“You’re just going to sell me to the highest bidder? Is that how it works?” I felt a twinge of panic, but I stifled it because I needed to understand what he had planned for me.
“Basically. The Sin City Auction used to cater to weekend fantasies, but I see the potential for so much more. I want to help people connect with the person they’ll spend the rest of their lives with.” Thaddeus’ lips formed a sinister smile.
“There aren’t enough human traffickers in the world already?” I narrowed my eyes and tugged on my restraints again.
“Not in Las Vegas.” He chuckled behind his smile and lifted his cigar to his lips. “Which is a shame, because this is the perfect place to do it. We have an unlimited supply of tourists—if a few of them go missing every year, it’ll barely make headlines.”
“My family will look for me, especially when my plane lands without me on it.” I nodded and tilted my head to the side. “Do you really want that kind of attention when you’re still trying to establish—what was it you said? Control?”
“I’m sure they will, but who will be the prime suspects? My guess is they’ll focus all of their attention on Cole. I’m sure they’re already asking him a lot of questions about the dead body in the parking lot.” Thaddeus slowly stood to his feet. “Enjoy your stay, Ms. Aurora. I’ll have you moved to a more secure location tomorrow morning.”
“Let me go! Damn it! Let me go, you bastard!” I started yelling when he walked away, but he ignored me.
The lights were turned off and the warehouse was plunged into darkness. I held back the tears as long as I could, but the darkness ate away at my resolve. It made me face the reality of my situation. Ryker died trying to protect me. Would Cole meet the same fate if he tried to save me? Would he even try? Thaddeus had an army and I saw the fear in Cole’s eyes when he thought Thaddeus was coming for him. That wasn’t the look of a man that would eagerly charge into battle, regardless of what Thaddeus did. Still, Ryker and Cole were close. That kind of friendship
would make someone do stupid things. I was afraid to have hope in such a hopeless situation, but it was all I could cling to.
I didn’t sleep at all while I was tied to the chair. When daylight finally started to illuminate the warehouse, two men came in and untied me. I tried to run the second my feet were free, but I didn’t get far. They took me to a different van than the one I was in the night before and drove me to a large mansion in the desert. It was swarming with guys holding guns, and looked more like a fortress than a house. I still tried to fight, but they carried me upstairs and locked me in one of the bedrooms. My first thought was the window, but it was covered with bars. I was no longer tied up, but I was still a prisoner. A clock on the wall confirmed that I had missed my flight. I wanted to have hope, but I felt it draining away as I sat down on the edge of the bed.
I need sleep, even if I don’t want it. If an opportunity to escape presents itself, I will need all of the energy I can get.
Chapter Twenty
Cole
“Grit!” I held up my hand and walked towards the leader of the Vegas Scourge MC as soon as he stepped off his motorcycle outside the bar his club operated out of. “I need your help.”
“My help?” He scoffed and shook his head. “You don’t have the right to ask for that unless you’re wearing a cut.”
“Thaddeus made his move on Johnny Ciampa.” I put my hands on my hips.
“Not my problem.” Grit shrugged. “You should have paid your debt before he did.”
“Ryker’s in the fucking hospital.” I felt my jaw tighten. “He might not make it. Thaddeus did it just to send a fucking message to anyone that owed him money.”
“Look, I respect you, but that’s a you problem.” Grit started walking towards the door of the bar. “When you owe money to a man like Thaddeus, anyone you’re associated with is in danger.”
“What if I joined the Vegas Scourge? Would that make it our problem?” I walked in front of Grit and blocked his path.
“It would make it a problem that the club puts to a vote, but I’m not risking my guys just so you can get revenge on Thaddeus.” Grit shook his head back and forth. “If Thaddeus fucks with us, we’ll handle business, but we don’t start fights—we finish them.”
“It’s inevitable, isn’t it?” I tilted my head to the side with a scowl on my face. “You’re already recruiting soldiers and preparing for war. Why wait? You know he’s going to come for your club eventually.”
“He might, or he might leave us alone. We don’t know the answer to that question. If it was my decision, I’d probably go to war now, but that’s not how the club operates.” Grit shrugged and shook his head. “Things have to be put to a vote.”
“Then put it to a vote and let me talk to your guys.” I put my hands back on my hips. “Please, Grit. You know this is for the best. This city will be a nightmare if Thaddeus takes over.”
“You’ve never given a shit about this city. You’re just happy making pennies and keeping your head above water. You’re really want to go to war and possibly get a bullet in your head because he tried to kill Ryker?” Grit shook his head. “That’s a dumb move, and I’ve seen you play cards—you don’t make dumb moves unless you’re trying to lose.”
“Fine.” I nodded and sighed. “It’s not just about Ryker. Thaddeus took someone—a woman. Someone I care about. I have to get her back.”
“Of course this is about a fucking woman.” Grit exhaled sharply and rolled his eyes. “If you want me to call a meeting, I will. But you can’t address the table if you aren’t wearing a Vegas Scourge cut.”
“I hope you have one in my size.” I narrowed my eyes and nodded.
Wearing the Vegas Scourge’s cut was the price I would have to pay to save Aurora. There was no other way to get the men I needed to take down Thaddeus. War required an army. Thaddeus had one, and after a passionate speech to the Vegas Scourge MC, I had one too. Taking down Thaddeus was in everyone’s best interest. Doing it before he had absolute control of Las Vegas was the best chance anyone would ever have. Once he had power and more soldiers for his army, he could massacre the Vegas Scourge MC if he wanted. At the very least, they would have to do his bidding for survival.
“How does it feel to the be on the right side of the fight for a change?” I walked up to the bar and sat down beside Grit.