Page 248 of Promise Not to Fall for the Rich & Famous

Wolf leaned slightly over the table. “They’ve accepted five bids from across the globe, each for time slots of eight hours. The dates and times are set, meaning your would-be captors have chosen the location, which will be someplace outside of the U.S. They’ll share that location with each bidder, designating their time slot based on the bid. They expect to have you in their possession and drugged up enough for your first shift in less than a week.”

The wordsfirst shiftcycled through Ellie’s mind like a pair of foreign words. It didn’t make sense. But Nash seemed to catch on.

“You’re saying he cut a deal with sex traffickers?” he hissed.

Wolf shot him a look. “Unwittingly, but yes, that’s exactly what they are. On the surface, these guys look like they run a business like mine. And even if itwaslike mine, your old man never would have survived doing business with them.I'mthe reason your father’s still alive.” He shook his head. “I feared that when I pulled back from the contract, he’d do something like this, but Johnny came crying to me, saying you wanted your freedom, and I allotted that to you and him both.

“Now that I look back on it, he was probably already in trouble with someone else. More than likely, they scouted him out. They might have known who he was and intentionally swindled him until he was way over his head, with this plan in mind all along.

"In essence, you are not safe, and you need to go into hiding. A few of my men are attempting to expose this ring without incriminating themselves, as we work outside the law in our own right. Not easy, but we want to get these scumbags off the streets.

“For now, I’d advise you not to take your private jet or use any credit cards your dad or your manager have access to. They’re retaining your father and therefore have accessto everything he does, including common contacts. Be careful about who you talk to or trust. Did you tell Geneva you’d be at the Magnolia?” he asked.

She nodded and reached for another swig of her drink, wishing it’d be enough to wake her up from this nightmare.

“Good. That’s on the other side of town. I don’t think they plan to strike just yet, but they may have someone watching the place. If you never show, they could get antsy.”

He looked at each of them in turn. “Now, in the interest of time, ask whatever questions you deem necessary, but let's make this quick. I'm sticking my neck out on this one, and if they manage to chop off my head, my efforts to save you and expose this ring will be in vain."

Ellie looked over at Nash who brought his hands above the table, rubbing them together once again. "What if instead of flying, we take a road trip? There’s a safe place I know of."

Wolf turned thoughtful for a minute, tipping his head one way and then the next. "That could work. But they’re likely planning to leak details about you and your family. If I had to guess why they wanted you two to go public, under the guise of helping your reputation, I’d say they hoped to frame Nash for your disappearance.”

That detail rumbled through Ellie like a bomb.

“It makes sense,” Wolf continued. “They couldn’t exactly release you after bidding you out like that.”

Nash shifted in his seat.

“I doubt Geneva’s in on this, but we have to treat her like she is. For now, see if you can get her to hold off on releasing any details about Nash. Then, steer clear of any family-owned properties and have your family do the same until the dust settles."

Nash moved like he was about to stand; no doubt he was anxious to tell his brothers what they were facing, but Ellie still hadn’t gotten all the answers she wanted.

"What about my dad?” she blurted. “I have a lot of questions about him. Why did they take him? Where do you think they're keeping him? And how can we get him out?"

Wolf’s lips became a hard line. "They’re holding Johnny to prevent his interference.Wherethey’re keeping him is anyone's guess, but they won’t kill the guy unless they have to; the last thing they want is to draw attention to themselves before your abduction and become suspect.

“Our best bet for getting your father out is taking down the entire ring. Let’s just hope our moles lead the right people to the right place.

“Once they take the ring down, your dad will be free. The good news is,” he added, conviction tightening his expression, "you'll finally be free, too.”

CHAPTER 23

It was a good thing that Ellie had plenty ofmale company, as Wolf had referred to it, seeing that they were less likely to be spotted by whoever had their sights on Ellie.

In the hours that followed the enlightening meeting regarding the dark details Ellie might have been fated for, Ellie, Nash, and his brothers went into action.

They dared spend only a small amount of time in the suite as Wolf had suggested. There, Ellie contacted Geneva, saying that, in light of the explosion, she wanted to put all “media leaks” on hold until further notice. She asked Bronson if he would remain in Dallas; his presence there would make Ellie’s escape less obvious, plus he could keep an eye on Geneva. The men stayed in the dinner clothes Wolf provided, and Ellie switched out the gown for slacks, a comfortable blouse, and a pair of flats. She kept the wig on and let the dark strands hang long in front to alter her appearance even more.

Meanwhile, Nash and his brothers tackled the home front, sharing their recent findings with each member of the Copeland family.

It was during their conversation with Uncle Lloyd that Earl Emerson came up.

"Your grandma C and Lilly are on one of their cruises,"Uncle Lloyd had said."Once I fill Earl in on the details, he may offer up his place as a spot of respite.”

Uncle Lloyd went on to say that, though he wasn't sure it was necessary for the rest of the family to vacate their homes, he’d discussed that matter with everyone involved.

"You kids, focus on getting back here safe and sound, and we'll focus on having a place ready for you once you arrive. We’ll see to it that necessary precautions are taken here, too."