Page 105 of Brick's Retribution

Over three months of searching, of failure, of guilt—and finally, finally, I'm bringing her home.

"The others?" she asks as I settle her into a seat, the medical team moving in to check her vitals.

"Safe," I assure her. "We got six of you out."

"The Torres princess," Lashes says, surprising me. "They talked about her bidding. Said she spent a fortune."

"That's Imani," I confirm. "My... she's with me. She made this possible."

I don’t think now is the right time to tell my best friend that someone made an honest man out of me, that I have an ol’ lady.

Lashes manages a weak smile. "You'll have to tell me that story. When I can... when my head's clearer."

The medical team takes over, starting IVs, checking the baby, but this is just the beginning.

I step back, letting them work, and find Imani watching from across the cabin.

"We did it," she says softly.

"Yeah," I agree, pulling her into my arms. "We did."

As the plane lifts off, carrying us away from Colombia, I look around the cabin.

Six women are saved.

Six lives pulled back from the clutches of hell.

It's not everyone—not even close—but it's something.

And Lashes is alive.

Damaged, traumatized, pregnant by her captors, but alive.

Everything else we can figure out.

"Thank you," I tell Imani. "For the money, for taking the risk, for everything."

"We're partners," she reminds me. "Your fights are my fights."

I kiss her then, not caring who sees, pouring over three months of fear and frustration and relief into the contact.

When we break apart, our reality settles over me—my best friend is safe, and one battle is dealt with, for now.

We still need to deal with Diego, still need to rescue Imani's father, and still have an entire trafficking network to burn down.

But today, we have a small win.

Today we brought one of our people home.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Imani

The private jet touches down at the airstrip outside Chihuahua just as the sun begins to set, painting the sky in shades of amber and red

Through the window, I can see vehicles waiting—medical vans, SUVs with blacked-out windows, a whole team ready to receive six traumatized women who've just been pulled from hell.

I glance across the cabin at our rescued women.

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