Page 92 of Protected By the Sinner

After everything I found out yesterday, I wanted to go after the men who call themselves elders right away. Amber’s right: with every day that passes, those little girls are still suffering in their hands.

After she went to sleep, I called Roman, and we spent the night digging into why there’s never been a serious investigation into the cult. I think I’ve found the answer: the authorities looked the other way because of who’s involved.

I called Elodie early this morning, and she gave me the names of the five members. The sixth is their father—Tobias.

Amber was right. These are powerful men, above suspicion.

Two businessmen, a celebrity dentist, and two politicians—one of them a senator.

Fathers and grandfathers with picture-perfect families.

Monsters in human form.

Garbage I intend to wipe off the face of the Earth.

Elodie returned to the U.S. alone. Looks like things with her Italian savior are over.

She told me she wants to meet her sister in Boston, even though I assured her she’s no longer in danger in New Orleans.

How can I be so sure?

Because Angelo Brambilla is currently in a warehouse, waiting for me—or rather, waiting for me to arrange his meeting with the devil. Which I fully intend to do soon.

There’s no room left for that bastard in my mind. It’s already fully consumed by my plan to hunt down the cult leaders.

Angelo is already in the past.

He’s a dead man—he just doesn’t know it yet.

Chapter 43

“You’re insane to trust that bitch.”

The punch I land knocks out what’s left of his front teeth.

“And you’re too damn stupid to know when to shut your mouth.”

I take a step back to admire my work, and I like what I see. I could’ve had him killed. It’s been a long time since I got involved in the more . . .practicalside of things with my enemies, but I felt like I needed to do this one myself. Closure, in my parents’ name.

“When I came to meet you, I thought it would be more fun,” I say, watching him spit blood.

I walk over to where my knife case is and choose one. His eyes widen in fear.

“But I’m bored out of my mind,” I continue. “So let’s just get this over with. I need to get back to my family.”

“My uncle’s going to kill you and your bloodline.”

“No, he’s not. In fact, your uncle is hunting you down right now. It’s over, you son of a bitch. He knows about the thefts. And as for my bloodline, the baby Amber is carrying? That was a bad time to bring her up. Maybe in another life, you’d have learned to keep your mouth shut, because you just reminded me that my child will never meet his grandparents because of you.”

The sharp blade slides clean across his throat, and I watch as the expression of sheer terror becomes permanently frozen on his face.

It’s done, Mom and Dad.

You can rest now.

Later that night

I stop by my office to shower and change. As much as I made Amber aware of the world I live in during our talk, I’ll do everything I can to keep her from ever putting an image to my words.