Page 50 of Before and After

Our eyes locked.

“What if they hurt you and I wasn’t there to help?”

I swallowed. A part of me needed to reassure him. “I won’t go there again without telling you. I want to help. Let’s do it together.”

His own hand came up and cupped my cheek. I pressed into his rough palm.

“Okay?” I asked.

He blew out a breath. “Okay.” Then he released me and stepped back. “I’m looking into them.” He paused. “If there’s a way you can help… I’ll let you know.Don’tdo anything risky. Promise me.”

“Caden—”

“Promise me. Please.”

The word was short and sharp, but I knew him well enough now to hear the seething feelings underneath it.

Besides, I knew please wasn’t a word he used very often.

I nodded. “I promise.”

Chapter 12

Caden

“Okay, yes, send it over. Thanks.” I ended the call and leaned back in my chair.

I’d made several calls this afternoon, tracking down the ESG to all the places they regularly traveled between.

ESG.Shit. Allie was rubbing off on me.

I scraped a hand over my jaw. There was definitely a pattern. Everywhere these guys had stayed, some guests had subsequently been busted with drugs or suffered overdoses. My hand curled into a fist, my knuckles turning white. Added to that, over the last year, several women had been drugged and raped after being in hotel bars.

There’d been no arrests or leads.

Because these assholes moved around. And they covered their tracks.

I tapped my finger on my notes. I needed evidence to take them down. Watching them wasn’t giving us anything.

What I needed was to plant a bug in their rooms.

I had no reason to be in their rooms. My best option was someone with a reason who could plant it for me.

I blew out a breath. I had zero desire to put Allie at risk. I had this damn enormous need to protect her and it was getting worse with every hour. My jaw worked.

She’d do it. In a heartbeat. I knew she wanted to help.

Dammit. I closed my eyes. Remembering shouts and pained groans and blood. Remembering the men I’d failed to keep safe.

I picked up the bug sitting on the table and held it up. It was high-tech. I’d pulled some strings and got some experimental gear from an old military contact. Rising, I slipped the bug into my pocket, and strode out of the conference room.

Whatever I had to do, I’d keep Allie safe. I wouldn’t fail this time.

I spotted one of the housekeeping staff carrying a stack of clean towels. “Have you seen Allie?”

The woman nodded. “She’s in the locker room.”

I didn’t want Allie involved, but it was better to have her involved with me, than watching her trying to do things herself and getting into trouble.