Page 111 of Lucky Boys
I’d found Matthew.
CHAPTER 42
LUCA
I walkedout of the condo I managed to rent last minute and toward the car waiting for us. Money talks, and Miami was no exception.
Brooks was on my arm, and he cleaned up beautifully. He was wearing a designer suit that fit him like a glove. His hair was slicked back and he was perfectly groomed, making him look every bit the kept pet arm candy he was pretending to be.
The driver opened the door for us. “Good evening, sir.” The man said politely.
I nodded in greeting, and helped Brooks into the car.
“Thank you,” he told the driver, who closed the door after us.
I couldn’t believe after everything, after spending weeks in Finland, we ended up back on U.S. soil and in Florida.
As soon as Diego got a location we went to work changing the flight, and got to Miami as fast as we could. I wasn’t able to secure a safehouse, but the luxury condo I rented had top of the line security and was used to a certain type of clientele that required discretion. It wasn’t like we planned on bringing the kid back here anyway.
Diego had finally gotten a hit on the dark web. It was an exclusive invitation to a private party at a five star hotel that onlythe most elite could afford. The party was to celebrate Vladimir Andreev’s new toy. His words, not mine.
They weren’t even trying to hide it. Matthew’s picture was circulating with the invitation, and he was being highlighted as an elite acquisition from good breeding. They were bragging about where they got the kid from, showing it off and barely hiding. The fuckers thought they were untouchable, but we’d prove to them how fucking wrong they were.
My phone buzzed with a message from the head of my security, Leo. He and six other guys had landed in Miami a few hours ago and had just gotten into position. They’d be here as backup if we needed it.
There was no telling what we’d walk into. There was a good chance Matty wouldn’t be the only child or trafficking victim there. Leo and his team would be there if we needed to escort anyone to the local authorities to get reunited with their families.
Brooks looked a little stiff, so I rubbed his thigh hoping to calm him some.
With a little help from Diego, we managed to get an invite to this party. I was going as myself, Luca Castellano, heir to Castellano fortune and Brooks was going as my guest/arm candy.
There was a lot of back and forth about it. Except for the brief mission to break into Larsen’s house, Brooks had no undercover experience, and he certainly had never been in a situation with trafficking victims before. Diego had some strong opinions about him going, specifically.
At the end of the day we decided that Brooks being a relative unknown, plus so much younger than me, would benefit us in this situation better than taking Skye or Maverick in with me. Maverick looked too much like a bodyguard, and both he and Skye were well known as my partners by this point. It was already going to be a hard sell to convince these assholes that Iwas making a complete 180 and falling back on my stance to stay out of high society and all the dirtiness that came with it. If I had Maverick or Skye with me it would add more doubt. But a pretty, much younger man that no one has ever met before? That’s exactly who these fuckers would bring to this kind of event.
Plus, Brooks could easily slip away if he needed to. Mav and Skye would be on premise, but sitting in the van with Leo, ready to jump in at a moment’s notice. A few other members of our team would be undercover as event staff.
“Nervous?” I asked Brooks.
He smiled, “I’m good, sir. Just ready to go.”
“Me too. The wait is always the hardest part.”
“Waiting is always the hardest part for me.” He snarked back. Laughing I gave his thigh another squeeze.
Brooks and I were still on shaky ground. I wanted to make things right, but one thing happened after another and our badly needed conversation kept getting pushed off. I just hoped he trusted me enough to know I’d never let anything happen to him to tonight or ever.
It didn’t take long for our driver to pull up in front of our destination. It looked like any other swanky hotel I’d ever been to. You’d never know they were hosting a party for traffickers.
Brooks looked at the building wide eyed. “They’re really in there? It’s a damn hotel.”
I kissed the side of his head. “Not all evil hides in the shadows.”
“Mic check, can you both hear me?” Diego asked.
“You’re clear.”
“Good. Your other men are already inside, Luca. Skye, Maverick, and Leo are all parked in a van a few blocks away. They can hear and see everything you do. You also have two more as back up right outside the hotel.”
