Page 98 of Pretty Monsters

"Fuck no. It reeks of sex in here. Let's go to my room."

"Like it smells any better in there," I mumble.

He just shrugs. "I'd say we could go to Shane's room, but I don't think that's much better. Let's just go."

Everyone is already gathered inside. Jess glowers at everyone. She's a shaking, sweaty mess. She could be pretty, but not with greasy hair and puke stained clothes.

"You can't keep me locked up forever. I've got a life to get back to," she argues.

"Don't kid yourself, Jessica. We aren't letting you out so you can sell us out for crank," Teddy tells her.

"I don't like you anymore," she pouts.

He laughs a short barking sound. "Like I give a shit what a tweaked out whore thinks of me. Shut your mouth or I'll gag you again."

She's either still under the misconception that Teddy is a nice guy, or just too strung out to care, and she opens her mouth to argue more. It wasn't an idle threat though, and he shoves a washcloth in her mouth to shut her up.

"Better," he says and flops down on his bed.

Lucien ignores the entire scene, and flips open Sin's laptop. "There's no movement on the remaining soldiers, but I still don't think returning to the gym is a good idea. One of Shane's neighbors called him and said someone went up the access road to the cabin."

"I'm hooking that place up with more security the next time I go up. It could be nothing, but we can't risk going there either," Shane agrees.

Teddy's phone starts ringing. "That might be our answer," he says before answering. His conversation is short with a bunch of clipped responses.

He ends the call and locks eyes with me. It's all I need to know he's got something in the works to circumvent Lucien and Sin's plan.

"Don't freak out," he begins.

"Nothing good starts out like that. What did you do?" Lucien interrupts.

"You aren't the only one with contacts who can help, and your plan is fucking stupid. One of the feds my mom and I dealt with is a decent guy. He's going to help us crack the trafficking ring."

Sin crosses his arms and stares daggers at Teddy. "How exactly is that going to help us take Damien down?"

"Agent Grant Holbrook followed the money trail. Honestly, I thought it would take longer to find something, but Blackthorne has grown lazy. There's no smoking gun yet, but money washed from the club is showing up in equal deposits in a bank in Devil's Crossing. Damien's name isn't on the account, but it's enough to rouse suspicion."

"Feds don't offer protection based on suspicion of crimes. We're still royally fucked. This doesn't change anything." The stubborn set to Sin's jaw tells me he is still determined to turn himself over.

Teddy's demeanor is smug. He leans back, and crosses his ankles, getting comfortable on the scratchy comforter. "We actually do have proof that Damien deals in human trafficking."

Sin's brow pops up. "Do tell what this evidence is."

The corner of Teddy's mouth quirks up. "You are all the evidence we need."

"How exactly do we provide this evidence without me detailing the crimes I've been forced to commit?" Sin challenges.

Teddy looks at me, and there's an apology I don't want to see. The look is brief, and he directs his attention back to Sin. "I'm not sure we can, but you're already determined to turn yourself in. I'd rather deal with experts who deal with victims of trafficking than the governor's task force. Those dicks only see crime in black and white. You didn't have a choice in what you did, so you shouldn't have to face the consequences either."

I want so badly to punch him in the throat. Not until that moment did I realize how much the thread of hope buoyed me until it was snatched away.

Another message signals on his phone. "He's agreed to meet with us."

"Where?" Lucien pipes up.

Ah, the circular question comes back. Where are we going to go, what are we going to do? This half life isn't fair to the others who were pulled into our world. Yes, they were warned, but how can someone really grasp danger as a concept?

Sin scrubs his hand across his face. "We may as well return to the gym. Lucien and I can go clear it and make sure it's safe. This situation isn't tenable long term."

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