I turn back to the screen. “I won’t ever feel peace again.”
“Alright, Miss Negative Nellie.”
I huff a laugh despite myself. “You preach peace – you got any?”
There’s a moment of silence. “I try.”
I print off the coordinates and walk over to Alfie. “You ever had to let something go? Even when you thought you couldn’t?”
He gets to his feet, his tall and wide build towering over me. “You have no idea.” His eyes glaze over with a dark memory I’m not sure I want to bring to the surface.
Instead, I tinker with the question that’s been playing on my tongue since we started talking in here. “Hey, Alfie…”
He locks his eyes with mine. “Yes?”
“Do you think it’d be okay to use the computer to continue my search? Now I have access again… and I haven’t got Dad beating on me for doing it…”
“Do you think it’s a good idea? Don’t you think if there were someone to find, you would have found them before?”
I sigh. “I have to try. For Lewis…” I look off to the side. “I have to try.”
I can’t give up on him. I can never give up on him.
I can feel Alfie studying me; he can probably see the silver lining my eyes. The desperate plea there.
I dare to peer up at him.
His comforting smile allows me to take a breath. “If it will make you happy… I don’t think it’d be a problem. But you know what I’m going to say, right?”
I resist the urge to roll my eyes. “As long as I behave.”
“Good girl.” The praise sends a lightning bolt of heat slicing through me. “Show Caden you can be good, and I’m sure he’ll say yes.”
I try not to look too hopeful despite the balloon of hope swelling up inside me. I lift the papers. “Well, those are the coordinates.”
After Drago’s minions drop off the load to these buyers, Drago sends in soldiers to bribe the buyers for more money. It’s brilliant, really, we make double on each transaction. With each click of the mouse, I get a little closer to freedom.
The only downfall is working so close to him. Albeit indirectly, but he’s still there, on the other side of each job, breathing down my neck in my consciousness. That imposing body, those thick, overbearing hands. The man screams power. The most feared masked man on the internet is top of the food chain. He’s untouchable, untraceable, unstoppable.
We’re lucky, really, that he took a liking to us… well, me, I guess. I’m the reason this whole fucking system works. He liked my brain, among other things. Otherwise, the Valors wouldn’t have come back from that destitution. We’d be on the streets right now, or in prison.
I doubt these men know of my true involvement. How this business deal really happened. We’re all here today because of me. Not that I’m chomping at the bit to brag about it. Hasn’t really worked out that great for me so far. Especially since Caden’s made it crystal clear how he feels about sluts. I dread to think what he’d do or say or how he’d treat me if I confirmed anything. I can’t help but wonder how close Caden is to Drago, his foreboding words clanging around in my memory. If Drago said the word, would Caden hand me over without even blinking?
The sharp memory of the masked man makes me shiver.
Alfie scratches the back of his head. “Guess your day is done then.”
I shrug. “Back to the bedroom I go.”
I go to walk out the room, but he grabs my wrist and pulls me back.
I’m brought into his body, my eyeline only reaches the top of his chest. The heat emanating from him sends shivers down my spine. I’ve never been this close to a man without him doing something filthy seconds later.
But all Alfie does is bring a crooked finger under my chin and tilts it up to meet his gaze. I wonder if he can feel the tremor in it as he holds my face up to him.
There’s a shimmer in his eyes, something hungry but hesitant. I don’t know how he does it, perhaps it’s just his sheer kindness, but he completely disarms me, like he’s the safest person in the world.
“I was thinking,” he says, his deep voice quiet and gravelly, “have dinner with us tonight. As much as I’ve enjoyed having you all to myself and no headaches from the other two, it’s important you get along with everyone. This is your home now, it’s only right you build a relationship with those who live in it. One of whom you’re actually supposed to be marrying.”
