Page 35 of Justus
Groaning,I cover my face. “I know. Talk some sense into me. Tell me I’m crazy.”
“Noway. I’ve seen the guy and I had the urge to jump him myself. Does he treat yougood?”
“Hehides behind that cocky attitude and crude mouth, but he’s a total sweetheart.”Lisa listens to me as I explain everything that happened with my mom and howJustus was there for me.
Shesqueals over the necklace when I pull it from underneath my shirt, but it’snothing compared to the shriek she lets out when I show her the ring. “You’reengaged!”
“No!”I get to my feet, pacing the room like I always do when I’m worked up. “It wasfake, for my mom’s benefit.”
“Uh-huh.”Doubt rings in her voice. “And he just let you keep a ring worth thousands?”
“I’mgiving it back. He told me to hold onto it in case I go back to visit, or shecomes here.”
Lisa’sface softens. “How is she doing?”
“It’sa matter of time, now.”
Lisagets to her feet and hugs me. “I’m so sorry.”
“Iknow.” I release her before I start crying again.
“Don’toverthink this thing with Justus, Sade. You deserve some happiness. Give it achance.”
“Iwill. Now, tell me more about Mr. Giant Cannoli.”
ChapterEight
Justus
Loudbanging wakes me and I groan, stretching my sore muscles. The bed beside me isempty, but I can still smell Sadie on it. Hell, I can still smell her on me andit’s fantastic. She had to work this morning, and I must have been out of itsince I didn’t even hear her leave. It’s no wonder since we were going at itall night.
“Justus!”My name is followed by more banging. What the hell is Jeremy doing at my door?
“I’mcoming! Calm your tits!” Pulling on a pair of shorts, I open the door andJeremy charges in.
“Whatthe fuck, Justus? I’ve been calling you all day.”
“Allday? It’s only…” A glance at the clock makes me laugh. Oh, it’s noon. Shereally did wear me out. “What’s lit a fire under your ass?”
“We’vegot them. The Northside ring. You aren’t going to believe what I managed tofind.”
He’sright. I can’t believe it. He opens his laptop and shows me a website, anauction site, actually. “I found this on the dark web. They list the girlsavailable by name and picture. No underage ones as far as I can tell. These arethe ones for sale, so I expect they’d be a bit older. Outlived their usefulnessto them. I also hacked their private sister site. The names are all coded, butthere are multiple addresses for the whorehouses and the places where the womenare being housed.”
Theworld around me fades to nothing but echoes and smoke as my gaze falls to thescreen where a red headed woman stares at the camera. Her hair has been dyedand her face is thinner, but I know her immediately.
“Justus,what the hell? Are you listening? This is kind of important shit, here.”
Ibarely recognize my own voice when I touch the screen. “That’s Hannah. That’smy little sister.”
* * * *
Theguys are gathered around the table at ISH, along with Mason Reed and two of hisFed buddies who have offered to help. It’s been two days since I saw Hannah onthat sickening website being auctioned off like cattle. The guys have watchedme twenty-four seven to keep me from breaking into the whorehouses andresidences to find her. There’s no way to know exactly where they’re keepingher.
Thankfuck for Mason’s connections. One of the feds is from the Civil Rights Unit,also known as the CRU, and the other is from the Violent Crimes AgainstChildren Sector, or VCACS. I don’t give a shit what letters they use as long asthey help me get Hannah out of there. My suggestion that I go undercover as abuyer wasn’t met with a lot of positive response since I’m not an agent andhave no authority, but I was eventually able to convince them that’s why Ishould be the one. Traffickers can smell an agent a mile away.
Tothem, I’m just a guy who wants a sex slave.
“We’vearranged a new identity for you,” Agent Murphy says, sliding a folder and a keyacross the table to me. “Birth certificate, social security card, etc. The keyis to an apartment rented in that name.”
