Page 14 of Taken In Trade
I reach out, planting my hand on her shoulder. “I won’t mention that you came to my home.”
Does she think I’m cruel enough to purposely expose her attempt to make a deal? Under most circumstances, I would be, so I suppose that’s a fair concern, but I take no joy in winning unless it’s against an equal opponent.
“How would you explain them taking me?” she asks, and it’s a fair question, but I’ve already thought that part through.Before I can speak, she goes on, saying, “It’s fine. I don’t want to let them know I was kidnapped at all.”
“The kidnapping can be explained away as you being used as leverage against the O’Connors. It might even give your family some negotiating power to lessen the penalty.”
“Thanks, but I’d rather avoid the drama of all of that,” she says, glancing away again.
“So, you’d like me to, what?” I ask. “Drop you off at the gate and let you deal with your family alone?”
“You can just drop me off down the street. I’ll walk up to the gate like I always do if I use a rideshare app.”
If she’s trying to emotionally punish me for her kidnapping… It’s working.
The SUV idles just down the street from the gate to Vanessa’s home. I’ve returned her keys and phone to her, but I believe her purse must be in her vehicle, which I just had towed to the shop I use.
That reminds me. Turning in my seat, I study the omega. “They should have your vehicle repaired and back to you within a week, but I’m not sure what you’ll tell your family in the meantime. I believe they might need the keys to facilitate the repairs.”
“I’ll figure something out,” she mutters, handing off the keys before reaching for the door handle.
I grab her other wrist and pluck her phone from her hand. “Unlock it. I want you to have my number. If anything comes up, you call me directly. I’ll handle it.” I hold it up, and she enters her passcode. Once she’s done, I add my contact.
“Thanks,” she says, taking back the device. She climbs from the vehicle without returning my coat, but it’s freezing.
She needs it more than I do.
It will also give me an excuse to seek her out at some point so she can return it.
Several days pass, and Vanessa doesn’t reach out. I also don’t hear shit from her father or brothers. Dealing with the other Boston families is one of my least favorite things, but under these circumstances, I wouldn’t say no to an update.
I’d like to have confidence in Vanessa’s ability to look out for herself, and I do—to a certain extent. I’m just not fond of knowing an association with me got her kidnapped. Her family really should have security on her at all times.
If she had been escorted the morning she came to my home, she wouldn’t have been such an easy target. Then again, it could have ended in a shootout.
Who knows how things would have ended up if it had escalated?
There’s also the very real possibility that she left her security at home so they couldn’t rat her out to her family. Visiting my home would have been a red flag to anyone checking over her daily itinerary.
Tonight is New Year’s Eve, and being stuck at a syndicate party is normally not where I would choose to be. Several of my clubs are hosting parties to ring in the new year. Under any other circumstances, I would be there to make the rounds, but tonight was supposed to be the announcement for Vanessa’s engagement to the O’Connors. That won’t be happening, sincePatrick, Malachy, and Cormac bonded Charlotte, but it’s an easy opportunity to check in on Vanessa.
I’ve heard chatter that her family is going full steam ahead with her union to Grigoryan, which is unfortunate, to say the least.
I do a sweep of the room, talking to Patrick and a few of the other family heads. Though I’ll never be buddy-buddy with any of them, Pat isn’t so bad. He’s a sarcastic pain in the ass, but he and his brothers are more tolerable than most of the others here tonight.
Grigoryan sticks close to Vanessa and her brothers, and I keep an eye on them. Julian Chapman isn’t known for missing a claiming ceremony, but considering the masses don’t know about the O’Connors’ plan to claim Charlotte tonight, that might be why he chose to skip it.
My interest piques when Vanessa’s father finally makes his appearance. He and Grigoryan find their way out to the courtyard, and I consider my options.
If I join them, there’s no way they’ll continue talking.
The fence surrounding the courtyard is ten- or twelve-feet tall, which is a little excessive, but it’s the only outdoor space that can be accessed without having to go out through the security sweep and back in again once you’re done.
Well, unless someone takes the route I choose—hopping the ropes to the second floor and popping out onto the balcony that overlooks the courtyard.
I make sure the door closes softly behind me, and I stay away from the edge of the railing. It’s stone, meaning they wouldn’tsee me if I got low to the ground, but I don’t hide from anyone, even if I’m snooping.
Pulling my cigarette from behind my ear, I light it and take a long drag, leaning against the wall just outside the door.
