Page 32 of The Sinner’s Desire (The Sinner’s Touch #1)

Shit, I need a shower and some food.

I’m exhausted. Everywhere I’ve looked these past few days, all I’ve seen is suffering—but there’s no other way. This is my life’s mission: to exterminate those bastards. To free as many kids as I can from their claws.

Every operation is a challenge.

One time, an entire house burned down with twelve children inside—because one of our men disobeyed orders and decided to go rogue, initiating the attack too early.

These fucking pedophiles are everywhere, and by the time we breached the place, they were already prepared.

They function using the same structure as a company.

Human traffickers operate like any other merchants.

People are inventory to them—they don’t see them as beings capable of choice, only as a means to an end: profit.

If there’s any risk that a shipment—what they call a batch of “slaves”—might be discovered, they deem it damaged goods.

Unsellable. And then, they eliminate them.

Most people who vacation at beach resorts right here in the United States have no idea that children are offered—under the willful ignorance of local authorities—in secret brothels to serve depraved adults. Men and women. Parents. Grandparents. All with twisted, hidden desires.

According to the UN’s official global report [3] , the number of human trafficking victims, including adults and children, is around 50,000 across 148 countries. But we know the real number is much higher.

Police, maybe due to lack of resources, often label missing kids as runaways. But most of them were lured online, tricked by “friends” or fake boyfriends—and they never make it back home. Years later, when they’re no longer useful to these monsters because they’ve grown up, they’re killed.

And then there’s what I consider the most serious issue: the complicity of authorities when it comes to the disappearance of children from orphanages. Few of them can be tracked back to their origins. Bruno is one of those few.

I pull into the private garage of my penthouse and check my phone before getting out—looking for a message from Ethan.

Nothing.

It’s not uncommon for us to go dark during missions, but maybe I’m getting old—because every time I worry more about his safety.

While I focus on rescuing people, my partner prefers combat missions. He goes after the tyrants—those who abuse their power to crush the weak.

This time, in Southern Africa, a dictator had ruled for years, torturing and mutilating anyone who dared oppose him.

The global entities chose to look the other way—until a businessman, actually a whole group of businessmen who work behind the scenes in cases like these, hired us to solve the problem.

Like all totalitarian regimes, there was a resistance within the country—and we joined forces to finally end that government built on the blood and pain of the innocent.

I walk into my place, and I’m not surprised Lilly isn’t back yet. Aside from the two daily reports I get from the bodyguards I assigned to her, we’ve been talking every day, and I know college has already started.

I’m also aware she’s been spending more time with that Theodoro Argyros guy, and of course, I ran a background check on him.

There’s nothing shady in his past, except for the fact that his father is a total bastard. But from what I’ve found, Theodoro hasn’t spoken to him in years.

Half an hour later, I step out of the shower feeling almost human again. I decide to text her and let her know I’m back in town.

I want to take her out to dinner. If we’re really doing this relationship thing, then she deserves the full experience.

Me: I’m back in Boston.

It takes over two minutes before I get a reply.

Lilly: So early? I thought you wouldn’t be back until late tonight. I had lunch with a childhood friend and then we went back to campus. He was showing me around. I hadn’t really explored yet.

Me: You didn’t mention you had company for lunch. Who was it?

Lilly: Benjamin Stone. Our families have known each other forever. His dad’s a politician.

Me: Wait for me. I’m coming to get you.

The rational part of me knows I’m acting like a caveman, but I can’t help it. Maybe because deep down I know Lilly is too good for my world—and that sooner or later, she’ll realize it.

Especially today—after everything I’ve witnessed these past weeks—I feel filthier than ever.

Despite Nora, Lilly still only knows the rose-tinted side of life. She has no clue how close the filth lies beneath the surface. She doesn’t know how far people will go to satisfy their twisted urges. How cruel they can be.

Another message comes in.

Lilly: Is everything okay?

Me: Yes. Just wait for me.

I know I’m being an asshole, but this feeling of losing ground messes with my head in the worst way.

I’ve never needed anyone.

Even Ethan, the one true source of affection in my life, isn’t someone I miss.

But right now, I feel like I’m losing something precious—because Lilly isn’t going to just sit around forever, waiting on me.

She has a whole life ahead of her. And more than that, she wants to live it fully.

What have I actually given her so far, aside from one night where I had to leave before even saying goodbye face-to-face?

I don’t know where this thing between us is going, but I know, as sure as hell is hot, I’m not ready to let her go.