28. Caleb #2
He straightens his stance. “I didn’t double cross you, if that’s what you’re thinking.
She offered a shitton of money for Seven’s return, by the way—which I did not accept, so you can put your pitchfork down, Vortex.
” Trent clenches his fists. “But she agreed to stay away from the casino in exchange for names of potential clients.”
My lip curls in disgust, and while Vortex looks murderous, Seven isn’t far behind him on how hatefully he’s staring at Trent.
“Oh, don’t look at me like that. You and I both know what some of the fuckers who come here are into. I gave her names of people who were already doing that kind of crap.” Trent shakes his head. “If they were doing it anyway, we might as well be getting some benefit out of it.”
“Some benefit?” Seven demands before Vortex or I can speak. “Don’t you understand what they’re doing to people? To kids?”
I can practically hear what he’s not saying.
What they did to me .
“Yes, I fucking know what they’re doing to children!” Trent snaps. “And every one of those fuckers is well connected enough that they’re essentially untouchable. There’s also no proof, so short of starting some murder vigilante service, there was nothing I could do about it anyway.”
Seven’s nails scratch against his arms, and Vortex grabs his wrist to keep him from scoring the skin too deeply.
“We’ll deal with this later,” Vortex says, his voice hard. “For now, we focus on Lori. And remember that you are not untouchable, Trent.”
Greg is looking between us, the wary expression having turned into something apprehensive. He’s probably wondering what’s going to happen to him, and his security team, for having missed allowing Emily into the casino in the first place — let alone back out again with a young girl.
With Lori.
“Greg, put together all the footage of Lori. Every single camera angle, every last second. Vortex, take Seven upstairs. Trent and I will start calling our contacts, and we’ll join you in a bit. Oh, and call Havoc too, Vortex. We need all hands on deck for this.”
“On it,” Vortex says, already pulling out his phone even as he tugs Seven in the direction of the door. “Come on, Seven. Let’s get you upstairs.” He taps on his phone, putting it against his ear. “Havoc, come up to the suite right now. I’m taking Seven up. There’s been a situation.”
He keeps talking as they leave.
I stare at Trent, and he stares back.
“Don’t blame me for this,” I say harshly. “I didn’t do this.”
Trent clenches his fists. “If you weren’t with Seven?—”
“So I should give him back? I should consign Seven to that life?” I hiss. “You defended us to my father. Are you changing your mind now?”
Trent shakes his head. “No. No. It’s the fucking Lockwoods who did this. Fuck.” He pulls out his phone. “All right. I’ll call Virgil.”
I nod. “I’ve got Valentín and Blake.”
I go into the nearby staff break room. I start with the call to Blake, since he’s less likely to give me a lot of shit.
“Did you change your mind about that VIP suite?” Blake drawls from the other end of the line. “I’ve been thinking about a little vacation.”
“I’m calling in that favor,” I answer immediately. “The Lockwoods have made a move. They took my niece.”
There’s silence on the other end of the line, then he’s all business as he replies, “Send me what you have, and I’ll let you know what I can do.” He gives me his email address. “I’ll be waiting.” He hangs up before I can reply.
The next call is to Valentín. I hope the information I sent him was enough to entice him to cooperate. He needs more if he wants to find out who killed his family.
Vortex and Seven judged Trent for selling information to Emily, but in the end, it isn’t that different from what I’ve done. I’ve known about this lead for years, and I’ve sat on it because it wasn’t useful to share yet. Valentín’s family wasn’t getting any deader, after all.
Before I can make the call, my phone buzzes.
The caller ID shows Lori.
I immediately answer. “Where is she?” I demand.
A woman laughs on the other end of the line. “Oh, I did so hope I’d get to hear you desperate and hopeful. ‘ Lori? Are you safe? ’”
I grimace and grip the phone tighter. “I already know that you took her. I’m not naive enough to think that you let her go, or that you’d give her access to her phone.”
“Pity. I’ve heard a few desperate parents…” The woman sighs wistfully. “Do you know who I am?”
There are only two possibilities, but I’m sure this isn’t Emily Lockwood. “Madam Abigail Lockwood.”
“Madam! I do like that. I never asked anyone to call me that, if you can believe it. They naturally do.” Abigail laughs again.
“But let’s get down to business, shall we?
I have something that’s important to you, Caleb.
You have something that’s important to me.
So the logical leap is to make a trade.”
I don’t even think. “No.”
“No?” Abigail repeats, slight disappointment in her voice. “Caleb, you aren’t in a position to negotiate. Do you think your sister or brother-in-law would agree with this decision? What about your father and mother? Whose safety do they value more?”
“But you called me and not any of them,” I point out harshly. “Because no matter what they say, you know I’m not handing Seven over.” I think about Trent in the other room.
Even though he easily could have, he didn’t sell Seven out.
I’ll have to give him a raise, or a bonus, later.
“The problem is, Abigail ,” I stress her name, “that unlike you, I’m not in the habit of selling people. People aren’t currency. Seven is not for sale.”
“A disappointing, if expected, response,” Abigail says with a sniff.
“But if Rory isn’t for sale, what is he doing with you?
He’s paying you right now, isn’t he? Giving you his mouth and his ass, performing for you and those two men you’ve pulled into your circle.
Rory doesn’t know anything except selling himself. It’s what he was made for.”
I’m not going to argue with her. There’s no getting through to her. It doesn’t matter how much I want to tell her that Seven is learning, that he’s thriving, that he’s so much more than she molded him into.
“Abigail, you can taunt me all you like, but the fact of the matter is that unless you’re letting Lori go right now, there’s nothing I have to say to you.” I squeeze my eyes shut and mentally apologize to Lori.
She doesn’t deserve this any more than Seven does, but I have to believe that Abigail is still hedging her bets. She won’t harm Lori while there’s still a chance she can get Seven back.
“Are you sure about that?” I hear the rustle of fabric. “Hmm… Twelve is a good age. Just on the cusp of puberty. So many of our clients love girls like her. She’s very cute. And trying so hard to be an adult already. She has an adorable little training bra.”
I swallow back the bile that threatens to rise in my throat. “I wouldn’t know. Children have never done it for me.”
“I’ll have to find somebody who can really appreciate her. Do you think she wants her first time to be with somebody gentle, or would she prefer a bit rough? These young girls can be such seductresses sometimes. Proper Lolitas.”
Before I know what I’m doing, I hang up on her.
My breathing comes in heavy, and I walk over to the trash can and heave. Nothing comes out, but I stand there for several long moments, wishing I could unhear her words.
I’m going to kill her.
I’m going to make her suffer.