Page 95 of Wilde In His Arms

Nick pulled her to his side and kissed her on the head.“Sure did.But I’d really love it if you never had to do anything like that again.”

“Me, too.”She squeezed him hard around the middle.

Nick focused on Mason.“We’re headed across the hall and downstairs to talk to Lopez.You want in on that?”

“Absolutely.”

Nick looked down at Aria.“You and Lyric can observe from the attached surveillance room.”

They headed over to the Blackrock Falls PD offices, where Javier Lopez was being held after his visit to the ER last night.Nick got the update this morning that he’d been patched up and refused to talk to anyone but him.

More than likely, Lopez simply wanted another shot at hurting him.

Javier could bring it.

Nick was the one walking out free and clear, while Javier faced the rest of his life behind bars with inmates who didn’t look kindly on scum who hurt kids.

Chapter forty-one

NickandMasonwalkedinto the room and stared down at Javier Lopez’s pale face and tired eyes.It looked like he hadn’t slept at all.

His arm was swollen and bandaged.

Nick assumed it hurt like hell, along with the stitches over his eye and the black and blue shiner Aria gave him last night when she slugged him.He couldn’t help the swell of pride inside him that Aria had defended herself and taken this piece of shit down.“You thought she was weak.Just a woman.Someone you could easily take out in front of an entire bar of people and you’d just walk away.But she’s made of steel.She’s strong and smart and fierce.You thought you had her.Twice.And twice she handed you your ass.”

“Stupid puta.”He spit on the floor.

“She’s no whore.But that’s what you think of all girls and women.They’re nothing but things to be used.Well, let’s see if you even love your mother.”

Lopez’s eyes rose to his and the death glare he leveled on Nick would make many shrink away.

Not Nick.

“I will kill that bitch.”The softly spoken words held a world of intent behind them.All of it aimed at Aria.Javier had the connections and associates to carry out that threat.

Nick wasn’t taking any chances with Aria’s life.He had leverage.“No.You won’t ever touch her again.Because we’re going to make a deal.You leave Aria, me, and my family alone, and your mother receives a suspended sentence.If not, then she will be charged with an accessory to every crime you’re facing concerning those four children we found in her cellar.She’d spend the rest of her life in a cell, just like you.”

“And what do I get?”

Of course he was only thinking about himself.

“You can work that out with the DA.He’ll want to know where the rest of the children you’ve kidnapped and prostituted out are.”Not that it would help him much, since the seven bodies of the children he killed were being exhumed today from Dr.Pike’s sister’s land.Those seven murder charges would keep Javier Lopez locked up for the rest of his life.But he could give back the kids he’d kidnapped to get some concessions in prison.He could choose a better place to be, though he’d still be locked up wherever he went.

But he better act fast, because the FBI was on the hunt and ready to raid a few of Lopez’s underground places where he did business thanks to Dr.Pike’s information.

“This offer is only good for as long as I’m in this room.And my patience is running short.”

Mason folded his arms and stared down Lopez.“You should also know that the FBI has been rounding up as many clients as they can identify from surveillance at the Snowcap Resort.If those men know anything about any other children you’ve supplied to them, where they might be, or where else they’ve indulged their sick fantasies, then they’re going to use it to get a better deal for themselves.They’ve got money and influence and information to bargain with, and they’ll bargain quickly to save their necks and reputations.”

Nick waited to see what Lopez did next.The man was ruthless.Would he save his own mother?Or let her rot in a cell?

Nick tried to sway him.“If it helps, I didn’t want to hurt Julia.I admired her for changing her circumstances and working her way up to the manager position she held at the resort.I thought she’d done well.And your mother…well, she didn’t really have a say, did she.You used her like you use everyone.”

Lopez leveled his cold stare on Nick again.“You think you know something about me, my life, what I’ve had to do to survive.”

“I know you didn’t have to use children to survive.I know you could have done a lot of different things to better your life that didn’t involve hurting innocent people.So don’t bullshit me about how your life was so hard the only thing you could do was kidnap children and sell them into the sex trade.You wanted to make as much money as you could and you found a lucrative way to do it, because your customers would pay dearly to keep their secret hidden.And I’m sure you made them pay a lot.You’ll probably keep that money train going even from prison.”

Lopez’s lips pulled back in the slightest of grins.“You have your deal.My mother goes home to her house and property.You will not take that from her.”

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