Page 43 of Torment

“I want to know.”

Colton sat back up and placed his elbows on his knees, clasping his hands together. “She’s six years younger than me. Dark brown hair, brown eyes.”

“Like you?”

He smiled. “Yeah, I guess.”

A few seconds passed before he continued. “Our parents got divorced when she was two, and we didn’t see our dad very often after that. Mom worked two jobs, so naturally I had to take care of her most of the time.”

Scarlet leaned forward, wrapping her arms around her knees. “Where’s your mom now?”

He looked down to the ground, and Scarlet saw him clench his hands. “My mom committed suicide two months after my sister was kidnapped.”

Awesome, Scarlet. Way to put your insensitive foot in it.

“I’m sorry.”

“Yeah.” He sighed. “Hope was twelve when she got kidnapped. My mom was working and I was inside the house studying while Hope was outside chatting with some friends. I didn’t think I needed to worry about her. She was right outside our house. Safe, according to me.” He roughed his hand through his hair. “I heard screeching tires, then girls screaming. When I ran to the window, I saw two men grab my sister and a friend, pulling them into a black van.”

“Shit, Colton.”

“By the time I rushed outside, the van was gone.”

“I’m sorry.”

He pulled his hand down his face. “Yeah, so am I.”

“So this is why you chose to join James and his team?”

Colton nodded. “The day I found my mom’s lifeless body hanging in the garage of our house, I decided I would spend the rest of my life looking for Hope. Whether she’s dead, or still alive, I will never stop until I know what happened to her.”

Scarlet looked at him. “Do you have any leads?”

“Some.” Colton looked behind them at the front door, then back at her. “Your dad will probably kill me for telling you this.”

“All the more reason you should tell me.” She smirked.

An amused grin crossed his face. “You’re trouble, aren’t you?”

“The best kind.”

He snickered. “Okay. There’s this guy, he calls himself Rex.”

“Rex?”

“It means king in Latin.”

Scarlet frowned. “Okay. So who is he?”

“Exactly what his name says. He’s the king.”

“Of what?”

“Everything. He’s the biggest sex trader currently wreaking havoc in the underground. The big fish. He rules the entire fucking setup, and nothing happens without him knowing about it.”

Scarlet cocked a brow. “Well, he sounds nice.”

“Ha. Yeah. Very.”

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