Thank fuck he’s the one who said it instead of me because she looks annoyed. I know these reactions are how she disguises her fear, but she’s not making this easy on us or herself.
“I think I’m going to shower after all.” Without another word, she grabs the bag of clothes and stalks into the restroom, closing the door behind her with a thump.
“She’s going to have to compromise,” Rage says, shrugging. “I talked to the cops last night and they know about this trafficking ring, but they don’t usually go for the locals, so they’re concerned about this change in protocol. They tend to go for the homeless areas or towns closer to Tijuana, where they can whisk them over the border and make them disappear. Doing it in a busy upscale area is a different M.O.”
“Not to mention she’s older than their usual targets.”
“You think this was personal?”
“I don’t know yet but something about this is off. I just can’t figure out what yet.” I shake my head. “The point is, she can’t go home and she doesn’t want to go stay with her father.”
“Look, I’m not trying to be a dick, but this is for her own good,” Rage says. “We might have to force her to go somewhere safe, even if she doesn’t want to.”
“In my experience, especially with strong-willed women, that never ends well.”
He smiles. “You think she’s strong-willed?”
I arch a brow. “She was drugged and beaten, but the second she had a chance, she asked for help. From a stranger. She also stands up to her father, and I don’t imagine many people do. That tells me a lot about who she is at her core.”
“Regardless, I think she’s going to make protecting her difficult.”
“Look, she’s been through enough. I don’t want to traumatize her further. Let’s just play it by ear.”
He gives me a suspicious look.
“What?” I ask, scowling.
“You’re getting invested.”
“Getting? I was invested the moment she asked for help.”
“It’s more than that.”
“Don’t be an idiot. Her father gave Daniil a substantial down payment this morning to keep her safe. So that’s what I’m going to do.”
Luckily, he opts to let it go, and we sit there in silence until she comes out of the bathroom.
She looks a lot fresher than before, even with wet hair and casual clothes.
And as I suspected, she’s beautiful. Tall and slender, though not overly skinny, with long legs and a very pretty face. I can see past the black eye and bruises and she kind of takes my breath away.
“What’s the plan?” she asks without preamble.
“That’s somewhat up to you,” I say cautiously. “We have a meeting at our headquarters. Your dad will be there. We need to come up with a strategy to keep you safe until we find these guys and take them down.”
“Can we stop by my condo first?” she asks. “I need to get Cleo and pack a few things.”
“They may be watching,” I tell her. “It’s best we avoid your place for now.”
“I have to get Cleo,” she reiterates, meeting my gaze almost apologetically. “I know it’s a huge ask, and you’ve already done so much. But it’s not her fault my life has gone crazy.”
“I’ll get her,” Elliott says after a moment. “I can get in and out without a key. Do you have an alarm?”
She shakes her head.
“Make a list for me. I’ll get what you need, and the cat.”
Allora narrows her eyes and chuckles. “You think my cat is going to just go with you?”
