“Don’t worry, I’m sure I’ll be spanking your ass before the night is over,” he says.
I woot and tear my shirt over my head. John can only shake his head at me with a smile. I shrug as I release my bra and drop to my knees.
“Hands behind your back,” he commands.
“Yes, boss,” I purr.
It’s as easy as that with John. He’s the best distraction I know. For the next few hours, I turn it all off and get lost in the man I love.
Chapter 61
Answers Found
Roni
A week later…
I try not to look at Torque, the pain in his face only increases the rage inside me. We were betrayed. A part of me doesn’t know why I’m here.
I guess it’s because I want to hear it from the horse’s mouth. Misha’s riddles are starting to unravel right before me. As the apartment door opens, I hold my breath. In this moment, I know so much is about to change.
“Holy shit,” Natasha exclaims as she drops the plastic cup in her hand.
Ice coffee spills across the floor as the cup hits it. The brown liquid splashes up against Natasha’s expensive looking jeans and starts to surround her red heels. I snort, I guess she has to look the part.
“Hello, Indigo,” I say. “Good to see you looking so healthy.”
With a hand over her heaving chest, she turns to look behind her and rushes to close the door. When she looks back at me, a new panic has set in. I home in on this new reaction.
“Did anyone see you guys come in here?”
“Not likely,” I reply.
She pushes a hand into her hair. “They’ll kill me if they find out—”
“Cut the act. I already know you were a plant. You’ve been helping them from the beginning.”
Her mouth drops open. “What? Wait.” She shakes her head. Her brows furrow.
I lift a brow. “Are you really going to act like you weren’t working with them?”
She lifts her hands. “Oh, you’ve got this all wrong. One, let me be clear. They will kill me if they find out I’ve had someone here without permission, so let’s make this quick. Second, all that evil wench told me was that she needed me to do this for her. I’d be in and out.”
I frown. “What evil wench?”
“The bitch that birthed me.”
“Nice way to talk about your mother.”
“Mother?” she seethes and makes a face like she’s smelling shit. “Let me fill you in on the lovely woman that birthed me. She doesn’t give a shit about anything or anyone but herself.
“All my life I had to hear about how her brother got everything while she was passed over. How she was going to right that wrong.
“Dude, do you know why I know so many languages? That bitch has been dragging me around the world while she plotted her master plan,” Natasha says as tears come to her eyes.
She continues, her voice full of emotions. “My own mother sent me into trafficking as a favor to a friend.” She makes air quotes. “I was supposed to get my assignment once I was there. My mother is the one that was supposed to get me out of there after whatever it was had been done.”
She wraps her arms around her middle and starts to sway. I bite back the words on the tip of my tongue and let her continue.
“Instead, she left me to rot and be sold off just like all the rest of you. That power-hungry bitch is off somewhere living her life and left me to fend for myself.”
“Good story, but you don’t look like you’re hurting. Rumor has it you have these guys wrapped around your finger.”
“Don’t fault me for being smart. I’ve done everything I’ve known how to survive. Everything except kill.” She scoffs. “I never want to be like my mother and her friends when it comes to that.”
“But you helped them. Didn’t you? I feel so stupid. I can see it all now. The access you had. How you always came to us with information. You knew things you shouldn’t have,” I snap.
“I agreed to go into trafficking out of fear she and her friends would kill me. Yes, they knew who I was. I helped them because I thought she would want me to.
“Then the longer I sat there, the more it started to become clear she wasn’t coming back for me. Besides, I’m no fool. I played nice for as long as I had to,” she replies.
I’m ready to kick her ass, but the next words out of her mouth strike a chord. They hit my heart like a well-aimed arrow. I know the pain I hear for its truth.
“It wasn’t hard for her to move on with her life like I didn’t exist. She hid me from everyone for my entire life. I was nothing but a burden for her. That cold bitch could care less about me,” she says and frowns.
“It seems we could have been spawned from the same family,” I say bitterly.
“I never knew my dad. I used to pray he was out there somewhere. Then I gave up,” she says and shrugs.
I watch her and calculate. If this is true, some things still need to add up from what John found. Natasha is as much of a ghost as I am.
“And if I were to believe all this? How are you living so lavishly now?”
“You don’t have to believe a damn thing. You see lavish, I see a freaking gilded cage.” Tears start to roll down her cheeks. “You guys were freed, but I didn’t have that same luck.”
“What happened?” Torque asks in a calm that doesn’t match the tears of rage in his eyes.
“The Russians, it was their job to get me back to my mother. When they called her to tell her about the raid, she told them I was their problem. She wasn’t willing to settle up on whatever the deal was.
“I had to think fast. I made myself useful for a while. Then, I was so close to getting away, another raid. I was so sure that was my chance, but it was snatched away and now I’m here,” she says sadly.
“Helping them sell drugs to college students and recruit girls for their sex ring?”
She looks away as shame covers her face. “These girls all want the money and the lifestyle. They see my clothes and car, I’m the black girl without connections and big money.
“All of that draws them in to find out how I’m doing it. None of the professors question a thing because I’m a straight A student and the college damn sure hasn’t asked any questions since my tuition is paid for the year, including nice donations. We just switch colleges every six months to a year, no matter if the tuition is paid or not.
“New college, new name. I keep them in money and girls, they keep me fed and clothed. That’s how I’ve served,” Natasha almost whispers.
“So, you didn’t betray us?” Torque says, hope lacing his words.
“You two were the first and only friends I’ve ever had. I never thought I’d see you again. You guys have to go. I can’t have anything happen to you. Gidden will lose his mind if he finds you here. He’s possessive and crazy about me. You need to go.”
“Gidden. That’s the blonde?” I ask.
Her eyes nearly pop out of her head. “Did he see you?”
“My boss took care of him, turns out he likes to filet shit. I needed to get answers, now I have them.” I shrug. I might have a few questions about John’s sanity after this. “You can either get your shit and come with us or you can stay here, and figure shit out,” I say and start for the door.