Page 35 of Merciless Obsession

Sometimes some of the girls Inaya worked with did side jobs as bottle girls and entertained for private parties. There were times they would ask if she wanted to make some extra money, and most of the time she turned them down, but every once in a while, she agreed. I hated when she went because anything could happen at those parties. They were typically with douche bags and people I wouldn’t trust with my goldfish if I had one. They were scary with no moral compasses in sight.

I sighed and nodded for her to continue.

“Okay, as I was saying, I was asked if I wanted to work this party. It was from a regular at the casino. He always comes to the blackjack table and flirts with me and sometimes I entertain it. This night apparently, they were throwing a party for his boss’s birthday and a couple girls backed out and he needed someone to cover serving liquor. I was gonna turn it down until I heard him on the phone talking about the girl being ready for tonight.” I narrowed my eyes but stayed quiet.

“Fast forward, I got a link with the directions to the place and it was in some warehouse close to the outskirts of the city, close to the docks.” My teeth scraped over my bottom lip. The docks were well-known to be dangerous. A lot of illegal activity happened down there. It was suggested not to go down there alone at night if you didn’t have to.

“Did you at least have someone with you?”

Inaya shook her head. “Inaya!”

“I tried to get in contact with you, but you were off the grid, remember?”

I sighed and my leg began to bounce. We grew quiet when the server brought our food back then she continued.

“Anyway, I was working the bar. They had turned the warehouse into a mini club. I don’t know who the guy was, but he was scary looking. He was older, maybe in his mid-forties, dark, beady eyes, a ridged scar across his cheek like someone tried to cut half his face off. The girls there were on edge when he stepped inside too and his men looked like they would shake hands and ask questions never.”

A knot began to grow in the pit of my stomach. I wasn’t liking where this was going. I glanced down at my food but my appetite was starting to dwindle.

“All that isn’t what’s important though. It was the girl who was with the boss. Ziora, she was young, couldn’t be more than fifteen or sixteen. She had bruises on her arms and some kind of collar on her neck. I wanted to try to speak to her, but he never left her alone. The girl looked like she would jump at the sight of her own shadow. I felt so bad for her, but the guy? He acted like she was his girlfriend or something. Fondling her, kissing her, forcing liquor down her throat and laughing when she almost choked on it.”

My pulse picked up. “Did you take a picture?”

She shook her head. “They took my phone and didn’t give it back until the party was over.”

“Do you at least remember the address or where it was?”

“No. That’s why I was trying to get in touch with you. The link with the address expired after an hour. I could probably lead us there, but I doubt there’s anything left that can help.”

“Damnit,” I cursed under my breath.

“And the boss, you don’t know who he is? What about the guy? The regular?”

“I only know him from the casino. He shows up at random times, but I’m good with faces, you know that. While I was working though, there were some guys who were talking about a shipment of girls.”

“A shipment of girls.” I swallowed hard and pushed my food away as bile built in the back of my throat.

“Yeah. I don’t know when exactly, but I’m sure it’s soon. I don’t think they were a part of the boss’s crew of people. They talked to his crew, a bag was exchanged then they left. It was shady as hell.”

Shit. Shit.

This could have been the break we needed, but because I was being held hostage we missed our chance.

“So you don’t know when the guy will be back at the casino?”

“Sorry, babe. Like I said, he comes sporadically. Probably won’t be for a couple weeks.”

My finger tapped on the table and my phone vibrating gained my attention.

I glanced at the screen and my brows furrowed.

“The hell?” I picked my phone up.

I clicked the notification I got and saw Ezra opening my door then got another notification that my alarm was going off but it soon settled.

“I got to go,” I told Inaya without thought.

“What’s wrong? Do you need me to come too?”