Page 2 of East (The Moral Compass 3)

I’m on the next flight to Las Vegas. Thankfully, West stumped up for me to fly business, seeing I was in Mexico yesterday and only came to London to do the debrief. The private jet is being used later, so I couldn’t make use of that. Not that money is an issue. It’s just the principle.

I’ve made a fair bank on the stocks, and with West’s help over the years, I have a nice little ten-figure bank balance, all legit and all mine. And you would never guess to look at me.

When old ladies see me coming down the street, they often cross the road. I’m a big guy. Six feet, three inches, and I have both arms sleeved in tattoos. I’m rarely seen in anything but black T-shirts and combats. Oh, and I work out. A lot. It makes me laugh how people judge a book by its cover.

My brother, on the other hand, is a spendthrift. Fancy cars, fancy hotels, and even fancier women, every one of them a gold digger. But he’s stupid. He thinks if he buys them a diamond or three, it will keep them from moving on to the next sap as soon as they get bored with his lifestyle. He doesn’t have a home or anywhere regular to stay. He lives on either a jet or in a hotel room and is rarely in the same place for more than a month.

The only thing we have in common is we look the same. Same jet-black hair, dark-brown eyes, and we are even the same height. I have a dimple on my left cheek when I smile— which isn’t very often—and he has one on each side.

So, that’s where I’m headed. Las Vegas. To go and sort his shit out. Again.

Chapter 3

East

So,mybrotherNorthproposed to Kara in what should have been the most romantic environment: giving her a new puppy and holding the keys to their brand-new home. Only the puppy he bought for her pissed and shit all over the living room, and before we could clean it up, we heard the key in the lock. Kara then proceeded to stand in said dog crap, and it went downhill from there.

She said yes though, so that will be another hen party to do and another wedding they will want me involved in planning.

Don’t they get that this shit hurts like a mother? Especially when the one guy you have been in love with for, like,forever, doesn’t even remember you exist. He also doesn’t know you’re his friend’s sister.

If he knew I was West’s sister, then it would be even more difficult. West would kill him.

Every boyfriend I had growing up, West had scared away. Then, when West went away in the armed forces, South and North took up the role of protector. So, again, every guy that came near was quickly put off and never seen again. I can’t put the full blame on them, but they didn’t help.

That’s why I set my sights on Drake. He’s tough and hard and manly and a fucking rock star for God’s sake. He wouldn’t be scared of my brothers.

But he’s obviously not interested in the slightest. Plus, he’s just been photographed with Alicia Rose, London’s town bike. She has tried really hard to get in with both West and North, and she very nearly succeeded with North until Kara caught her and kicked her ass around the kitchen.

I wish she would do that again, but for me this time. The whole family dislikes Alicia. She is trouble. She is spoilt, and when she doesn’t get her own way, she causes problems.

When Kara and North went to Mexico, they had all sorts of weird things happening to them until they actually packed up and left. I had my money on Alicia, but I was wrong on that occasion.

My role in the family business is to find people, track them, or send in a team to save them. I work for The Stargazers, which is an organisation against human and drug traffickers. I don’t do any of the dangerous stuff, I just provide the tech and information when required. West and North do the rest with the help of West’s friend Zed, although I don’t know how long West and North will be continuing with the crusade. Sutton and Kara were both involved first-hand with the trafficking ring, and that’s how West and North came to meet them. I have a strong suspicion that Kara would rather North be out of the game completely, but sadly, that’s not how this all works.

***

I finally sit back in my seat on the plane, and the air steward brings me a cocktail. He’s been with us for years and knows just what I need when I need it.

The aircraft doors close, and I finally feel like I can breathe normally. All the family drama is behind me. I take off my shoes and curl up into a ball.

I must have been absolutely shattered, because the next thing I know, Peter the steward is waking me up to tell me we are landing in thirty minutes.

I wash and change into my New York clothes and freshen up my makeup. You never know who you might bump into at a private airport.

No-one. Nobody of interest. In fact, nobody at all. The place was like a ghost town. I really need to sort my shit out if I get excited that I might bump into someone famous at the airport.Really, East, you need to have a word with yourself.

The car ride to my apartment was very uneventful. Even the traffic in New York was noticeably quiet.

The next few days dragged by until I got a call from North asking me for some information, which took me all of an hour to get and send back. I’ve been stalking Drake on the internet and through my dark web access. He’s been very quiet this past week. No dramatic appearances, and no concerts. He has one coming up next Sunday but, to be honest, after how he treated me in London, I don’t know if I could give two shits about going.

My phone rings, pulling me out of my daydream.

“Hey, Chelsea, what’s cooking?” I ask my friend who lives in the apartment below. She often calls to invite me down for dinner.

“Not much. I’m heading out of town for the rest of the week and wondered if you would look after Satan,” she asks tentatively. Satan is her cat, one that I have a love-hate relationship with. He loves to hate me.

“Okay, but for how long?” I grumble.

---