Joseph opens another drawer, and that’s when his son yells, “He has a gun in that drawer!” Everyone springs into action, pulling out their own guns. Damon who is standing the closest to Joseph, lunges toward him, a glint of metal catches my eyes, but Damon has him on the ground, before he can get a good grip on the gun.
Xander steps on the man’s hand and he cries out in pain, releasing the gun instantly.
“I know where the list is,” Luke, who might have just saved one of our lives announces. “It’s over there, bottom drawer on the left side.” He points at a cabinet in the corner without us even asking.
“Let him go,” Xander orders his man and they release their hold on Luke’s arm immediately.
Hero waltzes over and, pulls the draw open taking out a thick folder, with pieces of paper bulging out the sides. He throws it down on the desk and opens it. I step toward the desk, and start fingering through the papers. My stomach rolls, and the breakfast I shared with Sophie threatens to come back up.
“Where is it?” Xander growls, grinding his foot into Joseph's hand. I can hear the bones crunch, and its music to my ears.
“It’s...it’s there…” He wheezes through the pain. I eye the papers once more, there are pictures, dates, and times, money arrangements, and then the list with detailed names, and birthdates. I scan over the piece of paper that has the names and dates on it to Xander. My eyes move back over the pictures, the ones of Sophie that were recently taken and some from when she was younger.
The one from where she is younger has a boy her same age and size standing next to her. They’re both smiling, and look oddly similar.
“That’s me,” Luke whispers, shame filling his features. “Sophie is my twin sister. I just wanted her away from this place. Safe. I wanted her to have a real life.”
My head snaps back at his words. “What did you just say?”
“Everyone thinks she is a year older than me, but we’re the same age. I think they only made her think she’s older so they could get rid of her sooner.”
“Does Sophie know?” I ask. His facial expression gives me the answer before he shakes his head. “He told me if I ever tell her, she would pay the price.”
“I think we have everything in here we need to shut this down,” Xander says, looking over the contents of the folder.
“You.” He nods toward Luke. “How much do you know about who is involved in this and who is innocent?”
“I’ve got a pretty good idea,” Luke answers, bitterness in his voice. “You are looking at the most guilty one,” he says, pointing at Joseph.
“Alright then.” Xander looks at me. “I’m guessing you want this one for yourself?”
“Yes,” I say through gritted teeth.
“Wait!” Luke yells. “Before you kill him, he needs to tell me something.” He turns his attention to Joseph on the floor. “Where are you hiding Grace?”
I don’t even have to ask who Grace is to him. The way he says her name, the urgency in his voice, and how furious he is about her being gone tells me everything I need to know. Whoever this Grace is, Luke loves her.
Joseph laughs humorlessly. “She is gone, you idiot.”
“You’re lying! Where is she?”
Xander grinds the sole of his shoe into Joseph's hand again. “Tell him what he wants to know, old man.”
“She is gone! I’m not lying! I sold her when I sold Sophie,” he grits out in pain. Pussy.
Luke turns ghostly pale as all the blood drains from him face.
“You sold this Grace to the same people you sold Sophie to?” Ivan asks, and only then it clicks in my head. If they were sold together…Grace was never put up for auction. Ivan let the other girls go.
“Yes, I sold Sophie and Grace together,” Joseph whimpers on the floor.
“Luke, if that true, then Grace is fine, just like Sophie. Neither were sold off,” Ivan tells him, and Luke’s shoulders relax a little.
“Kid,” Xander addresses Luke, “You’re coming with me. I need you to walk me through this place and point some fingers. I want to know exactly who knew about this and which ones are the adopted girls. We will go through the list of names and find each of these girls. You do that for me, we’ll tell you where Grace is.”
Luke nods, eagerness in his eyes. He looks down at Joseph on the floor with disgust and hatred. “I hope you rot in hell.”
“Don’t act as if you’re so innocent, son.” Joseph laughs. “You’ve done things as well.”
I know Joseph isn’t lying. The pained look on Luke’s face proves it. Xander stomps his foot down on the bastard’s hand once more.
“We all make mistakes, do things out of survival, but it’s different when you keep on the same fucked up path just because you can.” Xander’s words resonate through the room. Hero and I lock eyes. We’re going to make this bastard pay for every little thing he did to Elyse and Sophie.
Xander nods toward the door, and Xander’s men, plus Damon and Ivan, walk out, leaving Hero, myself, himself and Joseph in the room.
“I know you want to kill him and I’m totally on board with that but I would like to have a small chat with him myself before you smash his skull in.”
“Be my guest.” I wave my hand, motioning him to stay in the room. I want to be the one killing him. I want to be the last person he’s sees when he closes his eyes and takes his last breath, but I don’t mind waiting a little while longer, especially when my wait is spent watching Hero torture the shit out of him. Plus, I’m doing this for Sophie, and I’ll make sure he knows that…
I’ll make sure he feels every lick of pain… because god knows she did.
38
Sophie
Elyse is sitting next to me, her hand tightly gripping onto mine. Ella, Violet and Keira sit on the couch across from us. We try to keep the conversation light, talking about their pregnancies and baby showers. But neither, Elyse or I can stop thinking about where the guys are and what they are doing right now. They’ve been gone a few hours and none of us have heard from any of them yet.
We eat lunch, and sit in the huge living room, with guards posted at every door. I guess Xander wasn’t kidding when he said there would be no one getting in or out. Apart of me feels at ease because the last thing I want is for my father to somehow escape and get to me, but another part of me wishes there wasn’t a need for the guards to begin with. After what seems like an eternity of waiting, someone’s phone finally starts ringing. All eyes move to the phone as it rings and vibrates against the glass top coffee table. I hold my breath, and squeeze Elyse’s hand in mine.
Ella grabs her phone, and answers it right away. Her shoulders relax as she listens to what I’m assuming is Xander on the other line.
“So everyone is okay?” She asks into the phone and then looks around and gives each of us a reassuring smile. I exhale a sharp breath, my chest filling with oxygen, my heart beating normal again.
“Okay...I love you too.” She hangs up the phone and places it back down on the table.
“Everyone is okay. They are on their way back here as we speak,” she announces to the room. Elyse gives me a reassuring smile. I’m so glad she’s alive and here with me right now.