Page 20 of His Forbidden Alliance

Stay away.

I would. I had to. This was the new, mature me.

9

ZACH

“Tell me you’ve got something good for me,” Maria said.

“I have a lead.”

“That’s not Rafael?”

I sighed. “Yes, you were right.”

“Well, those are words I always like to hear.”

I rolled my eyes, even though she couldn’t see me.

“Tell me what I was right about?”

Did she really need me to spell it out? “Rafael isn’t connected to Ivanov.”

“Did you find proof of that?”

I wanted to lie and say yes, but Maria was one of the few people I was almost always honest with. “I met him and talked to him, and all my instincts say it’s not him. And since you feel the same way…”

“You’re willing to listen to reason?”

“Yes, but I still think something about the Theriots is the key to us finding Ivanov.”

“That may be the case, but they’re not working with him.”

“I might know who is.” I’d done some digging on all of my fellow players. “One of the other men in the game I joined has a connection to a brothel here in the city. They’ve not been cited for keeping anyone underage, but it’s widely known that it’s a place you can go if you like to be rough with girls or boys.”

Maria hummed. “It is a different line of business, not that I’d mind taking him out if there’s mistreatment going on, but just because the man is involved in the sex industry doesn’t mean⁠—”

“That’s not all. These records are locked down tight, but I was able to find out that he was accused of abusing a nephew. The boy was fifteen at the time. The case was dismissed for improper collection of evidence. It’s clear the boy was paid off.”

“Motherfucker.” Maria rarely cussed, but we both got angry as fuck when the villains walked away with no consequences.

“Were any other charges brought against him?”

“No, but⁠—”

“I don’t disagree. It’s a good lead. Keep an eye on him and keep digging.”

I rose from my kitchen table and began to pace. “I had an idea how to make that easier.”

“Which is?” I could tell from Maria’s tone that she already knew she wouldn’t like my suggestion.

“What if I bring Rafael in on it?”

“No.”

“I don’t have to give him full disclosure or anything. I can tell him I’m⁠—”

“Absolutely not.”