Page 109 of Brick's Retribution

"She'll need therapy too," I add. "She's holding it together, but barely."

"They all will," Amara notes. "I'll reach out to the trauma specialist we've used before."

"Valeria needs immediate medical treatment for complications from her miscarriage, then safe passage to Texas. Her husband is in Houston, working construction. She hasn't seen him in five months."

"I know people who can help with that," Dante speaks up. "Clean papers, safe crossing, the works. We can have her in Houston within the week."

"And Lashes?" Amara asks, turning to Brick.

"Medical care for the pregnancy, trauma therapy, and time," Brick answers, each word coming out slower than the last. "She's... processing. But she wants to help take down the trafficking ring. Says she won't rest until every person involved is dead or in prison."

"Of course she does," Amara mutters. "What about security? These women are witnesses. The ring won't just let them disappear."

"About that." Miguel enters without knocking, his expression grim. "Just got word from our contacts. The trafficking ring has put out bounties. They know Lashes was part of the club and you went in to save her. Your bounty is half-a million dollars, fifty thousand for any of the rescued merchandise returned."

"Merchandise," I spit, rage flooding through me. "They're still calling them that."

"To them, that's all they ever were," Miguel replies matter-of-factly. "The point is, none of you are safe. They're mobilizing resources to get their 'property' back. And they're pissed about the money they lost."

Brick growls, danger radiating from every line of his body. "Let them try."

"They will," Amara says flatly. "Which is why we need to be smart. These women need new identities, especially Mei and Valeria if they're leaving our direct protection."

"I can handle that," I offer. "I know people who specialize in making people disappear. Good people, not connected to any cartel business."

"Do it," Amara approves. "What else?"

The meeting continues for another hour, hammering out details.

Safe house options, or if they should stay here in the club.

We talk about how we’ll handle security, backup plans if anything doesn’t go according to plan, contingency arrangements.

Every detail matters when lives hang in the balance.

Finally, Amara dismisses us with orders to get some rest.

But I can't sleep, not yet.

There's too much to do, too many lives depending on us getting this right.

I make my way through the clubhouse, checking on each woman.

Mei is in one of the spare rooms, talking rapidly on a secure phone—finally able to tell her family she's alive.

I pause outside her door, listening to the mix of Mandarin and sobbing.

The joy and grief in her voice as she speaks to her mother breaks my heart.

Two months of believing their daughter was dead, gone without a trace.

"She wants to fly here," Mei tells me when she finally hangs up, her face streaked with tears. "My mother wants to come immediately."

"That might not be safe?—"

"I know," she interrupts. "I told her to wait. But hearing her voice..." Fresh tears fall. "I thought I'd never hear her voice again."

I sit beside her, letting her cry against my shoulder.

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