“Let me check what’s happening, poppit” Harsh climbed out of the car.
“I’m coming with you to check on Ishara,” I called, opening my door. He nodded and went off to speak to someone while I went to my cousin. “Shara?”
“Hey, babe.” She pulled me into a hug and whispered in my ear, “Rex is a criminal. That whole shit with Jake, he was involved in it and some other stuff too.”
When I leaned back, she shook her head, cautioning me not to say anything out loud. “You want to come back home with us.” I gestured to Harsh’s car.
Ishara shook her head. “I need to be here, just in case they need to ask more questions.”
“Okay, I’ll stay with you.” After she agreed, I went over to Harsh’s car and waited for him to return. “There’s been some stuff going on with Rex but Shara can’t talk about it right now,” I said when he returned.
“Yeah, I got some information, not enough, though. I think you should come home, Ria.” Worry lined his brow.
Chewing my thumbnail, I shook my head. “I can’t leave Ishara all alone right now.”
He glanced around and sighed. “Okay, but stay safe and call me the second you hear anything.”
“I will.” After a quick kiss on his cheek, I waited for him to climb back into his car and drive off. As I was walking toward Ishara, I glanced across the street and my breath stalled.
Dressed in all black and dark shades, Zayne was leaning against his black car, looking so damn gorgeous I had the insane desire to run across the road and jump into his arms. I lifted my hand to wave but dropped it when one of the official-looking men neared him. They chatted for a bit before Zayne followed the man into Ishara’s apartment. Chewing my nail, I walked over to Ishara.
“That’s a really bad telltale of you being anxious. What’s up?” She slid a hand around my waist and pulled me closer.
“I saw Zayne,” I mumbled absentmindedly.
“Who?”
“Gabriel.” I scratched my head. “We have this thing where I call him Zayne. Long story, I’ll explain when all this shit is over.” She nodded. “I was just wondering what he was doing here.”
“Where did he go?”
I jerked my thumb over my shoulder. “Your place.”
“Let’s go check then.” She grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the doors leading into the building.
“Are we allowed to go up there?” I asked, glancing around as the cops and official suits began making their way out of the building.
“I live here,” she muttered.
I sensed she was angry with Rex but I didn’t push for any information. When we stepped off the elevator, several men were waiting to take it down, but Zayne wasn’t among them. “Where’s Rex?”
“He’s still in the apartment,” she whispered over her shoulder. “Be quiet and we can sneak in, okay?” I nodded and followed her into the apartment.
“What the fucks he doing here?” Rex’s voice bellowed from the bedroom I used when I stayed over.
As we snuck into the bathroom, I caught sight of Zayne. He was standing over Rex, his lips pursed in a thin line, his body rigid in anger, his fist balled around the front of Rex’s shirt. “I’m the fucking man who’s responsible for taking you and that piece of shit Nathaniel down. And if you plan on bullshitting your way out of this, don’t bother, I know everything and I mean everyfuckingthing about you down to the color of your boxers, about Nathaniel, your girlfriend Ishara and Ria.”
Wait. Zayne knew Rex was a criminal? How did he know everything about us?
“You set Ria up with Nathaniel knowing he was a known human trafficker, didn’t you,” someone I couldn’t see, asked.
Nathaniel? He set me up with Jake Steiner. I chewed my thumbnail again. What was going on? Ishara noticed and smacked my hand lightly, her eyes warning me not to do that.
“Yeah. Nathaniel used the name Jake to lure young girls that he sold,” Rex muttered, answering my silent question. “I used Ria to deliver the memory card but also wanted Nathaniel to meet her. If the price was right for her, he was going to pay me a fat check for her pussy.” He chuckled and something like a punch resounded from the room. Rex groaned then asked, “how did you figure everything out?”
“I had you, your fucking apartment, your fucking car, this place and Nathaniel’s place wired. I was the blind date Nathaniel sent to meet Ria and swiped the memory card from her purse,” Zayne replied.
Shocked, I slapped a hand over my mouth to stop my shriek. “What memory card? Zayne was the blind date sent by Jake?” I hissed and Ishara put a finger to her lip, motioning for me to be quiet. But every inch of me was on fire. Anger blazing a trail down my spine. Zayne used me. Nathaniel used me. Rex used me. I could feel myself hyperventilate and pressed a hand to my chest, breathing hard.
