Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 79020 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79020 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
"If we're part of a team, then I think we need to make sure others are aware of what's going on," I mutter, knowing I sound like a petulant child who's claiming something is unfair, only this is my life and safety not being disappointed that a sibling got more red gummy bears than I did.
"Huh," Kincaid says as he takes a seat back on the stool. "Sort of like I should've known you were considering leaving Cerberus and had Hound speak up for you in those meetings?"
I swallow as I look at Hound. The man helped me a ton by asking all the questions I didn't feel like I had a right to ask in front of the entire Cerberus team.
I lick my lips but don't offer a verbal response.
"Exactly, but you not having that information wasn't my decision. ICE has had their own teams on the ground around here for a while. This area is a mecca for crime because of the amount of tourists it pulls in. It's one of the reasons we wanted to put a home base here. We can tell who's local, who's just visiting, and who wants us to think they're just visiting while they are operating an illegal business. We're going to use the tourist industry around here against the criminals."
"Sorry about that shit back in New Mexico," I say, standing a little taller when I speak.
The man deserves every ounce of respect, and it's not just because of his position at the top of the organization. He has spent his life and made I don't know how many sacrifices to help others. Making him think even for a second that Hound was going to leave New Mexico with his daughter and grandkids was a shitty thing to do.
"It was a pretty fucked situation there for a while," Hound interjects. "I apologize as well."
Kincaid gives Hound a side-long look, but he doesn't seem mad.
"The second Pax stepped forward, I knew you were helping him, but I do think that this was a conversation we could've had in private."
Hound took a hit for me where his father-in-law was concerned, and that makes me trust the man even more.
Eventually, we all make our way to the living room, sinking into the luxurious leather couches.
We chat and the other four guys shoot the shit. When the topic of jobs comes up, I interject my opinion and ask questions where it's necessary, but none of these guys, not even Jersey, seems annoyed for me to just exist with them.
The sun has already set by the time Zara comes down the stairs, and the tension in my body seems to settle some at the sight of her.
I keep my eyes trained on her as she walks into the kitchen and gets an apple from the counter and a water from the refrigerator. I swear it's as if she already lives here. There's no fanfare. The guys aren't measuring her every move.
When she passes back through, I fully expect to have to just watch her walk right back up the stairs, but instead, she stops beside where I'm sitting on the couch and reaches for my hand.
Kincaid nods in my direction, as if he predicted every second of this, as I stand and follow her from the room.
I'm on pins and needles, the sting of them growing in my body, not knowing which direction this is going to go.
Chapter 38
Zara
I know this is supposed to be the biggest decision of my life, but I also knew I'd never be able to walk away from this man the second he turned his back and faced the door, ready to hurt men he previously thought of as friends in order to protect me.
I've never had that before, and there's just something about fierce loyalty that makes me all gooey on the inside. I don't want to exist in a world or live a life knowing that's what I could've had if I decided to walk away.
I didn't open my mouth and tell him yes right from the start because I knew I needed to at least try and weigh the pros and cons.
I spent the day staring at the ceiling, trying to come up with enough reasons to walk away from a man who wants to spend the rest of his life with me.
I argued with myself that I fell hard and fast with Billy and look where it landed me, but the comparisons between the two men are vaster than night and day. They don't even compare as far as I'm concerned, so that argument didn't stick for even a second.
I know the life he leads is dangerous, and I'm certain it's even more dangerous than he'll let me believe, but what keeps me safe if I don't stay? I could fall prey to someone at any point. There are no guarantees, no matter how diligent you are. What kind of life would it be to always be looking over my shoulder now that the realization of sex trafficking is hitting so damned close to home?