Page 44 of Keep My Secrets
“Yeah, that was also very enticing.” I smile.
“So you’re not the mafia, but are like the mafia? Does that mean you kill people?”
“Me personally, not usually. The Court? Yes.”
“Not usually? So yes, just not often?”
“It has happened before. Everyone in The Court has it; it's a way for The Court to hold something over you, so you feel like you can’t turn on them.”
“Everyone?” She's not scared. She’s curious. This is the point where I thought I would have lost her.
“Everyone.”
“Wives?” That is not where I thought this was going.
“Most. Queens, yes. But the wives of Knights aren’t as integrated into The Court. The ones who do become part of society do, but others don't, and aren’t extended the same trust and privileges.”
“Who?”
“What do you mean?”
“Like just random people? Like gang initiation?”
“No, we have standards.” I laugh. “We don’t just kidnap random people off the street.”
“Sorry for wanting to clarify that the criminals had morals.” Her sass is returning. This is the best-case scenario.
“What work did you have at Acadia?”
“When?”
“Right after you moved me here, that first weekend. You had said some of the young associates were proposing a project?”
“Right.” I pause. How do I explain what happened? “A few of the guys who are in the process of becoming Knights got caught up in a human trafficking ring. “
“I’m sorry, what?”
“So we have these brothers in the process of becoming part of The Court. Their younger twin brothers’ girlfriend ended up trafficked. They were able to locate her working a glory hole behind a laundry mat near campus. They wanted us to step in to retrieve her.”
“Did you?”
“Yes.”
“What happened to the glory hole now?”
“We run it now.” Her eyes go wide. She’s pissed.
“So now you’re a human trafficking organization? Fuck all of this.” She starts to get up. “Fuck you!”
“No, baby.” I grab her arm. She tries to pull away, but I tighten my grip. I will not let her leave thinking I am exploiting women. “Listen to me.”
Her eyes meet mine, full of anger, rightfully so. If she were ok with me actively hurting other women, she would not be the girl I am falling for.
“We own the laundry mat now, and still run the glory hole, but not with the women and girls they did. We took the girls out, set them up with housing and resources. The glory hole is nowbeing serviced by the men who had kidnapped and trafficked all those victims.”
I wait for her to fully process everything. Her eyes soften.
“You don’t have any of the victims still working?”
