Page 31 of Chill’s Chance

“Does that mean you’ve considered having kids with Puma?” Desdemona asks. “Can you imagine the size of the baby?”

Alisa shudders. “Maybe just one.”

“How about you and Chill?” Alisa asks me. “Do you two think you’ll have more kids?”

I glance at Slade and consider what it would be like to have a little girl or a little boy with her white blonde hair and pretty blue eyes. My chest constricts as I realize how much I want that, how much I want to marry Chill and build a family together.

“I hope so.” I admit. “We haven’t gotten to that point yet, but, yeah, I see it. I love her. The day we met, I fell hard. That feeling intensifies every minute we’re together. I know I screwed up by not telling her I was married, but I think we’ve moved past it. I never loved Nicole, but I cared for her. We were friends.”

“That’s what Slade said.” Alisa says.

I nod. “Yeah, Chill mentioned he knew we married because she was pregnant with him and how happy she was that I found someone.” I shake my head. “I don’t expect people to understand that.”

Alisa touches my hand. “If anyone can understand, it’s me.” She says. “When Elina’s father died, I married his best friend. We didn’t love each other. I take that back. We loved each other, but only as friends. Scar married me to protect me from an asshole who was trying to force my father to agree to an arranged marriage. The man who caused the death of Elina’s father. Scar married me to protect me from him. When he met Caitlin, we divorced so that he could be with her. Then, I found Puma.”

I smile at her and squeeze her hand. “Thank you. I still feel some guilt about how it all played out, but I don’t regret finding Chill again. She’s the only one I want.”

“Speaking of…” Desdemona says, her voice trailing off. “Who is that with them?”

I spot Puma and Chill hurrying toward us. From the direction they’re coming, I assume they’ve been in The Pit. I see Alberto hurrying behind them. The flash of worry on their faces has me standing.

“Need to get everyone inside.” Puma announces before letting out an ear-splitting whistle to get the kids’ attention.

CHAPTER NINETEEN: CHILL

When we reach The Pit, I hear Alberto calling out for help. I smirk because no one can hear him. The Pit is kind of like space that way.

“Shut it.” Puma barks when we reach Alberto’s cell.

I grab the key and unlock it. Alberto shrinks into the corner and starts promising us all manner of things in exchange for his release and his life.

“What part of shut it do you not understand?” Puma growls, which scares the man into silence. “Fuck, it stinks in here.”

“Here are your clothes. There’s a shower at the end of the hall. Use it and then get your ass back out here.” I order. “Do not make me come in and get you.”

He nods quickly before taking his clothes and disappearing into the room we use to clean up after a messy interrogation.

When the man skulks out to join us, I see hope and fear warring.

“You have two choices.” Puma starts. “Do exactly what I tell you to do or we’ll kill you. I don’t give a fuck which one you choose.”

“What do you want me to do?” Alberto asks quickly, as if worried Puma will withdraw the offer.

“It’s fairly simple. I want you to go back and tell your bosses that my club is not working with Standish, Vivian Chambers, or either of their despicable sons.” When Alberto opens his mouth to speak, Puma raises his hand to stop him. Snapping his mouth closed, Alberto nods for Puma to continue. “This is the truth, and I can prove it. Standish, his son, and Vivian Chambers kidnapped Dante’s future sister-in-law and tried to force her to marry Standish’s son. Dante’s men rescued her. In doing so, we discovered that the four of them are involved in human trafficking. One of our guys recognized Standish Senior as the man who paid to have a young woman kidnapped several years back. He claimed she was his daughter, she wasn’t.”

Alberto’s eyes have grown comically wide during Puma’s speech. I don’t know if he’s truly shocked to hear Standish ran a human trafficking ring or that we knew about it.

“The sex club that was blown up in Chicago was owned by Standish, right?” Puma asks, and Alberto nods. “Several crime families had members attending an event the night of the explosion, right?” Alberto nods again. “Standish kidnapped four innocent women for that event. Women who those attending planned to rape and kill.”

Alberto pales and stumbles back against the door of the bathroom. He grasps at the doorknob until he has it opened, then dashes in, falling in front of the toilet and heaving. He has had no food since the previous day, so it’s mostly dry heaves.

I glance at Puma, who is studying the man. “He didn’t know.” I whisper, and Puma nods in agreement.

Alberto rises unsteadily to his feet before shuffling over to the sink to rinse his mouth out with water.

“I didn’t know.” He whispers. “I swear to God, I didn’t know.” He looks at me and Puma. “I’m an asshole, yes. I don’t respect women as much as I probably should. But I would never do that to a woman. Ever. But what you’re saying… you think my boss’s sons and grandson were there to do that?”

Puma shrugs. “I don’t know. I know of at least one person who was there that night who thought he was just going to get his dick wet. When he heard the others talking about the actual plan, he bailed.”

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