Page 44 of Corrupt Desires

Franklin starts to speak, except no words come out of his mouth. He glances around, confusion marring his features. My eyes widen as I realize the sleeping pills must have kicked in already, but I start to panic because James and Kayden still appear coherent.

“Franklin… what’s wrong?” asks Kayden, his eyes darting between Franklin and myself, suspicion evident in the furrow of his brows as he meets my gaze.

“What did you do, Emilia?” Kayden roars, standing abruptly, his chair toppling to the floor.

James jumps to his feet, swaying slightly, placing a hand on Kayden’s chest and pushing him back. “Watch how you speak to her, Kayden.”

Kayden sways on his feet, and only then does James turn to look at me, betrayal lining his handsome face.

“Emilia.” His words slur. “What did you do?”

As though his words are tied to his consciousness, he slumps back down to his chair, his eyes fighting to stay open.

“Love, you don’t have to do this…” he barely whispers before his eyes slowly shut, his face smoothing out as sleep claims him.

Kayden continues to fight the effects, stumbling forward and barely catching himself on the table. “Emilia, what did they tell you? Why did you do this?”

“I’m sorry, Kayden,” I say, choking back a sob. Now isn’t the time to be weak. “I had no choice.”

“Emilia, please…”

“It’s too late, Kayden. Forgive me. Take care of him for me, please.” I push out, my words catching before I turn around, ready to make my way to the rendezvous point.

“What do they have over you?”

“They have him, Kayden. I have no choice but to save him. I hope you can understand.”

Kayden struggles to get out any words, his eyes starting to roll as he crashes to the ground, his head slamming against the table on his way. I wince, knowing he’s going to have an impressive concussion after that hit.

Glancing over at Franklin, I see that he’s slouched over his computer, forehead resting against the keyboard. I grab the notebook next to his laptop, jotting down a single name for them for whenever they finally come to.

Matty

And with that, I leave my heart behind and square my shoulders for what is to come.

Thirty

Emilia

The warehouse, like I suspected, is run down, abandoned, and lies a block away from the marina docks. Shipping containers fill the parking lot, their rusted sides adding to the bleakness of the building.

Pulling up to the warehouse in James’s loaner car, I take a look around and finally see a black SUV parked toward the rear of the lot. Taking a deep breath, I gather my courage and place the car in park before exiting with my head held high.

The lights to the SUV cut out, and all four doors swing open, men in suits and armed with rifles stepping out. One of the men reaches back into the SUV and pulls out Matty, his one good eye wide as he takes in my figure striding toward them.

“Em, NO!” he shouts, jerking out of the man’s hold and falling to his knees. His face is a swollen, beaten mess, but it’s still my Matty.

I jerk forward, instinctively wanting to catch him as he falls.

Before I can reach him, another figure steps out of the vehicle and cuts me off. “I don’t think so, princess.”

Eyes wide, I take in Anthony Romani for the first time up close and personal. He’s tall, maybe six foot, short-cut brown hair, and a scar on his left cheek. None of Franklin’s photos of him due him justice, though. His arms are peppered with tattoos and more can be seen on his neck peeking out from his shirt. He’s not ugly. Actually, he’s quite attractive, which is probably how all these women get trapped by him to begin with.

“YOU! Let him go. That was the deal. You have me, now let him go, Anthony.”

“Oh, we will. As soon as you get in the vehicle, Matteo here will be free to go,” he replies, rubbing his chin and looking me up and down.

“Fine,pendejo.” (Dickhead.)

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