Page 125 of Forbidden Wish

“Do you believe that? That Bryan did it alone?”

“No. Though I’ll bet he’s no saint,” Sersha said with matching expression. “But if anyone asks me, I know nothing.”

Infuriated, she couldn’t be as blasé. “You wrote about this family. You spent time investigating—”

“The past,” she said. “I never shook my rattle at the cops. Never revealed a source. And always, always, wrote in hypotheticals. There’s drama and intrigue enough around these families. People read the name ‘Manzani’ or ‘McDade’ or ‘Gambatto’ and they’re doing all the work themselves to make it salacious. Imagination is our best friend. A current investigation, one looking into present and specific wrongs, shit, Imogen, I’m sorry, but I’m surprised you’re still alive. You’re on Silvio’s radar and you don’t ever want to be there.”

“You’re on it.”

“No, I sort of skirt and skip round the edges, just an inch out of range.”

“You think he’ll kill me?”

“Killing you draws attention to you. Puts your dad on the warpath, your brother, your boyfriend. That’s my guess why you’re still alive.”

“So I’m safe?”

“Wouldn’t go that far. There is a limit to their patience. Sometimes these guys just snap. Besides, there’s a whole lot that can come before death. Believe me, you don’t want any part of that.”

Torture, like the victims had endured. A star in the movie. Jagg was right, the next one could be her, if she wasn’t careful. Keeping her alive would give Silvio a way to manipulate her family.

“What about Vex?”

“Nooo…” Sersha said, drawing out the sound. “Forget you know his name.”

“But Stephanie was there, at his club.”

“Where?”

“Where? Hustle.”

“Where in Hustle?”

“I don’t know, Vex’s room, the separate part of the—”

“The people who get in there are Evander’s people, Vex’s people. Sometimes those people bring other people. If one of his guy’s brought a woman, maybe a woman he wanted to control by showing her what she could’ve won, Vex wouldn’t bat an eye. Women, even almost naked women, they sort of don’t register to a guy like him. One who has whatever he wants, whenever he wants. Why do you think he has to go to an extreme like Hustle?”

This was an unwinnable battle. Silvio in prison? What good would that do? Okay, so it would do a lot of good, but would come at a hefty price. And who would take over? Vex? The city would be no safer.

“I only want them to be safe.”

“You want an opinion from the inside? A chance of keeping other women safe?”

Was that hope? She almost didn’t want to embrace the morsel. “Yes. How do we do that?”

“You have one untapped source. Someone you haven’t talked to or investigated.”

“Who?”

“Ludlow.”

Plain as day. Damnit.

“Do you know him?” she asked.

“Personally? No.”

“But you could get to him? Find out where he is?”

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