Page 127 of The Merciless King

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

BRAXTON

“You can see Amy now.” Agent Scott tells me. “The processing takes a while, and it’s better to let the medical teams do their thing. But she’s ready.”

The agent is echoing what Mack already told me, but it didn’t stop me from trying to see her again, anyway.

Fucking hell.

I got my little Buttercup home. I did it!

Scott slaps me on the shoulder. “Great work, by the way. If you’re looking for a new job, give me a call.”

“Thanks. Think I might retire for a month before making any decisions, but I appreciate it.”

“Connor has my number,” he says, then as his phone rings, he wanders off.

The Dark Kings escorted me back to the Baldassare estate, and it was only pure luck that news hadn’t got back to them and we were able to get the Ferrari—already loaded with my luggage—out of there.

I didn’t stop to chat. Obviously.

But I did floor it all the way back to Manhattan. On the way, I phoned my father and told him that I’d found Amy.

“How? Where was she?” Dad asked.

“I can’t answer that. But I can tell you she was taken and kept in a human trafficking ring. Just know that she is safe and so are a whole lot of other women,” I said. “The rest she will share when and if she feels safe enough to.”

“Jesus. Braxton. I’m proud of you, son,” Dad said. “I’ll admit I was worried when you left the Marine Corps, but I’m not surprised now. I understand a little more. That wee girl always had you as her protector.”

She did and now I’m wondering if that gave her a false sense of security and played a part in her making some poor decisions.

Or her mom manipulated her.

Both likely.

“Yeah.” I sighed when I pulled up to a set of lights. “But she needs to make some different decisions when she’s recovered. We can’t let her go back home with Aunt Tracey, Dad. She’s an addict.”

“She can stay with us,” he said, and I felt my body relax.

“Thanks.”

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