Page 135 of Wicked and Claimed

Holy shit. Mila had become a victim, too? That was a twist he hadn’t seen coming.

Was she taken on her husband’s orders? Surely, he’d been dead by then. If George hadn’t been guilty…who else would want her out of the way? Had she seen or heard something the night of the break-in? She’d been so rattled…

Where was she now? If she’d been abducted by the same assholes as Haisley, surely they’d brought her to the Velvet Cove…

His questions—and their implications—were like a broadside blow. His head reeled. This development suggested George Benedict hadn’t been the mastermind behind all these disappearances, but merely another piece of the puzzle.

“You don’t say. Anyone following up? If not, heads should roll,” he drawled, doing his best to make it sound like a business issue.

“FBI is getting involved,” Hunter assured. “They’ll probably take point soon. Have you encountered Mila on the island at all?”

“No.”

“She wasn’t up for sale during the auction. Where could she be?”

“Not sure. Maybe the next one?”

“Maybe. Any chance Haisley has seen her?”

“I haven’t heard that, but I’ll ask around and let you know.”

“Do that—ASAP. I’m itchy. This thing is bigger than anyone realized. I mean, that footage Kane sent after last night’s party… That shit is mind-blowing. And explosive as hell.”

“Yep.” Nash kept his tone businesslike. “I was a bit surprised myself. Probably shouldn’t have been, but…”

“We’re running facial recognition, but yeah. The implications…” Hunter blew out a breath. “Half those faces could destabilize governments if what Kane captured got out. Think one of them could be Black Velvet, trying to blend in?”

“That’s not the way I read this situation.” In Nash’s estimation, anyone who’d created a place like the Velvet Cove enjoyed their power too much to fly under the radar.

“You’re probably right. Everyone captured on that footage behaved more like a customer than a coconspirator.”

“Exactly. And I’ve also heard rumors suggesting otherwise. I’d look for something soon.”

“Keep me posted. I expect the FBI will start piecing things together soon. I’ll be interested to hear their theories.”

“Same.”

“Oh, I heard you connected with Karliah?” Hunter asked.

“I did. Good meeting.”

“We’re close to something here, Nash. I can feel it. Mila’s disappearance, the trafficking ring, and this island… It’s all connected. We just need that one thread we can follow to unravel it.”

“Agreed.” Nash’s frustration bled through despite his attempt at nonchalance. “Anything else?”

“You two okay?”

Nash pulled at the back of his neck, studying Haisley’s profile. Though last night’s party hadn’t gone exactly as planned, she was holding herself together. Still, he saw the cracks beneath her brave face. Pride and worry warred in his chest. She was so damn strong. He wanted to carry more of this burden for her, but Haisley had always been independent. She wasn’t the sort of woman to sit back and let him solve her problems for her. She certainly wasn’t going to let him solve this one alone.

“Mostly. Nothing’s perfect, right?”

“Keep your eyes open. And be careful. When this thing blows, it’s going to be huge.”

“I feel that. Thanks for the call.”

After disconnecting, Nash watched Haisley turn another page she hadn’t actually read. The stoic front she’d put on twisted his heart. She had trusted him enough to be vulnerable, to let him protect her through that drug-hazed nightmare. They’d been a team.

But secrets still stood between them. Why the hell did she keep refusing to talk about her mysterious pregnancy? Her reasons for leaving him? Granted, they couldn’t talk freely here, but she’d had a chance or two. Even now, after everything they’d been through, she seemed no closer to divulging the truth.

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