Page 32 of Corrupt Desires

Twenty-Two

James

When we get home, Emilia collapses halfway to the front door, tears streaming down her face once again, her anguish palpable. I wish I knew the right things to say, but I don’t, so instead I try to comfort her with my presence. Lifting her from the ground, I tuck her under my chin, unlock the door, and carry her up the stairs to our bedroom.

“James, please don’t leave me.” Emilia reaches a hand out from where I set her on the bed, a soft vulnerability taking over her features. As much as I love seeing her softer side, I wish it were under better circumstances.

“Never, love. Before I join you, can I get you anything? Water, food, anything at all?”

“I just needyou.” My heart skips a beat at her words.

I turn off the light in the room and close the drapes before climbing in bed, pulling her close and wrapping my arms around her. Laying a kiss to her head, I can’t help but to draw in her scent. Citrus and vanilla. I could never get enough of it if I tried.

Emilia sniffles and I know she’s still crying. I turn her over in my arms and pull myself back, brushing away her tears gently.

“I’ve got you, Em. I won’t let anything happen to you. We’ll get through this.”

“I just want to avenge them, James. They didn’t deserve the death they got.” Her words are choppy as she breathes through her tears.

“I know, love. We’ll fix this. If it’s the last thing I do, we’ll fix this. I promise you.”

She snuggles deeper into my chest, tucking her head under my chin. Eventually she falls asleep, and I take the opportunity to pull myself from her so that I can make a few calls.

* * *

The restof the week passes in a flurry of activity. Kayden took care of the authorities, utilizing his connections with the state and federal government. Franklin was able to find the Romani estate, hack into their security system undetected, and keep tabs on their comings and goings. When Emilia wasn’t dealing with banks and all her parents’ accounts, she slept or kept to herself, holing up in our bedroom in the darkness. Occasionally, when she wasn’t pushing me away, I joined her in the bed, just holding her close and making it known she wasn’t alone.

I want to do anything to get her out of this depressed state, but I know she must be allowed to grieve and process however she needs.

While she was busy, I took it upon myself to use all of my own connections within the legal system to try and build a case. I ran into roadblock after roadblock. The Romanis were very thorough in getting all traces of their wrong doings taken off the map, extinguishing any hope of going about this the legal route. I was banking on Franklin turning up something useful for us. If we had to play dirty, then that’s what we would do. I would feel no remorse for it.

Franklin, any news?

As I wait for his reply, I pour myself a glass of merlot, pacing the room as I start to feel more and more restless. A few minutes go by before his reply comes in.

Hey! Right now they all seem tohave a pretty straightforward routine.

One they never stray from. I’m a little worried though.

We could use that to our advantage.

What has you worried?

They have a lot of women in the house.

It definitely appears that they are running some type of trafficking ring. New girlsappear every week, and none of them in the best of shape.

That complicates things a bit.

The last thing we need is innocentsgetting caught in the crossfire.

I know man, I think we might have tocall Kayden in on this. They dealt withhostage situations on the regular… maybe he’ll know what to do.

I take a moment to soak in his words. How he knows this about Kayden is beyond me. Kayden doesn’t even share that part of his military past with me or Jaxon. Why he would share that with Franklin of all people surprises me. I didn’t realize they were more than acquaintances.

I’ll give him a ring, see if he can meet upwith us to discuss a plan of action.

Do you want me to loop Jaxon in on all of this?

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