Page 41 of Deuce

“I’ll get right to it.”Ace steepled his hands on the desk in front of him.“I’m not sure how much of this you already know, so I’ll just start at the beginning.A cartel headquartered in South America is using dating apps in the US to target women.They have their guys put up a profile, then they pull the pictures and data of women and put them up on a site they’ve created on the dark web.A price is established.Rich perverts browse the pictures and decide who they want to purchase.They pay a deposit, and a profile is created on the app for a guy guaranteed to spark that woman’s interest.A first meet is arranged, and bingo.The woman is snatched.In your case, they used drugs.In others they simply wait for the woman to show up and seize her before she gets into the meeting place.Our guess is that something interfered with you being grabbed right away, maybe witnesses in the parking lot, and the drugs were plan B.”

Sophia perched on the edge of her seat.“So now what?”

“I’ll be blunt.We assume they’ve promised you to a certain buyer and have taken money from that individual, so they’re going to make another attempt to abduct you, especially since you escaped and can potentially identify one or more of their operatives.Failing that, they’re going to want you dead.”

She reached over and gripped my hand.“So some creep took my picture from the dating app, sold me like a piece of meat, and then sent George to con me into meeting with him so they could abduct me?”

Ace nodded.“That’s about it.I’m guessing they’ve been cruising in ever widening circles around your meeting place since then to try and find you.You were smart enough not to tell him where you worked or lived.By what happened today though, I’m guessing they’ve found you.Which brings me to my next point.”He looked at Deuce expectantly.

“You can’t go back home.”I laid it out for her.“Chances are good they have your place staked out.If you go back, they will make a play for you.They’ll either take out the perimeter guards or sneak in while they’re out of sight to get to you.Or, worst case, send a sniper to take you out from a distance.These are serious bad guys.Given the circumstances, your place isn’t a viable option.”

Sophia took it better than I expected.“What are my choices?”

“You can stay here.Just until we get this settled.”Ace toyed with a pen.“Your dad’s here, so it won’t be that strange.”

“Willow is at the house.”She looked at me in sudden panic.“Can I go get Willow?”

I exchanged looks with Ace.“We can send one of the prospects to get her.”

Sophia frowned.“She won’t go with a stranger.”

“Your dad could get her.”

“Would they hurt him?”

“Not likely,” I said.“They’ll figure he’s just an old guy coming to get a dog.If he shows up in that truck of his they won’t even connect him to us.”

“And your dad isn’t exactly the helpless type,” Ace added.“If one guy jumps him, it ain’t going to be your dad who needs the paramedic.”

She almost smiled at that.“True.But what about clothes?Toothbrush?All that kind of stuff?I can’t go get anything?”

Ace sighed.“I’m afraid not.We can get you a toothbrush and things.Clothes, I can talk to Mom and have her scrounge some stuff up.Normally I’d ask Emma, but she’s got exams coming up this week and she’s buried in textbooks.What size do you wear?”

He picked up his phone off the desk and fired off a text message.His phone pinged immediately and he glanced down at the screen.“Mom’s out shopping.Said she’d stop at the thrift store and see what she could pick up.You shouldn’t need too much.Hopefully this will be over quickly and you can go home.”

The door bashed open, and Sophia’s dad stomped into the room with Willow on his heels.

Ace stood up, scowling.“This is my office.You knock, or you stay out.”

“The hell with you.Where’s my daughter?”

Chapter Nine

Sophia

“I’m right here.”I scooped Willow up and dropped her in Deuce’s lap before facing my dad.“What’s up?

He looked confused.“I went to your place to say hi to Willow, and the young guy there said you’d had some trouble with a guy trying to run you off the road.That’s all he knew.I was worried.”

“That’s sweet.”I gave him a big hug.“But you knew Deuce was looking after me.He just didn’t update the prospects yet.”I looked at Willow who was now snuggled down contentedly in Deuce’s lap.“That takes care of one concern.Ace and the others want me to stay here but I was worried about Willow.Deuce suggested we ask if you could go get her.”

“Well, I beat them to the punch on that one.”He looked around.I could tell the minute he realized this was a private conversation.“Youaregoing to stay here, aren’t you?It will be safer.”

I nodded.“Yes.Not overly enthusiastic about the idea, but it makes sense.”

“Good girl.”He frowned.“You’re going to be bunking with Deuce?”

I lifted my brows.“I’m not having this conversation with you, Dad.I’m an adult.”Out of the corner of my eye I could see Deuce trying not to laugh.He wouldn’t think it so funny if he knew how Dad used to sit on the front step sharpening his hunting knife when I was a teenager and a boy came to call.Not really a surprise that I was still single.Hell, if I hadn’t moved a couple of hours away, I’d probably still be a virgin as well.

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