Page 150 of 2045 Clementine Lane: Catherine

“Aiden…” Mani shakes his head. “We need to send this guy to hell. Just wait.”

I shake my head, incredulous. “Catherine is in there.” I am afraid of the violence in my own voice. “He justsoldher!” I’m vaguely aware that the recorded conversation is still taking place, but all I can focus on is getting to Cat.

“We can pick her up from Drakos,” Kane starts, but I turn for the door, disgusted with both of them.

I’ll do it myself. I’ll die trying. But Catherine is not spending another minute there.

My blood feels like fire in my veins. It burns, fueling me on. I push down the handle of the door.

Out of nowhere, blinding pain lances the back of my head.

I stagger slightly as my vision narrows.

The ground rushes at me…

Motherfucker.

Chapter 34

Aiden

When I come to,Mani is crouched over me, shouting my name. His voice rings in my ears. His face comes in and out of focus. There’s a gentle tapping on my face as he tries to get me to focus.

Slowly, I try to raise my right hand to rub at the bump on the back of my head, but it’s clunky and inoperable. I drop my gaze onto my lap. My hands are tied together at the wrist with a white cable tie.

Everything in me wells. Rage. Pain. Sadness. Fear. And when I meet Mani’s eyes, I don’t try to bank the betrayal. “Untie me.”

“Give him ten minutes to cool off.” At the window, Kane turns to face me, his eyes deceptively calm. “Sorry, man. But this case has been a year of my life. And you were about to blow it.”

I don’t reply. I look at Mani. “Untie me.”

But he takes a step back from me. “The girls left. Drakos took Catherine with him.” He whispers. “Even if you wanted Sascha, it’s too late now.”

“The transaction was completed offshore,” Kane adds from a safe distance away. “We have nothing.”

“We have five witnesses!” I shout.

“Five witnesses?” Kane laughs. “One is a victim. Oneboughther. Two—three—are legitimate prostitutes whowere therewillingly. And Primroseworks for them. The court would have a field day tearing that apart!”

I open my mouth, but Kane just sighs. “I’m sorry about your woman. But you know I’m right.”

When I look at Mani this time, he can’t meet my eyes.

We sit there, me tied on the floor like a wild animal, Mani and Kane waiting patiently.

Every inch of my being is vibrating with fury.

I’m on my own.

I’m thinking through logistics when my cell phone rings on the table.

Kane looks down at the screen. “It’s Antoinette.”

Mani doesn’t look at me. He walks to the phone and picks it up, answering it with a cool, “Antoinette?”

She must ask where I am because Mani’s eyes flicker in my direction. “He’s a little tied up at the moment.”

I listen, trying to piece together the one-sided conversation. “Okay. I’ll tell him.” Mani says, his face grimly set.

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