Chapter Twenty-Five
ELLIOT
The ride down in the lift is almost suffocating. The weight of the dark web discovery has shifted everything, and that newfound knowledge and what this could mean sits heavily on our shoulders. River’s knuckles are white as he grips the handrail, and Jax’s jaw is set in a tight line.
As the doors slide open, we all file out and return the way we came. The dimly lit car park greets us, the echo of our footsteps urgent as we approach the car.
“We need to get to France,” Jax mutters, his voice cutting through the tension as he reaches for the driver’s door. “We need to be smart. We can’t afford a single mistake, especially now.”
River nods, his eyes dark and focused. “Agreed.”
I climb into the front passenger seat and pull out my laptop before dumping the bag in the footwell. The screen lights up, casting a faint glow. “I’m already running a trace on this client list, and we’ll make sure we’re one step ahead of the ones after Richard.”
“Good,”Jax says, reversing out of the parking bay. “We also need to make sure that George doesn’t try to warn Richard. He’s a weasel and a liability. ”
River speaks up from the back seat. “I could have taken care of him.”
“Not necessary, Riv. I already have atrace on George, if he tries to, I can easilyintercept it.”
River cracks his knuckles. I get it, he’s out for blood and he’ll take it wherever he can find it.
The rest of the car ride is thick with unsaid words and unresolved anger. My fingers furiously fly over the keyboard. Jax pulls into our underground car park as I glance back at River who is still fuming, his fists clenching and unclenching. I reach over the console and grip his knee, making a small attempt at keeping him grounded and letting him know I’m here and we’re in this together.
Without a word, we all head back to mine where I have my home office and my computers set up. But once inside, the atmosphere is no less tense. Jax paces the room, his hand running through his hair in frustration. River sits on the sofa, his leg bouncing with pent-up energy as I connect the hard drive to my computer.
“There’s nothing either of you can do while I run all these traces. Why don’t you two go and spar or something?”
Thankfully, they concede, giving me the alone time I need as I begin running the decryption process.
When they return, the progress bar is slowly creeping towards completion. I glance up. River and Jax have showered, but their faces have seen better days, littered with fresh bruises and a cut or two. I’m sure it was worth it as long as ithelped take the edge off and they’ve relievedsome tension.
“Feel better?”I ask, my attention going to River. He doesn’tanswer, just rounds on me, his handreaching out for my throat, leaning in for a deep, searing kiss. It’s something he’s more inclined to do now that we’re out in the open, but it’s also more than that. Without Lily around, he needs the physical connection now more than ever. Lily became so much to us in such a short amount of time.
He releases me, his eyes no longer as haunted as before.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
From somewhere behind me, Jax grunts in response, “If you’re expecting a kiss from me, too, you can fuck off.”
The comment makes River laugh, a sound I’ve missed, and it has us all smiling. But analert from my computer shifts my focus, letting us know the decryption is complete.
“About fucking time.”I open the first folder, and my eyes scan the list of files. I feel Jax and River at my back as I open them. There are names, dates and transaction summaries, as well as detailed ledgers of Richard’s shadyas fuck operations. But it’s the video files that catch my eye. I click on one, my stomach turning as the screen fills with vividclarity—a room, not just any room. Lily’s room, a second later she appears wrapped in a towel.
“Fucking wanker,” Jax curses.
I close the video, unable to watch anymore. Knowing she’s been violated like that and for fuck knows how long is hard enough, but seeing it makes my blood boil.
“George was right,”River says. “Richard was selling these feeds and live streaming them but failed to deliver the last one. He wasn’t just skipping the country because of what he did to Lily—he’s running from them, too.”
Jax’s eyes narrow. “So we use it to our advantage. When we find Richard, we use it againsthim to get Mia back, then take him down.”
River nods, his jaw set in determination. “No matter what it takes, we get Mia safe.”
She’s Lily’s family, which means she’s our family—this is personal.
With the urgency of the situation heavy in the air, I pull up the database and begin digging deeper into thefiles I’veretrieved, searchingfor any possibleclue that will lead us to Richard and Mia.
River and Jax are talking, their voices low and intense, but I’m too busy to pay attention. Searching through the transaction records, something catches my eye—a series of payments to a high-end yacht rental service.
“Guys, I think I’ve found something,”I call out, my eyes scanning the details on the screen.
Jax and River look over, their attention focused on me.
“There’s a series of transactions here,”I continue, “Payments made to a yacht rental service in France, the one Richard has used recently.”My adrenaline spikes. The real possibility of an actual lead has my heart racing.
Jax stands behind me, peering over my shoulder at the screen. “Any details on the yacht?”
I nod, pulling up the most recent transaction. “Yeah, there’s a name here. The Endless Horizon rented the day he pulled Mia out of boarding school. I have no idea why nothing came up for this before. But look… there’s a note about a recent private docking location.”I continue to dig through the files, finding more information about the yacht and location. “Port Hercules Monaco. He’s booked it out for ten days, and that was two days ago.”
My fingers fly over the keyboard to set up a surveillance system. “I can keep an eye on any activity relating to the yacht’s movements now.”
Jax shakes his head in disbelief. “He just can’t help flashing his wealth, can he? You’d think he’d try somewhere a little more low-key.”
“Nah, he’s way too arrogant for that,”River says, pacing in front of me.“But, fuck, we know where they are.”
“Exactly, and that’s where we’ll be going. Just as soon as I make a few calls and call in those favours,”Jax says, already walking towards my front door. “I’m not willing to risk fucking this up.”
Once the door closes behind him, I turn to River.
He’s ramped up and ready to go. I can already see him itching to go and get his gear ready.
“Riv, promise me you won’t do anything rash. When we’re there, you’ll be careful.”
His pacing ceases, and his gaze finds mine. “It’s not me you need to worry about. I can handle myself.”
I scrub my palm over my jaw, which isvery much in need of a shave. “I’m fully aware, but that’s not what I mean, and you know it.”
Pushing my chair back and away from my desk, I stand, walking towards him slowly, his eyes holding mine until I’m in touching distance.
His palm reaches out, cupping the back of my neck and tugging me forward until my chest meets his.
“This isn’t like when we were serving, Riv. We’re emotionally invested, and there’s more at stake.”
His Adam’s apple rolls as he swallows before he replies, “Elliot, I’ll be fine.”
I raise my eyebrows.
“I won’t do anything to risk fucking it up.”
Squeezing my eyes closed, I let out a heavy sigh. His other hand moves to my cheek as he continues, “Hey, what’s this about? Talk to me?”
Opening my eyes, I find him staring back at me with a burning intensity.
“I’m worried you’ll do whatever it takes to ensure Mia is safe and that Richard gets retribution for what he did to Lily.”
He tilts his head to the side. “Isn’t that the point?”
I shake my head. “Yes and no. I want those things as much as you do. But I also don’t want you to get hurt in the process…to put yourself in the firing line. ”
Now, it’s his turn to sigh. “El, are you saying you wouldn’t do the same?”Arching a brow, he moves us until my back hits the wall, crowding me. My hand grips his hip. “Because I know for a fact you would. I get it. You don’t want to see me hurt any more than I do you.” He licks his lips, his eyes searching my face. “I’ll be careful, I promise. But I will also do everything I can to protect the ones I love.”
“I know you will, and that’s what I’m worried about... I know how much you hide behind humour, yet you feel more deeply than others.”
He shakes his head with an unamused laugh. “Really? Because I’m beginning to think I use humour to hide the darkest parts of me, the parts that seem to be getting closer to the surface now than ever before.” His eyes fall closed as he rests his forehead against mine. My free hand moves to the back of his neck and squeezes.
“We all have a dark side. It’s the affliction of being human. No person is all good or all bad. But you’re a good man, River. It’s why I love you.”
Without replying, he lowers his mouth to mine, seeking entry. My lips part, allowing his tongue to meet mine in a slow, lazy kiss.
When he pulls back, I run my thumb over his swollen bottom lip. “I’ve got your back, Riv. Just promise you’ll be careful.”
He nods. “I promise, El. The same goes for you, too.”
“Of course. We’re in this together.”
“Always,”he replies with a finality that brooks no room for doubt.
And then we seal our words with another kiss, losing ourselves to one another for a few more minutes.