Page 48 of Wretched Soul
“If Barrett had half a brain, and had tried to appease his new-found enemy, we could have done something,” I reply. Not that I would have personally lifted a finger, but Ash has higher morals than me. “But unfortunately, the prick seems to think his enemy’s enemy can be his friend.”
“He’s in deep with the Russian Bratva, Alice,” Ash continues.
“I know he’s made new allies,” she offers, as if an alliance with the Russians were that simple.
Ash shakes his head. “Did you also know that Barrett is happy for them to use Poulton Springs as a hub for human trafficking.”
“I imagine something like that will lose him his friends in high places,” I add. “He’s not going to be as protected as he thinks.”
Alice’s eyes bounce between us as we deliver each blow. Suddenly, the alliance doesn’t look so appealing to her. “Then you have to stop it. My son needs–”
“Your son?” I interject. We might have a plan, but why make it easy on the dying woman?
“Your…” Her words die on her lips before the conversation can turn full circle to the one started at the gala. Barrett isn’t, nor ever could be considered our brother.
“Why didn’t you stop him?” Ash asks.
She shakes her head. “I tried to get him to abandon the entire site in Poulton Springs, but my position on the board isn’t whatit was. And this isn’t exactly something that’s appearing on the books. This is a private arrangement, and Barrett’s convinced his connection with the Russians will strengthen his position.”
“I can promise you it won’t be long before Barrett feels decidedly powerless,” says Ash.
Despite the makeup, Alice has noticeably paled. “I’ll speak to him again. Now that I know the full facts.”
“Unfortunately, it could be too late,” he says. “You don’t simply back out of deals with the Bratva.”
Alice’s gaze is pleading when she adds, “Is there nothing you can do to help?”
My brother looks to me. And waits.
“There is one option,” I say. Rescuing Barrett doesn’t sit well with any of us, but I take some small satisfaction that Alice’s least favorite son is the one to offer a way out. “We take on the coming war.”
“You’d do that?”
For Alice and Barrett? That would be a hard no. “We don’t seek out trouble, but where human traffickers are involved, we’re happy to make an exception,” I explain. “But to be clear, that doesn’t mean we’re about to unite forces with Barrett. We’re simply stepping in to take control of the situation.”
“And to do that, we need you to transfer ownership of the property in Poulton Springs over to us. Barrett won’t be getting his new house, but he does get to live.”
“Consider it done,” Alice says.
And it’s as simple as that.
There are no hugs or emotional goodbyes. Alice is too distracted as she prepares to exert what little authority she has over Barrett one last time, and Ash and I need to get back to our brothers so we can prepare for the storm that’s coming.
Ash is convinced John McConkey will come through for us once we take on the fight as our own. And if we gain controlof the property, John gets his asset back. It’s a win-win for everyone except the Bratva, although I doubt Barrett will see it that way. Alice is going to have her work cut out, and the transfer of ownership won’t happen overnight. For now, it’s just a waiting game.
Refusing to let my conversation with Alice play on my mind, I decompress on the flight home by stirring up trouble elsewhere. Connor hurt my girl, and that’s a crime that isn’t going to go unpunished.
Chapter 15
Lily
Iglance up from my laptop and find Connor staring at me. Despite the crisis that’s growing by the hour, he smirks.
“It feels good working together again,” he says. “Now do you see what a great team we’d make, if only you’d stop resisting this pull between us?”
I’m so stunned that I just stare. Which Connor naturally interprets as his gravitational pull holding me in his orbit. “Unbelievable,” I hiss. “Walter ordered me to this godforsaken town because so far, you haven’t been able to unravel the mess you made of one of our top client’s accounts. How could you lose all the back-ups, Connor?”
“Hey, I inherited your systems. Count yourself lucky that Walter hasn’t made the leap yet. I’m trying to keep you out of trouble, Lily.”
