Carson actually looks surprised by my idea. “That could work, and she’ll get a good education. I’ll look into it.”
“I don’t mind,” I offer.
Carson shakes his head. “I don’t want you involved.”
His phone vibrates, and I see the message.
Contract: Nezir Albu
Business: Arms dealer
Time Sensitive: 72 hours
Location: Romania
Fee: €6 000 000.00
My eyes zoom in on ‘arms dealer’ and ‘€6 000 000.00’, and then the screen goes black. Carson shoves the phone into his pocket.
When I glance up at him, his eyes are locked on my face, as if he’s expecting me to lose my shit.
“It’s okay,” I try to put him at ease, “If you need to check things and answer whoever sent it, MJ and I can go get something to eat.”
He shakes his head. “I need to take care of Dimpo before I take another contract.” Placing his hand on the side of my neck, he asks, “Are you really okay with what I do?”
I nod. “I am. You can really answer the message.”
Taking his phone out again, he responds.
Contract: Decline
“Someone else can take care of it,” Carson says. “Dimpo is my priority right now.” The corner of his mouth lifts. “And feeding you.”
“MJ’s paying,” I mutter as we walk to the front door. “She owes me for a month’s worth of food.”
When I open the door, MJ gets up from where she’s sitting on the stairs near my apartment. “Finally. I’m starving.”
“Oh hush, you had a big lunch while I was working.”
“And then I fought it all off.” She grins at me.
Carson shuts the door behind us, and we take the stairs down to the lobby. When we walk out of the building, Carson takes hold of my hand and weaves his fingers through mine while MJ falls in on my right.
They both keep glancing around us until I say, “I feel like a VIP with the way the two of you keep checking around us. I just need to get you matching suits and earpieces.”
Carson lets go of my hand, and wrapping his arm around my neck, he tugs me into his side. He presses a kiss to my temple then says, “Just making sure you’re safe.”
I wrap my arm around his lower back and grin up at him. “My badass boyfriend.”
CARSON
Thanks to Hailey’s idea, I got Dimpo into a private boarding school and arranged work for her mother on the premises, so they’re together.
I’ve just met the headmistress of the boarding school to make sure everything’s ready for Dimpo and her mother.
Lekgari told me everything there’s to know about Thandi and Dimpo. They’re Xhoza speaking, and since Thandi’s husband passed away, things have been hard for them. Work is scarce, and there are random bursts of violence where they live.
Driving to the address Lekgari gave me, the area becomes more littered with shacks as I enter what the locals call a squatter camp.
I search for the shack, which feels like an impossible task because they’re all stacked close together, and then I see Lekgari waving at me where he’s standing outside one. I bring the car to a stop, and getting out, I walk toward him.
I take his hand, and while we shake, I hear, “Mister! Mister!” Glancing over my shoulder, I watch as Dimpo comes running toward me. She slams into me, giving me a hug. Then she glances up at me with her bright smile. “You’re back.”
“Oooo… oooooh,” a woman cries, and my eyes snap toward her. I recognize her as Thandi, Dimpo’s mother.
“I told her you were the one who saved her daughter, so she would trust you,” Lekgari quickly explains.
Thandi comes to take hold of my hand, her features tight with gratefulness. “Thank you. Oh, thank you.”
Feeling uncomfortable with the attention, I say, “Don’t worry about it.”
“You brought my daughter back to me. I’m so happy,” Thandi says, her accent thick. “She’s all I have left.”
“Are you okay with me moving you to a safer place?” I ask.
“Yes,” Thandi smiles, her eyes welling with tears. “Oh, it’s been so bad. There’s no work. The Tsotsis are everywhere.”
“Tsotsis are bad people,” Lekgari explains.
“Are you ready?” I ask, glancing around at all the people gathering to watch.
“Yes.” He says something to Thandi in their native language, and she rushes into the shack. A couple of seconds later, she comes out carrying only one bag.
“Is that everything?” I ask.
“Yes, mister,” Thandi answers. “We can go.”
She seems to be in more of a hurry than I am. Dimpo sticks to my side as I open the back door of the car for them. I take the bag from Thandi and wait for her and Dimpo to get into the car, then I place it in the trunk.
Lekgari climbs into the passenger’s seat, and as I slide behind the steering wheel, he casually says, “Up ahead. Two men. The one has a soccer ball. They’re scouts for the trafficking people.”