Page 69 of Little Did You Know

Ellis shifted his weight, a subtle reminder of years of training. "Sir." His tone carried the weight of bulletproof glass. "If you're dead, there is no one to protect her."

He was right. If I was dead, she would be alone with only her sorry-ass brother for her to run to. I nodded.

Mattias appeared around the corner, followed by the three large men and a few of my security team following behind them.

Taking a few deep breaths to level my racing heart, I stepped to the edge of the porch. I needed to pull myself together. I needed to appear calm and in control even though I would be anything but calm until Olivia was found and safe.

I planted my feet at the edge of the porch, squaring my shoulders. "What can I help you with?"

The tallest man stepped forward, his gold chains catching the morning light. "We are here to get Olivia." He smiled, all teeth and no warmth. "She's coming with us."

My voice dropped to arctic temperatures. "Olivia's going nowhere. Who sent you here?"

Behind me, the soft shuffle of tactical boots on concrete told me my security team was close.

The tall man raised his hands, palms out, but his posture remained coiled tight as a spring. "We don't want any trouble."

"Emmett traded his sister to pay off his debt." The shortest of the three men said.

The words hit like a physical blow. My nails bit into my palms as I fought to keep my fists at my sides.

What kind of people were these that took human beings in trade for money?

That son-of-a-bitch sold his sister. If they didn't kill him, I would. He knew I wouldn't let them take her. He thought I'd pay it if she was in danger, and he was right; I would. He was so out of his mind that he didn't even consider that I might not have been here or that they might have gotten to her first. I might not have been able to protect her. Maybe he didn't care.

"As I said, Olivia's not going anywhere," I started again. "How much does he owe?"

Ellis stepped between me and the men, his broad back creating a wall of privacy. "Boss." He pitched his voice low, meant for my ears only. "Can I speak to you privately?"

I followed him through the doorway, my shoes echoing against marble floors. The heavy door didn't quite muffle the restless shifting of the men outside.

"If you pay this, Olivia will always be in danger." Ellis's jaw tightened. "This house will no longer be safe, and those goons will always come after you for his debt."

I leaned closer, my words a razor's edge. "She's in danger now. They are here to take her."

"We will find her." The steel in Ellis's voice matched the set of his shoulders. "These goons will go back to their boss and tell him that Olivia is off the table. Emmett will suffer the consequences, but Olivia will be safe."

My hand dragged down my face. The weight of the situation pressed against my chest like a stone.

Memories ambushed me—Emmett and me at ten years old, building forts in his backyard. Each memory now felt like a knife between my ribs. The Emmett in those memories was dead, replaced by something that wore his face but traded his sister like currency. I wanted to hate him. God, how I wanted to hate him. But grief kept tangling with my rage, because somewhere underneath that monster was my best friend, Olivia's brother, dying because of addiction. The pain of losing him hit fresh, as if I was watching him slip away all over again. Only this time, he was trying to drag Olivia down with him.

His addiction now consumed him, and he was a monster, a demon, something evil, but he wasn't Emmett Ryan anymore. Any hope I had of him coming to his senses and getting help was destroyed when those three men showed up. He'd sunken to a new level of low. An unforgivable low.

Ellis was right, though. Olivia would never be safe here if I paid Emmett's debt. He would run it back up with the expectation of me repaying it again and again until I was completely drained of money—just like he did to his sister.

Stepping back out onto the front porch, I crossed my arms over my chest, squaring my shoulders.

I stepped to the edge of the porch, ice crystallizing in my veins. "Olivia isn't for sale." Each word fell like a hammer stroke. "Emmett will have to take care of his own debt. Do not come back here looking for her or money for Emmett. You won't find either."

The tallest man's smile never reached his eyes. "We will let him know." The threat curled beneath his words like smoke.

My chin dipped toward Mattias. "Escort them off the property."

The security team moved like a well-oiled machine, flanking our unwanted guests. We watched their slow procession down the driveway, their willing compliance more unsettling than resistance would have been. They moved like men who knew they'd be back.

"Find Olivia, now," I demanded once they were out of hearing range. "Bring her back here. She goes nowhere without security."

"We already have a team out searching," Ellis shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "Everyone else will leave once they are off the property."

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