Page 27 of Imperial: The Corvidae Family

Chapter

Sixteen

Emir.

Baylyn was still asleep when I left the house. I fucking loved the idea of her tucked into my bed like she belonged there. I pressed a kiss to her cheek before grabbing my keys and heading out.

I drove in complete silence, moving through the city until I was close to the address we had for Trent.

My mind was heavy as fuck thinking about how different my life currently was.

Baylyn had changed things without even trying which was why I needed to figure out this shit with Trent.

It took Yair a minute to find this property.

Like the rest of us, he kept things in place that hid access to his life but if you knew what you were looking for, finding people wasn’t impossible.

Most didn’t care enough to invest the time but this was fucking necessary.

Parking a block over from his place, I shut off the engine and took a moment to assess things.

If Trent was actually staying there, this would be simple. One shot to the head and I’d deal with the consequences if there were any. I had a feeling I wouldn’t be that lucky.

I got out and moved between the houses, avoiding cameras with blind spots mapped out in my head. I reached the back entrance and broke in through a basement door, stepping into the dark space.

The stairs creaked under my boots as I climbed them, gun drawn with my thoughts and movements calculated. The house was too damn quiet. Stepping into the living room, I scanned the space. Everything looked normal. No sign of a struggle, nothing missing, which also seemed off.

If Trent had truly gone underground, this place shouldn’t feel like he left the house with intentions of coming back. There should have been signs of a quick exit, things missing, furniture out of place, an emptied closet, but his house was still lived in, like he planned on coming back.

I moved through the space, clearing each room. Kitchen? Clean aside from a few dirty dishes left in the sink. Living room? TV remote on the armrest and a jacket draped over the sofa.

I made my way to his office and the desk was cluttered, but his laptop was still there which damn sure didn’t make sense. If he was really running, he wouldn’t have left it behind.

I grabbed the laptop and tucked it into the backpack I had with me. If there was anything worth finding, Yair was more than capable.

Moving toward his bedroom, I pushed the door open and scanned the space.

Closet full of clothes. Personal items still in the bathroom. Unmade bed, but nothing missing. Nothing about this shit made sense. If Trent was trying to disappear, this place should have looked a lot different.

This shit didn’t make sense and I was annoyed as fuck. I also couldn’t waste waste time standing around. I had what I needed. I made my way back out, locking up behind me, then moved through the neighborhood headed back to my car.

Once inside, I tossed the backpack onto the passenger seat, rubbing a hand over my jaw. Having to chase Trent complicated things. If I knew how to find him, I could just end this shit and move on. At the very least I wouldn’t have to worry about Baylyn so much.

This shit was a game I didn’t have patience for. I pulled off the street and dialed Yair. He answered on the second ring. “Tell me you found something.”

“Not a gotdamn thing which is annoying the fuck out of me. House is still intact. Clothes still in the closet. Laptop was still on the damn desk but I grabbed that so you can take a look at it.”

Yair didn’t respond right away. I could hear the clicking of his keyboard in the background.

“Search the database,” I said. “See if Trent’s tried to get any work.”

“Already did. Nothing.”

“Fuck. This isn’t making sense.”

“You checked his accounts yet?”

“What little he had is still there with no recent transactions but I’m diving deeper,” Yair said. “He has to have cash somewhere. It’s just not accessible but that makes sense considering he doesn’t want to be found.”

I agreed silently. Yair kept typing and then stopped abruptly. “I found something though.”

“What?”

“A minor detail. One he wouldn’t have considered.”

“What’s up?”

“He spent time at Chapter House.”

I frowned. “How do you know?”

“Membership is high as hell and he didn’t have enough to cover the renewal in any of the accounts I found.” Yair’s voice was casual, but I knew he had already figured out more. “That got me thinking about other shit. The women there take personal payments.”

I knew where he was going with this before he even said it.

“There are transactions from his account to someone named Sea’an London.” Yair chuckled. “A lot of fucking transactions.”

“His regular.”

“Looks like it.”

“Can you get me in?”

Yair barked out a laugh. “Yeah, if you pay fifty grand for membership.”

I scowled. “The fuck? Fifty grand just to look at pussy you can’t touch?”

Yair sounded amused. “It’s exclusive. The lowest you can get is ten for general membership, but no private rooms. Just drinks at the bar.”

“There’s no way in hell I’m paying that.”

Even if I didn’t have Baylyn I wouldn’t pay that much to look at pussy I couldn’t touch. Hell, porn was free on the internet. If I got that fucking desperate, I knew how to hit search.

“I knew your cheap ass wasn’t about to pay that.”

“Get me her address.”

“I’ll send it, but she’s working right now. I checked the schedule after I found her name. And if I know you, you don’t want to wait.”

He was right, I was tired of fucking waiting.

The club was also the safest place to approach her.

Public, controlled, no chance for Trent catching me off my game.

But I also wasn’t stupid. As much as I wanted to believe that muthafucker wasn’t smart enough to hide this, he might have left a trail leading me straight to Sea’an on purpose, which meant Chapter House was my best bet.

“Pay that fucking membership and get me in.” It was too early for this shit but it was the best I had right now.

“I’ll have to call in a favor to get you quick access,” Yair said. “And I’m taking that shit from one of your accounts.”

I frowned. “Cheap ass.”

He laughed. “I’m not paying to look at pussy and I’m damn sure not going to be the one to facilitate you doing so. Your girl didn’t even fucking flinch when you dropped a body in front of her. I’m not taking my chances.”

I was highly amused. Baylyn wasn’t a killer but she was falling for one. “You scared of her?”

“I’m smart enough to know not to piss off a woman like that. Give me an hour.”

Yair ended the call and I took a left, changing course.

I was going to Chapter House.

I sat in the private room with my phone in hand, waiting. I damn sure didn’t have any business being here. My mind was on other things, specifically Baylyn’s pretty ass.

I grinned at the thought while I sent her a text.

Me: You up?

She responded almost instantly.

Baylyn: Yes. You left me.

I dropped my hand to my dick and smiled.

Me: I didn’t want to, but I need to fix this chaos I put in your life so we can focus on us.

A moment passed.

Baylyn: And what does “focusing on us” mean?

Me: It means I invest all my time and energy into making sure your pretty ass always has a smile on your face.

Before she could reply, the door opened and Sea’an stepped in with her head down as she quietly shut it behind her.

I watched her movements, every little detail.

When she turned and saw me, I caught a brief moment of concern before she covered it up. My eyes narrowed.

She smoothed her expression and walked toward the stage, rolling her shoulders back so the silk robe floated to the floor.

My phone vibrated. Baylyn responded.

Baylyn: And what’s my role in this?

I typed out my message, watching Sea’an watching me.

Me: Your only role is to stay beautiful and stay happy.

Baylyn: How does that benefit you?

Me: Your happiness is my strength and weakness. I have to go. I’ll hit you up when I’m done.

I pocketed my phone and lifted my eyes just as Sea’an stepped between my legs.

She studied me with her body positioned just close enough to be enticing, but I didn’t react.

“You’re new.”

I angled mine to the side. “And you were expecting me.”

She tensed. Barely noticeable but I caught it.

Her smile was forced. “Why would I be expecting you? I don’t know you.”

“Personally, no. But you know who I am. Trent warned you I’d be here. Hell, he probably wanted me here. What did he tell you?”

She rocked her hips, running her hands over her stomach, then up to her chest. The movement was rehearsed and robotic.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

She reached forward and grazed my shoulder but I caught her wrist.

Before she could react, I yanked her into my lap, twisting her arm behind her back, bringing my mouth near her ear.

“I don’t have time for games. I’m not going to fuck you, but I will tip you enough to make this worth your while.

” I loosened my grip. “He’s gone, which means you’ll no longer have his money.

This is a one-time deal and enough cash for you to forget whatever loyalty you think you owe him. You want that or not?”

She tensed and her body went stiff in my lap.

I released her. She slid off me quickly, stepping back protectively.

“Talk,” I demanded.

She hesitated.

“You have three fucking seconds. Talk, or I leave and the deal’s off. If Trent isn’t already dead, he will be. Nothing you say changes that.”

“He didn’t tell me you were coming,” she admitted, “but I know who you are.”

“How?”

“He’s obsessed with you.”

My eyes narrowed.

She bent over and lifted the robe, slipped her arms through the sleeves, and adjusted the tie around her waist. “He watched you. On camera. He could barely keep his dick hard sometimes because he couldn’t focus.”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

She ran her tongue over her lips, looking anywhere but at me.

“He had videos of you. Leaving places. Out in the city. He ranted about you all the damn time. Emir Corvidae was ruining his life. He complained about how you took jobs from him. How you and your brothers were only respected because of your father. He was obsessed. It was weird. Like very fucking weird.”

I sat still, absorbing that.

He watched me?

My voice was measured. “What kind of videos?”

“Just you. Leaving places, walking the streets. Getting in and out of your car. Not long clips, but he had a lot of them. You’re like him, right?” she asked.

My eyes snapped up. “What does that mean?”

She shifted on her feet. “You know, like him. You do what he does?”

I kept quiet but grilled the fuck out of her. Sea’an’s expression changed, like she suddenly realized she was alone with a killer.

“I…I don’t know anything,” she stammered. “I don’t want to be part of this. Can you just leave?”

“Where is he?”

“I don’t know.”

She swallowed hard. “I really don’t know.”

I waited and her hands clenched into fists at her sides. “He got weird a couple months ago. Said he was ruined. He wanted to end things, but men like him had to die with honor. He also started acting weird. I think something wasn’t right up here.”

She touched her temple.

My jaw tightened. What the fuck was that about?

“He said he couldn’t recover from how you messed up his life. That he was in too deep. I didn’t understand it and I didn’t care. He just kept telling me he was going to die with honor, but when that happened, it would hurt you more than him.”

“What else?”

“He was willing to die to make that happen because killing you would be too easy. He said you needed to live and suffer the way you made him suffer.”

My brows slammed in. Trent must have lost his damn mind for sure.

Die with honor? Ruin me?

That didn’t make sense.

“That’s why I tensed when I saw you. He said you were going to kill him.”

I ran my tongue over my teeth, processing what she was telling me.

“I don’t know what he’s doing and I don’t care. What we were only existed in this room. He was weird, but he paid a lot of money for me to listen to him complain about things I didn’t understand.”

“And you sucked his dick while he complained which isn’t too fucking stable either.” I angled my head to the side and she narrowed her eyes as if she was offended.

“You don’t have the right to judge me. You kill people for a living.”

I dropped my chin and gave her a deadly glare that had her taking a step back. I almost fucking laughed.

“The sum total of your relationship with Trent was that he hated me and cried to you about it while you unsuccessfully got him off.”

“Yes.” She locked her arms over her chest indignantly.

“What else did he say?”

She shook her head. “Nothing. I promise. I’m giving you my word. I don’t know anything, and when you leave, I promise not to know anything about you either.”

She was scared. But she wasn’t lying.

I stood and headed to the door.

“You’ll get a wire today and one in a week. If you keep your word, you won’t see me again.” I met her eyes. “If you don’t, you will. And trust me, you don’t want to see me again.”

She swallowed hard.

I stepped out and shut the door behind me. Now, I needed to make sense of all this shit because what the hell did he mean?