My eyes flutter closed, and I inhale a sharp breath. It’s pointless to deny who I am. Something eases in my chest thatstill, after all this time, my brother is protecting me. Blood cannot be burned, cannot be broken. It’s written in our genetics like a sacred bond.
“He has to be stopped, James.”
“You mean this isn’t a terrible fucking coincidence?”
“No. I sought him out. I know what’s going on behind the curtain.”
He blows out a breath. “Whatever you think you know, whatever image you have of this world, you are severely underestimating it.” He shakes his head as he takes a sip of his drink. I do the same, trying to act casual. “The reach, the size, the money—it’s a juggernaut. He’s well connected and protected. Go back to your hacker life, Eleanor. Stay behind the computer and leave us the fuck alone.”
I splutter the cola, nearly staining my dress. “You know?”
“I kept track of you.”
“Does Jonathan?”
“Fuck no. He would have dragged you back by your hair if he did. You disappearing into the military was your best move. It’s like you fell off the face of the planet. Make no mistake though, you might have different hair and eyes, but it will dawn on him exactly who you are if you stay this close. You have too many tells, and that man makes an art out of reading people.”
We fall into stiff silence as the patrons of the club go about their evening around us, many not knowing their fate.
“It’s time,” he says as he starts strolling around the edge of the room. I let him guide me as if I’m a clueless woman being presented for the masses. He moves around the room like it’s his domain, making me wonder how many times he’s done this. How often has he been complicit in the evil that stalks these women? Men with lecherous eyes skim over my body. I rarely feel self-conscious, but knowing they want to take away my hard-fought freedom makes me nervous. We deposit our glasseson a table as we reach the hallway directly below the second level, out of view from Christopher and Jonathan. James puts pressure on my shoulder and quickens his pace down the dark passageway. The door at the end leads to the outside world, to my freedom. But I’m no closer to taking out Jonathan than I was yesterday. I am, for the first time since my escape, closer to my remaining family than I have ever been. My steps falter.
“What are you doing?” James grits out.
I spin to face him. “Come with me.”
He shakes his head. “I’m in too deep.”
I swallow the rising emotion tightening my throat. “Please, James.”
He pushes me up against the wall, slamming my head against the hard surface and making me wince. He wraps a hand around my throat and leans into my ear. “There is nooutfor me. I have done things, been a participant, a conspirator, a murderer, a rapist, a kidnapper, a trafficker. I am going to hell, Eleanor. The last good deed I did was getting you out. Don’t let my and our mother’s sacrifice be in vain. You are free. Or at least, you were.”
The back of my throat aches as I replay our mother in startling clarity spit venom at Jonathan to buy me time, to buy me my life, to buy me my freedom.
“What do you mean?”
He steps back and rubs the heel of his hand against his forehead. “How did you meet Christopher?”
“He was in the bar across the street. I dressed and acted like the type of woman he’s attracted to.”
“You baited a monster? On purpose? That was a fucking stupid decision. I thought you had genius level IQ.”
“I can’t get close enough sitting on the sidelines behind my computer. Tell me where you are based. The current compound location. Where they are taking the trafficked people. Give me something, James.”
He jerks his head away and stares into my eyes, my muscles locking in fear. I was wrong. He has changed. There’s no love, no affection, no protection lurking beneath the icy depths. My brother is cold.
“No.”
“James—”
“No,” he snarls as he lashes out. I close my eyes and flinch, but his fingers only whisper over my cheek. The soft caress is a thousand times more heartbreaking than any violence. “I will not give you information that leads you to your death. I will not give you the whereabouts of an organization that makes people disappear. You got backup? Off the books? Because the second you involve the authorities—any authorities—you will forfeit your life. Drop this vendetta. Live your fucking fancy life. Save domestic abuse victims and guide rich companies to better cyber security.” I blink. How closely has he been watching me? How does he know everything I am doing?
“Everything is a testing ground, all working up to this point. He needs to be destroyed, James. How can you protect and defend the man who murdered our mother in cold blood?” James’s eyes flutter closed and his throat bobs. “He is responsible for countless kidnappings, endless suffering, and more murders than either of us can comprehend. I will not stop because things get a little dicey.”
His fist slams into the wall next to me, making me flinch. “You know all of this and yet you still target someone near the top? Someone with unfathomable power and influence?” He snaps his fingers in my face, his face contorted in anger in the low light. “Christopher will snuff out your life and eat blueberry pancakes while your blood is still steaming, and that’s if you are lucky enough to survive his particular brand of pleasure.”
“I’m aware.”
“He’s a sadist, Eleanor.”
