Page 159 of Beautifully Ruined

“Fuck.” I look at him. “We need to make this happen tonight.”

He’s not thrilled, but he’s not shocked either. We do a lot of things last minute. Clients’ plans change, our circumstances change.

“What do you need?”

“As much manpower as we can muster.”

He sighs, nodding. “I’ll do my best to get enough back up, but manpower is low after our last ambush.”

“Yeah, I figured.”

“I know you don’t like the idea, but you told me those red bracelets mean no one can touch Vi, right?” he asks.

I don’t like where this is going, but I nod. “Yeah. And she still has it.”

“What if she goes to the club to keep an eye on Thomas, she can say she’s waiting for you to get there. And she can let you know if he leaves so we at least have some warning. Things like this can get complicated.”

“Preaching to a choir that doesn’t need it.”

She might be in the center. But Gianna might be somewhere else. She might have already been sold. Or, as he pointed out, she might already be dead.

But I can’t shake the feeling the girl is alive. Too much effort has gone into keeping her alive. For a year.

“Fuck, I’ll text her.” I pull out my phone, and there’s already a message from her.

Violet:Hey. Macy had to go to work, so I’m meeting Lia. Will call you soon. X

I hesitate.If she’s with her friend, then she’s safe, and I’m not pulling her away. Yeah, I agree with Enzo that sending her there to keep an eye on Thomas is smart and it’s easy.

But it’s also lazy, and it puts her in danger.

I can do better than that.

Besides, now I think about it, he’ll get suspicious if she rocks up by herself. I told him I don’t share and even if she’s got the red bracelet on, men are going to want to touch someone as pretty as Vi.

Pretty and sweet looking.

It’s a thrilling combination, and the idea of sullying her, degrading someone who looks like her is going to be almost too much for any man there to resist.

For Thomas to resist.

I’ve fucking seen the way the prick looks at her.

I’m a fucking hacker. One of the best. So, I do what I do best. Hack into Thomas’s phone. I set it up so it triggers an alert if the asswipe comes within ten miles of the training center.

“She’s busy,” I say to Enzo. “But I’ve got something better.”

I show him.

“Okay, that’s good.” He starts making calls.

It better be good. It better be fucking perfect.

But there’s no reason it wouldn’t be, and ultimately it should give us more than enough time to get in and get out. If not with the girl, with her location.

I finish the job and execute it.

And I pray we can get this done and dusted before things go to shit.