I searched through the computer, trying to get my mind off of things until I found the database detailing the club’s prostitutes. I searched for Renda’s profile and growled at the photo that appeared on her profile.
Her eyes were closed in the photo as if she were unconscious. She looked desperate and thin as if she’d been starved. She’d been estimated to be 16 years old when she was purchased. Her profile had several documents by the security force detailing her contract violations. Each of them was followed by a medical examination report that showed that she’d been beaten and starved.
I realized that she’d been trying to escape and they dragged her back every time.
Guilt filled me. If only I’d known sooner, I could have saved her from all of this.
I closed the profile and shut down the computer. The sight of her injuries and her young desperate face infuriated me. Lucas was growling, howling for blood
Three days after buying Club Heaven, I brought Renda to Club Heaven and let her go with Grace to search the records for any other information they could find. Before leaving, Grace gave me coded pages and a contract to be signed along with the stamp of Club Heaven to use in place of my signature.“Be arrogant about it. She’s greedy, any promise of more work will get her to tell you things.”“What about the money?” I asked her, intrigued by her coaching. “I don’t think I can just write her a check, right?”She offered me the payment request log where I would take her banking information and banking information that Club Heaven used for these purchases. There wasn’t that much money in the account, but having the information meant I could make the transfer to the account and pay the woman from the account.The account was based in the Black Mountain pack. I hadn’t heard much about them, but I planne
I put thoughts of murder aside. One day, Ben would get what was coming to him, but it couldn’t be today. Ben was at the top of a tower of corrupted alphas and people crawling around in the underbelly of the packs.He would be the last person to deal with if I was going to get Renda her revenge and prove to her that I was worthy of her love.I left the room and sent a group of other staff members to get them checked over and settled somewhere in the building before returning to the office, I pulled out paper and sketched out a crude map of North America and marked where the packs I knew were involved were.Midnight was on the upper west coast of North America, just below where Skyfall was. Skyfall was just to the west of where a pack called Frost Pelt had once been. Luftmensch was just below Warhammer on the east coast. Blue Fire was in the Midwest. Dune was in the desert of the west coast.A knock sounded on the door as I was looking over the
I walked towards Glenda, barely registering the young women floating around the room in cocktail dresses. How many of them were party favors? Where had they come from? Were they all like Grace and Renda or had they chosen to be party favors?As I neared her, she looked at me and my heart started to race. My palms grew sweaty like I was an awkward teen again.I felt a little ridiculous being so nervous, but as I reached my hand out to her, I felt like we’d been dropped into some fucked-up fairytale.Renda looked up at me then down at my hand with a curious lift of her eyebrow.“May I have this dance?”I half expected her to reject me since Andrew was around, but she placed her hand in mine and nodded, allowing me to pull her onto the dance floor. It was a bit ironic that they were playing a waltz at a poker party, but as she followed me through the dance, I was grateful. She was relaxed and graceful.There was a bit of happi
Grace’s POVWhen I found out that Matt Wallber would be buying Club Heaven, I didn’t know what to think. I was a bit afraid, but I had learned a long time ago that fear would just make it harder to make a good decision. The worst thing Matt could do was kill me, and I hadn’t been afraid of death in a long time.After the game was over, I helped put his chips into his assigned box and pondered the advice he’d given Justin. Caleb laughed and told him it was a good game and he couldn’t wait to see the new Club Heaven. The rest of the table dispersed, but I watched Justin slip out of the private room.With Matt’s chips gathered, I walked with him and Renda towards the cashier’s counter and scanned the tables. Mordecai was seated nearby, lounging in his seat as if he was king. He had kept his distance all night to my surprise. I expected him to try and talk to Matt, but maybe he was just biding his time.
Justin’s POVI was able to leave the party earlier than I’d expected. With Matt having taken the bait so easily, there was no reason to stick around. I had other things I could be doing and a report to make. I undressed on my way to the shower and scrubbed down humming in a good mood.I hadn’t ever thought it would be so easy to bait the illustrious Matt Wallber. Matt Wallber was nothing like his brother, Wade, and he didn’t pretend to be either. If anything, Wade felt like a cheap knockoff of Matt.I couldn’t place exactly what it was about Matt that gave him such presence, but it was different from being in Ben’s presence too. Maybe it was just my imagination, but my instincts weren’t wrong.I’d have to get him in the room with Chloe. Her instincts were always spot on.It had to be something about the wolves from her area of the continent.After my shower, I headed to my loun
Glenda’s POVIn the morning after the party, we returned to Club Heaven. Matt had procured a large, table-sized map of North America and started marking places and paths.I was charmed that he’d marked my path from Midnight to Warhammer in the same shade of blue-violet my hair was now.He had a running list of trafficked people including the five girls who had been brought by Victoria. Grace’s line had Frost Pelt on it and mine was blank. I wanted to tell him to put Fluorite next to my name, the way he’d placed it next to Emily’s, but I held my tongue.I'd told Emily to keep quiet about me and Alyssa for a reason. I couldn’t undo that now.Alyssa scoffed, He’s going to find out eventually. Why not tell him now?I rolled my eyes, Because I don’t trust him.Yet, she countered and went quiet.I sighed. She wasn’t wrong. It wa
Owen’s voice was calm, but I knew better. I imagined a pretty, six-year-old boy with Owen’s eyes and shuddered in disgust. Grime was the only way to describe the sick bastards who were responsible for all of this.“You have my word, Owen,” Matt said, evenly though he still looked a little queasy. “Mordecai is on the list.”Owen nodded and stood, “If you’ll excuse me, I’d… like to smoke in peace.”Matt nodded, “Eat something as well.”Owen chuckled, “I promise to eat three squares, alpha.”Matt’s eyes widened as Owen sauntered towards me. He flashed me a grin.“Lucky Cherry,” he said and left the room.I didn’t know how to take that, but I felt a bit embarrassed. Matt sat forward, covering his mouth and looking down at his notes. He sat back with a deep breath and looked at Grace and me.“Sit down, ladies,&rdq
After lunch, a bunch of people arrived dressed in paint-splattered jeans and t-shirts. I looked at the group in surprise as Matt looked up at them. He checked his watch.“Good to see you all back. You can start in the bar area for now.”They nodded and went towards the area, carrying long rolls of plastic.I looked at him strangely, “What’s going on?”He smirked, “Renovations.”The people stood around for a moment putting up long plastic sheets and putting up ladders beyond the curtain, but they didn’t seem to have any materials with them. The ladders were placed in a strange way that seemed to have nothing to do with where it would be most useful for them to be.It was as if they were staging the area to be seen not to be used.“What are you going to do with the bar?”Matt frowned, “Nothing.”“What?”Matt shrugged, “They&rsq