Chapter 38
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Amirah
I stretch out on the bed, curling my hands behind my head, yawning. Peeling my eyes open, I find an empty room. Whatever happened last night can’t happen again. Can it? As much as I want it to, it shouldn’t. Not before we have a chat about what exactly this is between us.
The way they made me feel—I’ve never felt more in control than with them. Wanted. Worshipped. My body aches. I’m not sure I’ll even be able to walk straight.
I’m confused, and sex isn’t going to clear anything up for me. Whatever happened between us can’t last. I’m their captive. I don’t belong here. This isn’t my home. The more I say that, the more I can taste the lie on my lips. I don’t know where I belong anymore.
I had a home inside The Daring Brotherhood, but now I don’t know who I can trust. I was taught to always believe that the Brothers were good people. The best of the best. But Callan—he’s a monster.
What if the only reason my brother doesn’t know about the women being trafficked is because he won’t open his eyes?
Here in Daringhood, it doesn’t feel like there’s gender inequality—then again, I guess I’ve only seen inside this theme park.
Kicking off the bed, I step into some sweatpants and one of Zion’s T-shirts he left here in my room. I shove the bottom of the top into my pants as my legs tremble, weak.
I head out the bedroom door, shut it quietly behind me, and move through the rooms until I’m at the last door that leads into the living room. Voices carry from inside. I open the door slightly, peering through the curtains.
Bear is sitting on the ground with Cleo, playing with dolls. Kai is on the couch, Zion next to him.
“We bring The Brotherhood there and set up a meeting with them. Demand they let us control the docks. We haven’t got enough weapons to overthrow them yet, but this will give us an upper hand. Access to the supplies we need,” Kai says, and I suck in a breath.
“What makes you think they’ll hand that over just because we asked?” Zion asks.
Kai leans back on the couch, running his fingers along his jaw. “Because we’ve got the perfect pawn.”
I see red. I burst into the room, pulling the curtains apart with force. Cleo looks up, her eyes wide as saucers, and her shoulders drop when she sees me. I don’t want to scare her, but I’m furious. Angry. Hurt. Betrayed.
“Is that all I am to you? A pawn?” I snap, and Kai pushes off the couch, stepping toward me.
I stumble back. I’d thought there was something more between us, especially after yesterday, but what a fool I was for ever thinking that there could be.
Kai shakes his head. “Of course not.”
“We were going to ask you first,” Zion says.
I scoff. “Yeah, right. You’re just saying that ’cause I caught you. You’re really going to trade me back like a piece of property?” I ask, folding my arms over my chest.
Bear chuckles. He’s on the floor, playing with Cleo, and my heart melts. No. He betrayed me. I knew this would happen. What the hell was I thinking, letting them into my heart and pants? Stupid. I should know better.
“You really think I’d let them trade you in?” Bear asks, his green eyes wide.
I bite my bottom lip. He has a point. He wouldn’t let me go. He’s made that clear.
Kai moves toward me before wrapping me under his arm and guiding me to the couch. I melt into his embrace, the fire inside me dulling with every breath.
I fall back onto the couch between Kai and Zion.
“You’re not just a pawn, Amirah. You’re one of us now, and we protect our own,” Kai says.
The corner of my mouth lifts. “What’s the grand plan, then?” I ask, feeling the love between us.
“We set up a meeting with The Brotherhood. A deal. Meet them at the docks. We tell them that we’ll trade you back in return for control over the docks,” Kai says, and I lean into his embrace.
“I’m in,” I say.
There’s no way my brother will give up the docks for me. I’m one person, and the docks are huge—a massive source of income from weapons and drugs for The Brotherhood.
And something else too.
Women are trafficked there.
I don’t know how, but surely if I have all these important men there together—Gage, Hazen, and Lucas alongside Kai, Zion, and Bear—I can convince them that we can stop this child abuse. And maybe then, in our common hatred . . . we can find peace.
I’ll be the pawn in this war between our worlds.