Page 68 of Dismantle & Prevail
Taylor
Aries’armsholdmeclose against his chest as we sway to the music.
I should be focusing on the group of men in the corner of the room, gathering any intel that I can, but the man whose hands that have been rubbing a circle on my back is distracting the hell out of me. And judging by the devious look on his face, he knows exactly what he is doing.
He may be wearing a black and gray mask, but I can see the heat shining brightly in his chocolate eyes.
Ari leans down, his mouth next to my ear. “Stop looking at me like that or I will drag your sweet ass into the closest bathroom.”
My mouth drops open. “We are supposed to be focused. You cannot be saying shit like that!”
He shrugs and hugs me closer. “Whoever said you shouldn’t mix pleasure with work clearly didn’t have a girl that looked as sexy as you.”
I can’t help but roll my eyes. “You already got me, Ace. You don’t need to try to woo me.”
“Who said I was wooing you? I am simply stating facts. And the facts are that my girl is hot as sin and shouldn’t be allowed to dress like this in public, where I have to hide my rock hard cock while other guys stare at her.”
I feel my face heat behind the mask and I bury my face in Ari’s chest.
Suddenly, Ari’s chest hardens and his arms go rigid around me. Knowing better, my head moves slowly to look up at him, his black and grey mask not the only mask in place now.
“Ace. What’s wrong?” I ask quietly, moving our bodies to sway to the music so as not to draw attention to ourselves.
Not taking his eyes off somewhere behind me, he lowers his voice so only I can hear. “Marcus and his partners just escorted in a group of women. They look very uncomfortable and if my gut is right, I suspect they are not willing participants in this charade they are playing tonight.”
My spine goes rigid and I try to turn around to get a look, but Ari holds me in place. “Don’t. We cannot draw any attention to ourselves. We will blow our cover.”
Anger rises in my chest. “Aries. Do not for a second think that I am going to stand here while innocent women become a part of some sick and twisted scheme. Think of what they did to you and imagine adding in rape and unwanted sex?”
Ari’s hand comes up to cup my face, his eyes meeting mine. “I know, Hellhound. If I let you look, promise me you will not react. We cannot have our cover blown. I will not risk your life anymore than I already am by bringing you here tonight.”
I nod rapidly and allow Ari to turn us, so I can glance around Ari’s arm, this new view giving me a good look at the men and women.
Bile rises in my throat as soon as I catch sight of one of the girls.
Melody. I’d recognize her almost white blonde hair and tall frame anywhere. She was a victim at the same place I was back in New York, five or six years ago. One day she was there and the next day when we all woke up, she was gone. We had all assumed she had been sold to the next bidder, or worse.
It happened quite often and I still think of the girls I will never see again because the systems put in place to protect us failed them.
Melody glances around the room and when her eyes meet mine, they go wide, and she starts to panic. The older man next to her quickly corrects her with a slap on the ass.
My blood boils, my promise to Ari immediately forgotten.
Catching him off guard, I pull away from him and make my way towards the group of women and Melody.
My rapid approach catches the attention of Marcus and the group of men, and just when I’m a few feet away, I feel myself being dragged in the opposite direction.
Spinning on my heels, I turn to look up at Aries, my chest heaving. “Let me go, Aries. I will not let them stand there and be abused by those assholes. I know we are here to gather intel, but I know one of the girls. She recognized me, Ari and it would kill me if I just let her stand there, knowing her only ally in the room left her to go back into the system of abuse.”
Ari’s hold on me doesn’t loosen, and he stares down at me, his head lifting every few seconds to check our surroundings. “I know, Hellhound, and I’m very sorry, but you can’t help her if we are killed in the process.”
His head snaps up as movement catches our eye from the side. Marcus and his minions are rapidly walking toward us, and my stomach sinks.
Oh fuck.
Aries doesn’t waste a second before dragging us out the door and down the stairs. As soon as our feet hit the sidewalk, he lifts me into his arms and takes off down the city streets, tucking into the first alleyway we see.
We stand there in silence for a moment, both of our chests heaving.
