“Ah, Raul,” one of the men say, calling to my father and standing to shake his hand. “Raz,” Father answers.
My gaze meets the man’s next and I’m horrified to see how young he is, and worse, that he’s attractive. His rich mahogany hair is tucked behind his ears, diamond studs decorating both lobes. His face is angular with thick brows and clean-shaven, olive skin. “This is my daughter, Scarlet,” Father tells the man, and I’m ushered forward. The man extends his hand and I’m reluctant to take it, fearing where it’s been and even more so knowing it’s responsible for the depravity going on below us.
“I’m delighted to meet you,” the man’s golden eyes flick from my father to me, “I’ve heard all about you and your skills.”
“I’ve never heard of you,” I retort, my hand squeezing his before letting go.
He smirks, and I swear the air shifts around him into something dark and predatory, “We’ll have to rectify that, won’t we? If we are ever going to do business together in the future.” He nods at my father, skipping his eyes over me this time.
I lift my chin, brow raised, and bite my tongue for now. Obviously, he knows the work I do and, somehow, Father has a relationship with him, but it’s not a business relationship yet.
“Are you staying, Raul? We can bring more drinks over,” the man says, before sitting again and gesturing for my father to join him.
Father smiles before shaking his head. “Not tonight, I’m afraid. I have to bring Scarlet back to her job,” his mouth tightens into a straight line, “I just wanted her to meet a possible marriage candidate for her lovely cousin.”
My heart sinks as he says the words, my eyes flash, and my mouth is suddenly dry. If I wasn’t suspecting I’d be drugged for ordering a drink here, I’d order one to down. He can’t be serious.
“Of course,” Raz nods, his finger stroking across his chin while he eyes me from my Chuck covered feet to the crown of my head. “It’s my pleasure to meet my possible future cousin-in-law.”
I want to vomit all over his expensive suit and pretentious friends. Over my dead body will Evita marry this man. I steel my spine and keep my lips locked in a sinister smile. My eyes flick over the cages again. There is no way even half of the women are of legal age and there are various levels of dubious consent from what I can tell. My stomach knots. It’s taking everything inside me right now not to reach over and grab the pistol holstered at this man’s side and blow his brains all over the space. It would mean war. And I can’t afford to jeopardize the professional image I’ve built myself.
“We’ll leave you to your fun then, gentlemen,” Father says, his voice laced with humor when he says it. The other two share knowing grins while Raz peers at me through a puff of his cigarette smoke. I hold his gaze, challenging him. He’ll never get Evita and his days running this type of skin ring are numbered. I grin wolfishly before following Father and Castillo back down to the main floor.
I hold my breath until we make it back outside, sucking a large lungful of clean air into my chest. A thin layer of sweat covers my skin, and I’m thankful that I’m covered. We wait in silence for the car. I’m too lost in my own thoughts to pay attention to my father, who hasn’t taken his beady eyes off of me. This time, I’m more than willing to climb in the car, waiting for it to get as far from this hellish place as it can. I sweep my hand over my hair, and bring it all to one side, giving my neck a flash of air.
“When you stray too far, Mija, sometimes you need a reminder of where you should be,” Father’s low and steady voice fills the back seat. I don’t speak yet. “If I don’t start seeing results or I keep having to track you down, I’ll make sure to help Raz make a good impression on my sister and brother in-law. He is a very rich man, after all.”
“She has nothing to do with this. At the end of summer, she went home. Evita did her part,” I tell him, keeping the pleading out of my voice. “I will take care of Nichols. I just need to find where his weak spot is. Everything about him is under a tight lock.”
“I know you can be more creative than that.” Father’s eyes slide over me.
In the dark, he can’t see the flush rising up my neck. Of course he would suggest I sell my body for a little information. I don’t even bother to insinuate that I’ve already slept with Trent. I’ve let him fuck me five ways from Sunday, but he doesn’t know that.
“I’ll manage,” I respond, keeping my eyes trained out the window.
“I know you will, Scarlet. You know what will happen to Evita if you don’t. I can’t imagine the damage a man like Raz carries around if that is what he and his friends find entertaining on a Saturday night,” he muses, “And celebrating his newfound bachelorhood of all things. It’s a shame that fiancée of his went missing.”
My eyes flutter closed before snapping back open. I won’t be weak. My mind screams at me to do anything I need to, if it means saving Evita.
I walk into the sheik, upscale bar two hours later, at first taken aback that this was the choice for the night, before remembering why. After the race, Trent’s high school friend, Shay, was meeting up with us. She was in town visiting family and had reached out, knowing Trent would be here as well.
I spot them right away, sitting at a back table. Trent glances down at his new phone on the table, while the girl across from him talks animatedly with her hands. He looks amazing in a black button-down, his hair messy, like he’s been running his finger through it for hours. Guilt tugs low in my stomach when I notice the way his brow is furrowed, lips set in a grim line. I’m responsible for that look.
The minute my father dropped me off in front of the arena and sped away, the first thing I did was puke my insides up all over the sidewalk. Definitely did not earn cool assassin points that way. The only consolation was that I somehow managed to hold it in the entire time I had been in that building.
The next thing I did was pull the phone from my back pocket to find a string of missed texts and two calls from Dean’s phone.
I’ll tell him.
It’s me, Scar, are you okay?
Should I come to the house first?
I can cancel with Shay if you aren’t feeling good.
Scar, you aren’t here. Where the fuck are you? Are you okay?
The last one had been minutes before I checked. I quickly caught an Uber and rushed into the rental before dashing up the stairs. I brushed my teeth and swiped my hair up into a bun, before taking the world’s shortest shower. I threw on a black shift dress and added some red lip stick before hustling back into town.
Sucking in a deep breath, I head over to their table, keeping a smile plastered on my face. Trent sees me first and shoots to his feet. My eyes rake over every inch of him, noticing the ripped jeans and open button on his shirt. He’s so freaking sexy without even trying. My damn heart leaps in my chest to feel his arms around me. I barely make it to him when he’s striding to me, his hands cupping my face. “Are you okay?”
My hands slide over his and I give him a soft smile. “I just didn’t feel good. I took a walk and lost track of time.”
“I texted and called. I almost lost my shit, Scar.” He leans his forehead against mine, breathing me in.