Page 42 of Stains of Desire

8

Axel

We getto the edge of the woods. Penelope pulls her head away from my chest. "Axel."

I stop. I can't believe her daughter is missing, and I didn't even know she existed.

And all I could think about was making her mine. She's been distraught this entire time, and all I did was think with my dick.

Why wasn't Millie listed on the Interpol paperwork?

Could Interpol really be involved in this Global Leaders' group she told me about?

I'm going to kill Louis for touching her when I see him next.

She said before she got to Panama. Is he involved in these Global Leaders, or was it a coincidence he was at the dinner party?

Louis has been my boss since I joined Interpol. He's the head of the organization and I know him but have never hung out with him. He gives the orders and we follow them. I would never have expected him to be indecent to any woman, but I believe her. She has no reason to lie to me about it, and I saw the fear in her eyes. It's a lot to wrap my mind around. I don't understand why this Global Leaders' group even exists, or the details about how it works, but Penelope was distraught telling me the little information she did. I have a ton of questions swirling in my mind, but Kalim interrupted us before I could ask.

She knows a lot more than she told me.

Don't push her right now.

Whoever this William Davies is, I'm going to kill him for abusing her all these years. Then Santiago is going to get what's coming to him after I find Millie.

She can't go wherever Interpol is trying to place her.

This morning, the guys and I spoke several times. The other women are all claiming they can't go back to their own countries. They're all scared and insisting it's not safe for them. And they all seem to have secrets. I haven't seen Andre yet, but there's no way I'm releasing Penelope to Interpol. Louis Couture can shove it up his ass.

Penelope hasn't told me how she knows the clearance levels of Interpol, which is an internal thing people outside of the organization don't know about. My gut says she has more insight into things with Interpol than I do.

The last year, things have felt off. Equipment doesn't always show up, or it comes late. Intel isn't always clear. If Louis is a part of these Global Leaders, I'm scared for the future of the world. Interpol keeps peace between countries. It restores virtue where evil reigns. If it's part of anything Penelope is describing, the world may just be doomed.

Whatever else she knows, I'm going to make her disclose it. But she's already told me a lot today. It came in pieces, as she was rightly upset about everything she's been through. So I'm going to let her calm down, get my questions in order, and talk to her again when she's not so emotional.

Where can I take her?

She's not going anywhere unless it's safe. And if I have to travel the ends of the earth to find Millie and rescue her, I will.

Penelope's eyes are worried again. She's staring up at me and clutching the back of my neck. Her expression is a knife slicing through my soul.

"What's wrong, green eyes?" I ask her.

"Um... I..."

I set her on the ground and cup her face. "Take a deep breath and tell me whatever it is."

She follows my directions. "If people know what I told you, my daughter could be in more danger. Can you not tell the others?"

The others are my brothers. We've been together for decades, and I trust them with my life. But I won't do anything she is uncomfortable with when it concerns her daughter.

"Whatever you tell me that you want to stay between us, will, unless it has to do with their safety or the other women's."

"Thank you."

She smiles, but it looks forced.

"Something else is stressing you out. What is it?"