Page 101 of Selling Innocence

I couldn’t argue with that. We’d thought we had some rich spoiled brat in our custody, but come to find out, we’d been really damn wrong. Who knew we’d had the pup of an entire wolf pack?

I sure don’t want to tangle with that pack if they come looking…

I drew my hand into a fist as I thought about how close we’d come to serious danger without even realizing it. If the Quad had found out we’d all but abducted their little sister…

I shuddered to think about the hell they’d rain down on us.

Not that we couldn’t handle it, but if we hadn’t even known?It could have easily turned into a bloodbath.

“She didn’t rat us out,” Vance said. “When the Fox asked her about us, she could have told him what we’d done, could have asked for help, but she didn’t. She lied to him and said we hadn’t done anything to her.”

Which brought up the other thing she’d said, the part none of us had mentioned.

Her words still echoed in my head, the ones that had come through our bug. I love them.

She loved us? I shook my head at the foolish idea. She didn’t love us—she didn’t even know what love was. Even if she did, she was far too young and trusting to be making such claims.

“It’s just more proof that she’s too innocent,” Char said. “She should know better than to fall for people like us. She stupidly protected us instead of herself.”

“And she was turning herself over to Lorien for us, too,” I pointed out. “She was headed for that hotel just to keep us safe, to make sure Lorien didn’t target us.”

Just saying that made my temper sour, and I was glad she slept soundly in the other room instead of seeing my expression. Just the thought of her handing herself over made me feel as if I’d lose my sanity. What would that piece of shit do to her if he got his hands on her?

I won’t let that happen.

But how was I supposed to deal with a girl so ready to sacrifice herself? How was I supposed to protect someone who didn’t seem to give a damn about her own life?

My clients hired me because they wanted to live, typically, and they did as I said because they valued their lives. Did she not care about hers?

No, that wasn’t it. That was my frustration speaking. I knew she valued her life, but she valued ours more. Maybe she understood love better than I did, then?

“So what now?” Vance asked. “We know who she is, have a better understanding of why Lorien is after her, but what does it change?”

“Not much,” I admitted. “It doesn’t give us any real leverage. If we expose what we know about her, it’d only put her in more danger. Instead of one psycho after her, she’d have countless ones.”

“Kyler William’s fucking daughter,” Char muttered to himself as if he’d yet to fully come to terms with that revelation.

“He’s not much like her, is he?”I said.

“You knew him?” Vance asked.

“Not much. I’d met him before, on a few jobs. I’ve done security work on the West Coast, and some of my clients weren’t the best people. I ran into him from time to time. He was a serious man with cold, calculating eyes. I’ve heard plenty about him, though, and none of it’s been good.”

“Yeah, well, he’s nothing compared to Nem who took over,” Char said. “Maybe the apple didn’t fall far from that crazy tree. I wasn’t kidding when I called her a psycho. Her territory is peaceful, but that peace comes at a steep price. Anyone who causes trouble is dealt with in a very bloody way. I heard about someone who got into trafficking young girls, and my understanding is that they’re still finding pieces of him all over that city.”

I tried to picture Kenz surviving among people like that. I thought about her sweet smile, about the way she seemed entirely defenseless, and that didn’t fit at all with the people I knew about. How could she keep being the person she was after living with and being raised by monsters like that?

How had she not turned into the same?

“Nothing changes,” I finally said. “Her history helps us understand why Lorien wants her, or at least why he’s targeted her. We’ve got to buy time and make sure Kenz doesn’t do anything as stupid as this stunt again.”

“Then what?” Vance asked. “Delaying only pushes the risk down the line. We still have no way to draw him out since he wants to make the exchange at a hotel. He’s too smart to fall for the bug or tracker trick, either, so it’s not like we can use her as bait and just follow her.”

We are not using her as bait. The words scrolled across my screen from Tor after my phone chimed.

“I’m not planning to use her as bait. I don’t think any of us are okay with that idea anymore.”

Except Kenz. No doubt that girl would have done it in a heartbeat if we asked her to, which was the exact reason we had to keep her away from this.

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