Chapter 26
Kane
Tyler’s intercept crew set out in four cars from the skeleton crew’s warehouse, leaving the clubs and their party atmosphere behind us.
In my case, leaving Lovelyn in my bed.
The image of her sitting there with those pretty eyes on me was branded into my brain.
We timed our departures so we wouldn’t be in convoy on the road and plugged into a group call so Tyler could talk to us as we travelled.
His calm, patient voice in my ear was the backdrop of my drive over the border and northwards into the night.
“Trafficking happens daily. Arseholes sell seats in Transit vans with the interior door handles removed and bring countless folk across the channel then hide them in cities. Glasgow is a hot spot. They also bring them over via established routes like Belfast to Stranraer, all of it illegal, all unsafe. Those, the police attempt to manage, but it’s a dam with too many holes.
Too often, all they do is nab the trafficked people and throw them into detention centres for deportation. ”
One of the Atheron brothers muttered a quiet, “Fuck.”
Tyler snorted a laugh. “Exactly. All trafficking is fucked up, but there’s a brand of evil that I am dedicated to infiltrating, and now ye are, too.
Those who target women, girls, and occasionally men for use in brothels and other kinds of sexual exploitation.
These people, they sneak into the country in smaller numbers.
They’re considered higher value, so greater secrecy is used, such as boats and quiet harbours to land in the dead of night.
I have systems in place to detect them, and I had a call earlier today. That’s where we’re heading now.”
Energy built in me. I gripped the steering wheel, following the curve of the road that would take us past Edinburgh and up the coast to Aberdeen. The address he’d given us was near a ferry port, so I imagined his system included paid informants.
I couldn’t help but draw parallels to the fucking Marchants who had been part of this trade.
Tyler continued. “About the victims. Many don’t speak much English, and most have experienced violence and sexual abuse at home before they were sold. It’s a rare case where a woman or teenage girl is abducted from the streets by an unknown.”
A sound of disbelief came from one of the Atherons. “Their families sell them out?”
Heretic, I guessed. Shorter hair, scarred arm, his voice a shade deeper than his brother’s.
“Aye, they do, which makes them feel alone, friendless, and terrified. They assume we are more of the same and lash out. Our job is to take out the traffickers, I dinnae give a fuck if ye kill them, though try to keep the leader for me. Then we secure their victims until the all-female support team picks them up. They take them to a safe place and give them care and choices over what to do next. We don’t force anyone’s decision, and not a single fucking word of this is shared with the cops. ”
“I’m liking the sound of taking out these shitmuppets,” Ash said.
He spoke more than Heretic, and more colourfully, from the short time I’d had to get to know them.
Ash was ready with quips and smart-ass comments, reminding me of Convict, where Heretic appeared observant and reserved.
When we left the warehouse, Ash had stopped at a Warrior pick-up truck, a middle finger raised to something his brother said before he’d retied his hair and got behind the wheel.
Heretic had set out on a chunky silver-and-black motorbike.
Tyler hadn’t explained where he’d found the two men, but as far as I knew, he hadn’t given them my history either.
I didn’t care. I’d never bonded to any crew I’d worked with and didn’t want to now.
“What happens to the bodies?” I asked.
Tyler replied, “I’ll have someone handle those, too. Once we’re done and the women safe, we get the fuck out of there. Everyone understand?”
We all confirmed that we did.
“Good. I have calls to make. Once we arrive, park up and lie low until I give further instruction. Ye might be waiting around a while. It could happen tonight or take days. I need ye ready at any given second. Don’t let me down.”
He disconnected. I tried to wrap my head around the type of mission I was on. It was a world away from anything I’d done in the past, but still connected in ways I’d never anticipated. Our actions would right wrongs for innocents who had been hurt.
I’d never done anything noble for pay. The sensation was unsettling.
“You both still on the line?” Ash asked.
Hair tie, neck tattoo, joker.
His brother answered, the meaty purr of his motorbike behind his voice. “Spare me whatever wisecrack you want to make. I’m hanging up. See you on the other side.”
Ash sniffed. “Watch him come running for my passenger seat if it pisses down. He’ll be legging it like a cat at bath time.”
Brotherly love. Couldn’t relate. I went to disconnect, but his voice paused me.
“Hey, Kane, the girl you were with earlier.”
Instantly, my hackles went up. “What about her?”
“She yours?”
“What the fuck business is that of yours?”
“Just a question. This is going to be a long drive. I’m trying to get to know you.”
I could almost hear the smirk in his voice. I’d already decided Ash gave off the vibe of a player. He could play himself into Deadwater River and out to sea if he went anywhere near Lovelyn. And yet I couldn’t make the claim he was looking for.
“Lovelyn is too good for anyone I know, including ye.”
I ended the call so I didn’t have to hear his answer. If he said she was pretty or he wanted to ask her out, I’d probably jeopardise the mission by accidentally and repeatedly stabbing him.
A glance at my screen showed me it was after one in the morning. The urge to check in with Lovelyn wouldn’t shut up. If she’d done what I asked and stayed in the warehouse, there would be no problem.
But if she’d left…
I was calling her number before I realised what I was doing.
She picked up almost immediately. “Hello?”
“Where are ye?”
She took an audible breath. “I came to bed twenty minutes ago. I took a shower, and now I’m snooping around your room.”
My brain shot to her naked and under hot water. Never in my life had I wanted to see an image so badly.
“Nothing to find,” I grouched. “I left water and a few snacks in the fridge.”
She made a happy sound. “I found them. I didn’t know that was for me. Thank you. I also found a weapon stash. That was eye-opening.”
For a moment, I couldn’t think of anything to say that wasn’t a demand to turn this into a video call and for her to get back under the shower.
Lovelyn gave a short laugh. “I know I rendered you speechless when we kissed. Is that still in play, or was there something else you needed to ask me?”
What the hell was wrong with me? I forced my brain to engage. “Just checking your location.”
“I’m right where you left me. Like I said, I’ll be doing some work for Mila tomorrow while she’s out interviewing and threatening Marchants. Did you wish that you could be part of that?”
“No. I tried helping her before with her schemes and got fucking caught.”
The sound of rustling came. “What happened?”
I hadn’t spoken to anyone about this, besides briefly with Tyler when he rescued me on Arran’s orders. I didn’t want to share. Somehow, I started talking anyway. The words fell out of how I’d been Mila’s backup when she’d infiltrated Salter, but the bastard had knocked me out and kept me prisoner.
“You were locked up? That must’ve been so hard on you. Worse because of your claustrophobia.”
I didn’t want to admit a word, but a cramped, no-air sensation crawled over me, and I opened my window fully and spoke to get rid of it. “Yes, flower girl, it fucked me up while I was in there.”
“Because you felt trapped?”
“Because they chained me in a hole for days.”
Her short rush of breath tightened a knot in my chest. I didn’t want her sympathy. I fucking liked that she cared. I didn’t know what was wrong with me.
The feeling lifted, and I cleared my throat. “Anyway, Mila doesn’t need my help. If her relatives give up information on our sister, I’ll take over.”
“That reminds me of something I meant to ask earlier. The one person who should know most about Darcy is your grandmother. She won’t speak to Mila, but I’ve never known a grandmother not dote on her grandson. I think if you approached her, she might be willing to talk.”
My grandmother. Fuck that. I’d sat across the table from her at the will reading, and she had been made of stone. Even her silver bobbed hair barely moved. It was on the tip of my tongue to reject the idea. I’d never wanted anything to do with my Marchant relatives. Then Lovelyn spoke again.
“I’d come with you. You won’t even have to kidnap me this time. Nor do you have to befriend her or be anything other than yourself. Just find out what she knows then walk away. It’s worth a try.”
I exhaled. If it got us what we wanted, it would be worth the pain. “I’ll do it if ye do something for me now.”
“Name it.”
There was an interesting note in her voice.
“Switch this call to video and lose my t-shirt you’re wearing to bed.”
Quiet held the line. Desperation had me filling it.
“Or just stay on the call with me.”
The line went dead. I thought she’d hung up on me. Then my phone rang again with a video call.
My goddamned heart skipped a beat. I pulled off the road into a pitch-black lay-by and answered.
Lovelyn’s pretty face stared out at me, her hair tied up in that high ponytail that drove me insane. “How did you know I was in your shirt?”
“No time for that. Move the camera back.”
“Aren’t you driving?”
“I’ve stopped. I drive fast so can make up the time. Please, Lovelyn, I need to see ye.”
Her cheeks pinkened in the low light of my bedroom. “I like the begging. But I’m not baring all for the first time over a phone screen.”
My dick thickened in my jeans. “But you’ll show me something? You have no idea how badly I need it.”
She swallowed. “Send the message first, Kane.”
I swore and thumbed over to my chat with Mila, one where she’d done ninety percent of the communicating. “I’ve asked my sister for the number. Good enough?”
She inclined her head then sat on my sheets, her gaze on the camera cautious but her eyes shining with need I felt all through me. “Good enough. What do you want?”
“For ye to make yourself come while I watch.” I took a breath at the flare of lust on her face. “Lie back. Put your hand between your legs.”
She nestled into the white pillows, the camera firmly on her face. Then her eyelids fluttered closed.
“I need to know how wet ye are.”
“Kane!”
“I can’t be there, so describe everything.”
Her breath hitched. “At the appearance of your name on my screen, I was soaked.”
Ah fuck. My dick begged for attention, but it could wait. Right now, I’d have her writhing under my instructions. I wanted every single one of her thoughts focused on me, and I refused to pin down exactly how badly I needed that.