Page 111 of No Longer Mine

“Look,” Brody sighed. “I’m not the bad guy here, okay? I just know that when you start trying to clean up this city, you find yourself six feet under or in the Hudson. Which is interesting, isn’t it? That used to be your stomping ground, am I right?”

I didn’t rise to his challenge. Brody was fishing—trying to get a reaction. Trying to see if I was still the same man I used to be, the one who wouldn’t hesitate to solve a problem with his fists instead of political maneuvering.

I wasn’t that man anymore. But that didn’t mean I wouldn’t bury him if I had to.

“You’re avoiding the point,” I said smoothly. “I care about what’s coming in and out of the docks under your watch.”

He took a lazy sip of his coffee, not even flinching. “Like I said, private security handles it. It’s not the city’s problem.”

I let out a slow breath. “Not the city’s problem,” I repeated, my voice deceptively calm. “So if I told you I have firsthand evidence that minors are being trafficked through those docks, that’s not your problem?”

For the first time, something flickered in his eyes. Not guilt, not even fear—just hesitation.

“Those are serious accusations, Cristof.”

I leaned in again, my voice dropping to something lethal. “They’re not accusations, Brody. They’re facts. I have names, dates, and shipment logs. I know exactly which containers are being used, and I know exactly who’s paying to keep the police from looking too closely.”

That’s what was on the flash drives that Alexei retrieved from Oliver a week ago, a week after Scarlett was shot by one of my father’s men. It had been two weeks since I’d left her apartment after pleasuring her. She had me wrapped entirely too tightly. Iknew I couldn’t keep staying there, or I would never leave. But I did take the vibrator as a parting gift.

His smirk faltered.Good.

I kept pushing. “Now, you can sit here and play dumb, or you can decide which side of this you want to be on when shit hits the fan. Because it will.”

Brody tapped his fingers against the table, pretending to think it over. I could see the calculation in his eyes, the weighing of risks. Finally, he exhaled through his nose and shook his head. “You’re a real pain in the ass, Cristof.” He hesitated another second, then muttered, “Fine. I’ll back your proposal.”

“Good.” I slid out of the booth, adjusting my jacket. “You won’t regret it.”

Brody let out a humorless chuckle. “Oh, I already do.” I left him there, my mind already turning toward my next problem.

Vance’s name flashed across my phone as I got into the SUV waiting on the street. Don expertly navigated through the city traffic. “Is there a problem?”

“Scarlett is in bed for the night. Do you want me to stay?” I ground my teeth together. I hated that he was there watching over her. I knew everything there was to know about Vance.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, forcing down the irrational surge of irritation. Vance was good at what he did.

Reliable. Capable. Trustworthy.

But he was also young, just out of the military, and—according to Benson—every girl’s wet dream. I didn’t need that kind of complication. I didn’t need that kind of headache. Scarlett already had me twisted up in ways I hadn’t begun to unravel. I didn’t need to add competition to the mix—especially not from someone like Vance. But I also couldn’t go back to her place. Ace had warned me last week that there were eyes on me. My father’s suspicions were growing. He was starting to put pieces together, starting to question who had been behind thebreak-in at his penthouse. If I kept showing up at Scarlett’s, if I kept making it obvious that she meant something, it wouldn’t take long before he turned his attention to her.

“No, take a break, get some rest. She’ll be fine. I’ll call you if I need you to go back over there.”

My knee bounced as Don maneuvered through traffic, the weight of frustration settling deep in my chest. I had to be careful. I had to be smart. But fuck, I wanted to see her. The call with Vance ended, and I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to think. Where could I go? What was my next move?

“Where to?” Don asked, glancing at me through the rearview mirror. I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair. “Take me to Alexei.”

Don lifted a brow but didn’t comment. He just nodded, changing lanes.

I leaned back against the seat, forcing myself to think logically. Scarlett was safe. Vance had watched over her for over a week without incident. If I went back there now, I’d only be drawing more attention. I had to stay away, at least for now.

When we got to Alexei’s townhouse, Audrey practically threw herself at me as we made it up the front steps. “You’ve been so busy! I’ve been trying to get you to bring your lady friend over for dinner for… I don’t know, forever now?”

“There’s no lady friend in attendance tonight, I’m afraid.” I wrapped my arms around her for the briefest of moments before I let her go.

She patted my arms like a drum. “When do we get to meet her?”

I rolled my eyes as I ducked under their front door. “Whenever she’s ready to meet all of you psychos.”

“We’re psychos? Since when?” Audrey pouted. Alexei was sitting at the dinner table, eating. He didn’t bother with getting up as we walked in, Don on my heels.

---