Page 13 of Redemption

Johnny climb sin the passenger seat. If shit go sideways, I can trust him to off the driver and take control of the vehicle.

The drive to the isolated compound is short. There are guards here but they don’t even tighten their fingers on the triggers of the guns they hold as we enter. Big mistake. The handler is going on and on bragging about their “inventory” and how exotic it is. There must be women from every race and nation here. The handler turns his back to us as he enters a code to unlock the door. That’s when my knife slides into his ribs. Johnny snaps his neck and we slide him out of the way, hiding him under the bushes against the side of the house. “One down,” Johnny mutters.

6

Romina

I’m a fool. A colossal one. Why else would I still be in Miami waiting for my lover to return. I hate him. I’ve called him a dozen times, my calls going straight to voicemail. I’ve even gone back to Eden, but Dimitri’s goons refuse to let me in. Apparently, he’s not even in South Beach. He disappeared right after Roque.

Maybe Roque is really over me and that night was his way of proving it to me by giving me a taste of him and then dropping me flat. It’s only been three days since the morning I woke up a bed with his head still imprinted on the pillow but the way my body yearns for him it feels like it’s been years.

My cell rings and my heart leaps. But it’s not Roque. It’s Chloe. He’s forbidden her from talking to me…

“Chloe?”

“Romina! Something’s wrong! I can’t get ahold of Roque. He calls me every night and his calls go straight to voicemail. Johnny won’t tell me where he is…”

The hair on my arms rise. “Tell me everything. When was the last time you spoke?” She tells me he texted her the same morning he left me. “Stay calm. I’ll find him.”

“If anyone can. It’s you.”

Biting my lip, I dial the Feds. “Romina. Tell us you have something?”

“I’m working on it. Do you have eyes on our mark?”

“That’s supposed to be you. But if you can’t get the job done… I have no problem bringing you down. I have your cell all picked out and waiting. Have you even been able to make contact?”

“Of course, I have.”

“Don’t bullshit me!” Agent Jack ass roars. “Check your texts.” My stomach rolls. Downloaded on my phone are fresh pictures of Roque inspecting naked girls on their knees. “These were sent from my source on the inside, three days ago. Then he went dark. I’ve lost contact. No one can find Roque either. He vanished. Went off the grid. I also need more to get a conviction. I need proof he paid for the women. Get him to admit it in tape, find out where he took the cash from. Get it done. But first, I need proof you can get close to him or I’m hauling your ass in today.”

I swallow hard. The man who loved me so tenderly is actually a breathing monster. How could he? Some of the girls in the photo look no older than Chloe.

I scroll through my pictures finding the one I took of him when he was sleeping. He looked so peaceful I couldn’t help myself. The sheet is down to his waist, leaving his abs and ink on full display. The only pictures I had of him were the ones I took when I was “Blue.”

Without thinking I send the pic to the agent.

“Good work.”He responds.

Biting my lip, I pace. Where is he? I scroll through the contacts on my old phone, finding Johnny’s number. It goes to voicemail. I try Roque’s, same thing. My hands shake by the time I find Tati’s.

“Hello?”

“Tati. It’s me, Romina.” There’s a short pause. “I-I know I’ve been a real shit friend. If we’re even friends anymore…”

“Is this about Roque?”

“Yeah…,” I suck in a breath feeling like such a fuck. She married Le Blanc and I’m hoping he’ll know something.

“Seb flew down to the Bahamas two days ago. He said it didn’t look good.”

“What didn’t look good.”

“Roque was shot. That’s all I know. Rafe picked up Seb on his way down.”

“Th-thank you.”

“That’s it?”

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