’d ever known made his way toward her. One stalking step at a time.
Her heart pounded harder, her body yearned for his. He stopped inches away, his body dwarfing hers. He was all man, all alpha, and all hers.
He set her laptop bag on the chair. When he turned back, she threw her arms around him, pressed her lips to his, and kissed him with everything she had.
And he met her energy with a torrent of his own.
He snaked his arm around her waist, cradled her neck in his other hand.
She was locked against him. Only clothing separated them.
Desire sprung from her core and she growled into their embrace.
“You make me crazy,” he rasped.
The blur of the next several seconds took her breath away. The office door got locked, their pants ended up on the floor, and he’d her pinned beneath him on the sofa.
“I want to make you beg for a release,” he said.
“Yasssss,” she hissed, her body on fire. The need to feel him gliding inside her rocketed over all other thoughts, the throbbing between her legs impossible to ignore.
And then, he slid his hand up her sweater and teased her nipple with his thumb, tweaking it with his thumb and finger. Bolts of lightning jolted through her.
“Do you like that, baby?”
“Love it,” she bleated.
He moved her lacy bra out of the way and covered her other nipple with his mouth. Mini-explosions had her writhing on the black leather sofa. He cupped her breast, tugged on her plump nipple with his pearly whites, while her body bowed to his.
“I want to bring you all the pleasure,” he rasped as he tugged off her thong, stroked the inside of her thigh.
When his finger grazed her pussy, she groaned. “More, I need more.”
He teased and stroked, caressed and explored. When he replaced his talented fingers with his cock, she stifled a cry of ecstasy as his massive shaft glided inside her soaked core.
His deep thrusts and passionate kisses reminded her that he was in control, but only because she gave it so freely.
He was her ultimate escape. Being with Tank was better than any vacation she’d ever taken.
He was her happy place and, as she soaked up his rugged good looks, she surrendered to the ecstasy.
Euphoria pounded through her for several glorious seconds while white-hot pleasure filled every pore in her body. His release was a series of garbled words and muffled moans as he stared into her eyes and climaxed inside her.
Together, they lay there catching their breaths and relishing in the carnal lust that snared them like rabbits.
“I love you, Sydney,” he murmured. “It doesn’t get any better than you.”
“It does,” she whispered. “It doesn’t get any better than us.”
“Touché,” he said.
She kissed him. “That was a fun quickie.”
“You turn me into a beast.”
“Then, I ride you like one.” She winked at him.
They cleaned up, got dressed.
“Reality sucks,” she said, and he chuffed out a laugh.
“It’s all about balance, and that’s coming from someone who has none.”
As she unearthed her laptop, he said, “Sit at my desk.”
“Always the gentleman.” As she eased into his executive chair, she said, “I know you need to get out there, but you gotta hear what we’re up against.”
“Go.”
“I signed up on the TSM app as Sierra Turner, and you’re my first client. I signed you up as TS, which gives you access to the app.”
“Efficient and effective.”
“And a good fuck.”
He laughed. “The best.”
“Tara’s Hawaii vacation is this week. She flies out on Wednesday. Here’s the kicker. They’re taking five hundred women.”
“Five hundred… what’s up with that?”
“I know, right?” Sydney opened her laptop and logged into ALPHA’s portal. “I can’t wrap my brain around TSM funding an all-inclusive trip for five hundred women. Robby was talking about making fifty mil, not spending it.”
They stared at each other, the realization too repugnant to speak.
“Haqazzii,” they both said, breaking the silence.
“That’s what they were finalizing at the cabin,” Sydney said.
“He bought those women from Robby,” Tank said.
“This could be the first round of transports,” Sydney said. “If this group gets delivered to wherever the hell they’re really going, another shipment could follow.”
“I’m sure there’s a paper trail of green leading right to Robby’s bank account, straight from the terror organization.”
Sydney scrolled through The Sovereign Method app. “Here it is. They’re meeting at the charter flights terminal at Dulles, 5:00 am Wednesday for a 7:00 am flight.”
“We’ve gotta pull the team together,” Teddy said, “but not before I find the money. That’s our proof.”
“I’ll find out where Robby banks,” Sydney said.
Tank opened the door, turned back. “You got this.”
“Hell, yeah, we do.”
He strode back, kissed her. “You’re a babe.” And then, he was gone, taking her heart with him.
“I’m a goner,” she murmured as she pulled up her contact list, dialed the number.
“Hello,” answered her aunt.