"Address."
He gives it to me between sobs.
I nod when his eyes, ravaged with pain, meet mine in defiance. "You shouldn’t have touched her," I say, and put a bullet in his head.
Silence falls over the alley. Just the distant sound of traffic, music from the bar, and Laney's ragged breathing.
I turn to face her. She's staring at the bodies, at the blood spreading across the concrete. Her face is pale, eyes wide with shock.
"Are you hurt?" I ask.
She blinks. Looks up at me. "What?"
"Are you hurt?" I repeat, gentler this time. My hand comes up to her throat, fingers brushing over the red marks where the Albanian grabbed her. "Did he hurt you?"
"I... no. I'm... I'm fine."
She's not fine. She's shaking, adrenaline crash hitting hard. I keep my arm around her waist, holding her steady.
"Who are you?" she whispers.
"Yakov Korolyov." I pull out my phone with my free hand, texting Kaiden.Two bodies in the alley behind Vine and Crimson. Clean it up."And you're Laney Parker."
"How do you—"
"I know everything that happens in this city. And what I don’t know, I learn fast." I put the phone away and guide her toward the mouth of the alley, away from the corpses. "Including when civilian women start asking questions about my missing cocktail waitresses."
Understanding floods her face. "You own the casino."
"Technically it’s a hotel, but yes. I part own it with my four brothers." We reach the street, and I scan for threats before leading her toward where I parked.
She tries to pull away. "I don't—"
"Your sister was taken by an Albanian gang who like to think they’re a mafia," I interrupt. "The men that just tried to grab you, they're trafficking girls out of Vegas to buyers in Eastern Europe. That's what happened to Laurie."
Her breath catches. "Is she alive?"
"Probably. They need to transport them, clean them up, make sure they're compliant. That takes time."
"How much time?"
"A week or so, I imagine. Maybe less." I unlock the R8 and open the passenger door. "Get in."
"Where are you taking me?" she asks, her eyes dropping to the car like it’s a whole new concept to her.
"Somewhere safe."
Her eyes snap back to me. "That's not an answer."
"It's the only answer you're getting right now." I study her face. The fear warring with determination, the way she's trying so hard not to fall apart. "You have two choices, Laney. You can come with me, and I'll help you find your sister. Or you can go back to asking questions, and end up just like her. Missing…or worse."
She stares at me. Those whiskey-gold eyes searching mine for... what? Safety? Trust? She must find something she can work with, because she gets in the car.
I close the door and walk around to the driver's side. Kaiden and his team are already moving into the alley, efficient and quiet. By morning, there'll be no evidence anyone died there tonight, and the coyotes will be well fed.
I slide behind the wheel and start the engine, pulling smoothly onto the road.
"You killed them," she finally says once we reach the Strip. "Just like that."
