The Billionaire(27)

She found four more connections in the next hour. The more she found the  more nervous I became that this thing was bigger than even I could've  imagined.

I started seeing crazy patterns that led to an even more disturbing trend if that were possible.

Had we not been using highly untraceable computer software I would've  stopped after the first two hours. As it was I wanted to stop her before  we went any farther; but I knew I couldn't do that. It might raise more  questions if I did.

I'm going to have to wait until she took her nap to look into where my  suspicions were leading me. I almost regretted getting her involved;  this was bigger than her father and his evil. This was beyond the  terrorizing of a young girl who had been reared for whatever sick,  sinister purpose these three had been harboring. Where my mind and the  research were leading was to an evil so profound only the very evil  could've come up with this shit.





I fed her lunch and her meds before putting her to sleep. I laid in the  bed with her head on my chest until her breathing evened in slumber.  She'd had a long day and fucking her like rodeo bull hadn't helped I'm  sure but damn she makes me hard. Even now after only having had her a  few short hours ago I wanted her again. It seems I will always want her.  She was being so strong doing this when I knew it couldn't be easy for  her.

"My brave girl, I'm glad I found you in time."

With one last soft kiss to her forehead I eased out from under her and retreated to my study.

I automatically turned on the monitor for the master bedroom so I could  keep an eye on her in case she awakened and needed me. I had no doubt  that the subject matter I was about to uncover would break her heart,  how could it not? She'd lived this nightmare she knew better than I what  these monsters were capable of.

I just hope I don't live to regret getting her involved in this. In the  beginning the thought of her having a hand in bringing about the demise  of her tormentors seemed like the best thing, but with where this thing  was going, I was afraid she'd have more heartache before we were  through.

What I expected to find I wasn't sure, I just had the feeling that  wherever these two had been together, there might be something. The  something I was finding was leading me to believe that either my wife  had been a very lucky girl, or there was more than one thing going on  here.

Right before my eyes a pattern started to unfold. Wherever senator  Thompson and Dr. Seals have been together there have been a  disappearance and Amber alerts within hours or a day or two after their  arrivals.

In most cases the disappearances were of little girls. There didn't seem  to be a set type to the victims other than that they were all between  the ages of three and ten.

The implications made me sick to my fucking stomach, but before I went  off half cocked and offed the fuckers I needed more information. This  was going to take all my resources. I'm going to need every man on my  security team on this because if what I suspected was true, we were in  way over our heads. I picked up the phone to start the ball rolling.

"Gage, I need you to bring in as much of the team as you can. Leave the  men on Sanders, Starks, the Senator and the doctor, but everyone else is  needed. Don't worry about Halston that's already being taken care of.

I'll meet you in the underground office at oh six hundred, no one is to  say anything. I want only those men you know you can trust completely in  on this."

"What's going on boss?"

"Some sick shit it looks like, even worst than we suspected and that's pretty fucked up to begin with."

"You on the secured?"

"Yep."

"Wanna give me a heads up at least?"

I took a long time to answer, it was one thing to suspect someone of  something and quite another to actually accuse. What the fuck, what  they'd done to my Blossom revoked all their rights as human beings fuck  them.

"I think these fucks have been stealing children from the U.S. and  selling them. Mostly in Southeast Asia, you know what that sounds like  right?"

"Fuck!"

"Yeah, forget trials, they're done."

"You were gonna end them anyway boss we both know that. I'll be there at  six; you do know that if this is true your bride might be in even more  danger right?"

"Yeah, but the fucks and whoever they send will have to get through me  first. I need to get the latest tapes from Sanders' house I need to know  what he knows, or what he's been saying lately. Then I'll go from  there, but if they get too close take the shot, tell your men that's  first and foremost. I'll deal with the fall out but if these fucks or  any of their goons come sniffing around here I want them taken out."                       
       
           



       

I hung up the phone knowing that I'd just given the order to take the  life of a United States senator. I give less than a dry fuck. I couldn't  find any remorse in myself for the action. If they came after her then  they'd die. Whether by my hand or one of the men I paid I'd deal with  it, but they weren't ever getting near her again.





Chapter 22



I met with the guys in the underground office I'd had set up for highly sensitive meetings like this.

Gage, Dmitri, Stefan and Maurice sat across from me going over the printouts I'd made for them of what I'd found so far.

"Are you fucking shitting me?" Maurice was out of his seat in a  fighter's stance, fists folded, ready for action; ever the hot head.

"What I don't understand is why Southeast Asia? Don't they usually just  exploit their own kids?" Stefan threw down his copy in disgust.

"I think there's more going on here we have to keep digging because this  shit doesn't make any sense. It's like Stefan said, that region is  known for its fucked up perversions against kids, but why would these  two assholes be selling American kids over there?"

"So what do you think Dmitri, any ideas?" I too had wondered about that,  it didn't exactly make sense but I couldn't figure out the missing  link. I kept an eye on the monitor on my desk where I could see Ashley  still asleep. Surrounded by all this ugliness, all I wanted to do was  wrap her up in cotton and keep her safe.

I hated that they had been anywhere near her, that they'd had their filthy hands on her.

The fact that her father had been the one to bring them into her life  made me want to disembowel the bastard instead of just shooting his ass.

"I don't know boss but whatever this is it's not good."

"What have we got from the Sanders house Gage?"

"Nothing much of interest to this, he's been kind of quiet since Halston was left in his front yard."

"I think I need to pay him a visit, he might have some answers as to what the fuck is going on here."

"I'm thinking we kill all these fucks and be done with it."

"Maurice if we did that then we'll never know what's going on here.  There has to be more people involved, if you look at the printouts  you'll see a pattern, let's put these together and see what we come up  with."

I'd known the men would have to blow off some steam before we got down  to business, this mess would put even the staunchest person over the  edge.

"When do you want to hit the cop?" Gage looked ready for action as usual.

"Not before we come up with some kind of idea as to what the hell we're dealing with here."

"Let's get to it then this shit is leaving a bad taste in my mouth." Maurice dropped back into his seat.





Half an hour later while we were buried in ugliness Ashley started tossing and turning on the screen. I hit the off switch.

"Be right back guys."

She was sitting up by the time I got there looking rumpled and just a little lost.

"Hey babygirl had a nice nap?"

"Uh huh, I'm hungry." She rubbed her eyes like a toddler.

Shit, how the hell had I let time get away from me? I hadn't made her  anything; thankfully mom had prepared meals and stocked the freezer.

"What'll it be love, we have..."

"Pizza."

"You want pizza?"

She gave me the biggest grin and I was reminded that the tyrant had  forbidden her fast food, so pizza, although not ideal while she was  recovering would be a treat for her, there's no way I was going to deny  her.

"Pizza it is, what do you want on it?"

Her face scrunched up as though she didn't quite know how to answer.

"How about everything?" I ruffled her hair.

"Okay sounds good."

I lifted the phone and placed an order for five extra-large pies, which  made her eyes pop out of her head, which in turn made me grin.

"Five pizzas?" She squealed after I hung up.

"My security team is downstairs."

"Is something wrong?" Instant fear.

Will there ever be a time when she didn't show fear? When her first  instinct wasn't danger? I know it's too soon, we've only just begun  although it feels like we've known each other a lifetime. I hate every  moment of insecurity she feels, it's like a stake through the heart.