Page 111 of Knights Game

“You came willingly to the first one remember,” she rolls her eyes, and I reach out and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear before explaining. “We had no choice, they needed help, and we—”

“Couldn’t take them to a hospital.” She waves her hand. “This isn’t my first rodeo. Thisismy first time seeing a shipping container full of bodies though and seeing the sorry state of those poor women. Being alive isn’t necessarily a clean bill of health, they will be dealing with the trauma of this for the rest of their lives.”

“I didn’t fucking import them, Layla. That,” I point to the shipping container my cigarette dropping ash, “and those women have absolutely nothing to do with me. But I swear to you now, those women have had the best thing happen to them, because we have saved them from whatever fate was waiting for them.”

She grabs the remainder of my cigarette throwing it to the side shaking her head.

“Saved them? Are you even hearing yourself right now.” She stands. “You’re fucking insane, this whole situation is insane. I am not your personal mafia doctor; I am not your girlfriend. I am fucking done.”

“No, Layla.” I stand quickly, fighting the dizziness, grabbing hold of her and pushing her up against the wall. “You are done when I say you’re done.”

Her eyes wince, but she holds her chin up defiant. “I’ve done everything you have asked of me and more, I’m going home.”

“You go back to my penthouse.”

“I will go home.”

“Layla.” I warn. But she pushes me off her, and I let her go. Too fucking dizzy to fight her.

“Let’s go Katy.” She disappears off inside and then reappears with Katy.

As they walk past me, I catch the scent of Layla’s body wash, coconut and vanilla, beneath the smell of all the death and decay. And at last I take a breath.

I want to stop her.

I want to explain.

But I also want her the fuck out of here.

“Don’t get comfortable, sunshine, this isn’t goodbye.”

She stops, turns around, sticks her middle finger up, and mouthsfuck you.

My little temptress.

37

Layla

“I feel like I’mhaving this weird out of body experience,” Katy says, her legs resting on the sofa, body on the floor. “That was messed up.” She breathes the words out in a sigh. “Like really messed up.” She leans up on her elbows and looks at me where I sit on the sofa, staring at the wall.

It’s late afternoon, I’ve heard nothing more from Luca, and after disinfecting ourselves, we have made nests in the living room whilst we process. At my home. Not his sodding penthouse.

“You were amazing,” she says seriously. “You just, you didn’t panic, took control, and you were incredible. You know you saved those girls today, right?”

“But twenty-two of them didn’t make it. Fuck, Katy.” I stand and pace. “People trafficking.” I blow out a breath. “How can I keep just bumbling on this path without goingWhat in the actual fuck…”

“But, Layla, I don’t think that’s them.” She changes position and looks like an upside-down tortoise as she manoeuvres awkwardly.

“You look ridiculous.”

“My arse hurts.”

I hold up my hand. “I don’t want to know.”

“I just don’t think that’s what they’re about. I think they are more drugs, weapons, and money laundering.”

“Oh, you know, the lesser crimes.”

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