Chapter Nineteen
THE CAR RIDE across town seemed to last years instead of minutes. Ari held his hand in a hard grip. He knew it was as much for her as it was for him, but he appreciated it. He understood her fear. Whoever had taken Stella couldn’t have been far from Olivia. She’d just gotten her brother and sister back, and the thought that she could easily have lost one of them again was probably too much on top of everything else she’d been through. He knew he should console her, but he couldn’t. Tommy had already called Vince, and they had every available man on the streets looking for any trace of Stella. Rex knew it unlikely to be good news. His best hope was that it was someone looking to keep her local and that it wasn’t personal. Their family had enemies everywhere. Not as many as there used to be, but still too many.
Ari’s hand squeezed his, and he realized his hands were shaking. She climbed on his lap and pulled him tight. Rex froze. What was she…oh, she was trying to comfort him? That was too much. A low sob broke free before he clamped down on the raging emotions. He couldn’t break right now, but her support meant everything, though. Her life had been nothing but crazy since they met, but here she was, offering him comfort. Besides Tommy, no one had ever seen him like this since his own father had beaten the softness out of him as a teenager. It was just one more example of why Tommy was wrong. No matter how much he wanted to keep her, and Rex could at least be honest with himself about that, he couldn’t. Ari and her siblings deserved a normal life without the darkness he would bring to it. For just a moment, he let himself think about how it could have been as her small arms held him in a surprisingly powerful hug.
“We’ll find her, Rex,” she whispered, conviction lacing her voice. He knew that was only there because she believed he’d be able to solve the problem no matter what. And likely he would, but if this was personal, it was going to crush him and Tommy. They’d worked so hard to get out of a life that would endanger those they loved, and here they were faced with it all over again. Even if it was just a coincidence, and it might be, if pulling back from their business couldn’t ensure safety for those they loved, what was the point in it? Why bother leaving a lucrative business they both knew if it wasn’t protecting anyone.
“This is why I hate this life. I don’t want a family. I can’t even keep the one I have safe.” He saw something flash over Ari’s face, and he was instantly sorry. He’d never promised her anything, but in a way, the pretense they’d been playing had been leading her on. Their chemistry was off the charts, but he’d meant it. He wouldn’t even try to keep her. Tonight was just one more reminder of why it would never work.
He sighed. That was something he and Tommy would have to sit down and discuss when this was all over.
Ari climbed off his lap with a last squeeze as the car slowed down. The door flew open, and Tommy was there. He pulled Ari out and then he and Tommy were moving.
“Ari, Olivia is upstairs. She’s upset, but Liesel is with her. Could you please go up? We need Liesel monitoring security feeds.”
She nodded and darted through the door. Rex saw her run up the stairs and seconds later, Liesel flew down them. She didn’t come outside, but instead turned down the hall leading to the office. Rex knew she would be online within minutes and checking every feed in the city.
“Rex,” Tommy snapped, and Rex’s eyes snapped to his.
“Focus, we’re heading on the streets. I need you one hundred percent with me.”
“Where else would I be?”
“Upstairs,” he said, his voice hard.
Rex didn’t bother to deny it, but said instead, “You know I won’t stop until we have her back.”
“I know, let’s go.”
Hours passed. They combed the streets, but none of their usual sources had any information. Finally, Tommy’s phone rang.
“What did you find?”
“Liesel,” he mouthed, and Rex held his breath.
“Are you sure?”
More indecipherable sound and Tommy’s face crumpled. Oh shit, she was dead. They were too late. Rex leaned against the wall of the alley they were standing in.
Tommy disconnected the call. “Liesel found her.”
Rex straightened, ready to strategize. “Where?”
Tommy’s eyes met his as he rattled off the address.
Rex felt his vision go black around the edges. Was it a sick coincidence or had he been made? The address Tommy gave him was one he knew well. Tommy knew it too, even though he’d never been there. It was one he’d been visiting for months. The one where his life had changed when he met the eyes of a scared girl. The traffickers had Stella. She was going to auction.
Ari paced Rex’s room for what felt like hours. Olivia had thrown herself at Ari the moment she walked in the door. The fear and the close call had been too much for the little girl. Even Owen had been on edge just knowing his sister had been in danger.
Ari held them both until they’d cried themselves to sleep. She wished it had been that easy for her, but her brain wouldn’t shut down.
It was after midnight when Rex finally came in. The man she’d known for the last week was gone. In his place was a broken man barely hanging on and Ari braced herself for whatever he had to say. He gave a brief look before crossing to the small shelf of bottles. He didn’t even pour a glass, but drank straight from the bottle, his throat working to swallow around the burn he must have been feeling. Ari wanted to ask, but she couldn’t force the words out, so she sat down on the couch. He joined her, bringing the bottle with him. He was still in the clothes he’d worn to the club and Ari was tempted to tell him to stand up so she could strip him down and get him more comfortable clothes, but she wasn’t sure if that would be welcome. She’d changed into a pair of pajamas as soon as she could, finally using a tiny pair of scissors she found in the bathroom to cut the ribbon loops on her collar. Thankfully, her brother and sister hadn’t commented on her odd outfit.
Taking a deep breath, Ari let herself reach for his hand. He gripped it like it was the only thing he could hold on to, but still he didn’t speak. What if she was dead? What if she wasn’t? Either possibility was simply too much to think about, but she needed to know so she could figure out how to be there for this family who had done so much for her and her little family.
Finally, he turned to her, and she gasped at the pain burning in his eyes. His voice was hoarse when the words finally came. “Ari, I need your help.”
Her eyes widened. That was not what she’d been expecting, but she was glad to know there was something she could do, and she told him so. “Anything.”
He shook his head and buried his face in his hands. “Don’t say that until I tell you what I need, ok?”
“Rex, I’ll do anything I can to help,” she said, grabbing his face and forcing him to look at her.
“Even let me sell you?” he croaked.
Ari gaped at him before what he was saying sunk in. “Oh god, no. They have her?”
He nodded, the words being too much. She watched a single tear run down his cheek and she desperately wanted to kiss it away, but this wasn’t the moment. Her heart broke for everyone involved, but especially for Rex. He’d just rescued her from the same situation and now his own cousin was missing and unlikely to be retrieved. She shivered. The fact that she knew exactly what Stella was going through right now was a fierce ache in her chest. She’d barely held it together at nineteen. How would Stella, only fourteen, survive? Even if they got her back home in one piece, would she ever be the bubbly, vivacious girl she had been? Ari knew the answer to that, and it made her want to cry.
She swallowed hard. Now she understood why he’d told her not to agree. They weren’t just going to the auction. He wanted to “sell” her back and have her find Stella. Meaning she wouldn’t be at his side. She wouldn’t have his protection and guarantee that they were leaving. She wanted to agree immediately, but it wasn’t just her that she had to think about now.
“Is it a coincidence or did they take her on purpose to get to you?”
“We don’t know yet,” he said, not meeting her eyes.
“What’s the plan?”
“We’ve told the cops. They’re willing to provide us with back up if you’ll agree to testify and go in with a camera and a microphone.”
Oh shit. If she was found out, they’d kill her. She couldn’t. She couldn’t not either, though. After running through the options, she knew it was the best plan they had, so she asked the only question that could really make or break it for her.
“What about Olivia and Owen?”
Rex gave her a long look. Ari hoped he understood. She wasn’t concerned for herself, but if she didn’t come back, what would happen to her brother and sister?
“We’ll take care of them.”
“Who?”
“Me, Tommy, Liesel, whoever comes out on the other side. If you’re willing to put your own safety at risk for one of ours, we’ll make sure they’re taken care of.”
Tears pooled in Ari’s eyes. Her siblings had already lost so much. This seemed almost selfish to do to them, but she couldn’t imagine leaving Stella with those monsters. Her brother and sister were safe and would stay that way.
“I’ll do it. The auction is still set for Saturday, right?”
“Yes. I’ll put in a call today telling them how disappointed I was in my purchase. We’ll get someone here to do make-up so that you look… hurt.” He paused and when he tried to speak again, his voice broke. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what they’ll do to you—” He broke off in a choked sob.
“I’ll be ok, Rex. I’m tougher than I look. I promise,” she said, giving him a sad smile.
“We won’t leave you in long. Just long enough to get a visual on Stella backstage.”
“I know. I’ll keep it together until you get us out. I promise.”
Rex shook his head. Ari knew he was warring with himself. He couldn’t promise to get them out. Although the police would have plenty of incentive to get her out since she was agreeing to testify. The fact that she was being “returned” would probably make her an immediate target for the thugs who kept the girls in line backstage. A shiver of dread crept down her spine, but she refused to let that deter her.
“Ari—”
“Rex, we can’t leave Stella. If we come up with a different plan before Saturday we’ll use it, but this is the best we have right now.”
Two days. There was so much to do. She would have to make provisions for Olivia and Owen as well as her mother. There still had been no word of Stan.
“Can you get a lawyer here in the morning? I need to get the paperwork around for everything. I’ll need power of attorney for my mom too, then a delegation of custody of all three of them if something happens to me.”
“Of course.”
“Come on then. Let’s get a few hours of sleep.”
“Ari, you don’t have to—”
“Please. Let me be with you. I know it’s not forever, but just for now,” she pleaded with him. Any hope she’d had was gone. Even if she could have wrapped her mind around being a criminal, she knew he wouldn’t want her and the instant family she represented. They were a liability. He’d been very clear that he didn’t want any weaknesses and she couldn’t be anything but that.