“What do you think Alexei?” Vasili asked. “He’s got to be stopped.”
He was right, we had to stop Ivan. Every single boy in this fucked up world was in danger from that motherfucker. Áine King, Cassio’s wife, saved a group of boys in Russia almost a year ago. It started a chain of events that must have pushed Ivan over the edge because he made his attacks more personal. He targeted the cities of his enemies - New York, New Jersey, Baltimore and the D.C. area, Miami, and most of all New Orleans.
In fact, it seemed the state of Louisiana became Ivan’s main playground for kidnapping boys. And he didn’t even bother to be subtle about it. He must have grown desperate for more stock, as he called the little boys he used for his fighting rings and other despicable things once old enough. That fucker ensured he made hefty profits, draining us all dry - emotionally, mentally, and physically. Living through that kind of shit left a mark.
It was what drove me. My goals coincided alongside Cassio's and all his gang. Elimination of anyone who dealt in moving flesh. The unfortunate part was that each time we killed one human trafficker, there were two more stepping up.
But right now, I was focused on Ivan Petrov, the evil that still walked this earth. I wanted to gouge out his eyeballs, cut his fingers off, then cut off his balls, toes, ears, and end with his dick. So he could feel all the pain he inflicted over the years on everyone else.
For the past year, Vasili, Sasha, and I had traveled to all known locations trying to get eyes on Ivan and end his life. Cassio, Luca, and Nico helped too. Even Cassio’s wife. We all wanted to end Ivan’s organization. But he had become very good at hiding. And it would seem he no longer used the shelters I knew about.
Except something kept coming back to the forefront of my mind.
“There might be a way to get to Ivan,” I told my brother with finality.
ChapterTwo
AURORA
“Macchiato and a latte, please.”
I stifled another yawn. Goddamn it, I was exhausted. Since my team found ourselves in downtown New Orleans chasing a lead, a fake one, and wasted all night, I decided I’d at least treat myself to coffee before we got back to headquarters.
All night and it led nowhere.
Another boy went missing. Blond hair and blue eyes. It was very specific over the last few months. Then we got an anonymous tip that a boy of similar age and physical attributes was seen on the outskirts of the French Quarter. By the cemetery. It was an odd place any boy would find himself, but we followed up on all the leads at this point. Any one of them could mean the difference between life and death.
“Here you go, Officer.” I scrunched my eyebrows, my mood prickly from lack of sleep. What the fuck was he talking about? I wasn’t a cop.
Then I remembered, I still wore my FBI vest and my sidearm secured in the holster on my hip. It was on the tip of my tongue to correct him and tell him the right term was agent. Special agent if he wanted to be exact. It was a common mistake many made. But then I shrugged. It wasn’t worth it, and I was too tired to lecture someone on correct titles.
Grabbing the coffee off the counter, I murmured my thanks and headed back to the car. The second I exited the coffee shop, the hot, humid air hit me. July in New Orleans was no joke. It was humid as fuck and I swore the smell of alcohol, beignets, and some unidentifiable musty scent constantly lingered in the air. No amount of breeze could get rid of that scent.
I only moved to New Orleans about six months ago when the cases of kidnapped boys became more prominent in this area. I couldn’t quite decide if I liked it here or not. New Orleans always buzzed with life, but I was lonely here. It was a different kind of loneliness from the political and social life of D.C.
Besides, I always had my brothers and my best friends Willow and Sailor there. It was bearable with them around.
Here, it was too apparent what a loner I’d become. But the thoughts of my brother, Kingston, kept pushing me forward. I had to atone for my wrongdoings, make things right, find out what happened to him. I wouldn’t rest until I found him.
Shoving those dark thoughts aside, I strode to the black Ford Expedition where Jackson sat, waiting for me. He had been my partner for the last month, and before then, only whenever I went into the field. Over the last thirty days, I had been reassigned to work full-time in the field.
My brothers, being who they were, ensured that when I joined the agency, I got the safest possible job. Behind a desk. I worked my butt off over the last several years, and once I transferred over to New Orleans, I finally got my break. I was out in the field. Being a profiler, I was only allowed to gather information from the crime scene. But with this case, I took more of an active role. I was searching for the kidnapper.
It required a lot of convincing, but thankfully McGovan, my boss, was understaffed and I was willing. Yes, he worried about what the powerful Ashfords would do to him if they found out, but they’d never know. Not my father, nor my brothers, who were excessively protective. The former only cared about himself. Selfish bastard. Yes, he was my father, but only in name. He’d sacrificed his children and his morals for his political career.
Putting one coffee-to-go on top of the car, I opened the car door, then grabbed the coffee off the top of the car and slid inside.
“Here you go.”
I offered my partner his latte.
“You are a saint,” he muttered, stifling a yawn.
Both of us would be exhausted today. And we weren’t the best kind of cranky people. Hopefully we survived the day without killing each other. At least it was Friday. The best part was my brother and girlfriends were spending the weekend with me. Byron, my eldest brother, was checking up on me. I guess it was his turn - Royce, Winston, and Byron rotated with big brother duties. On some occasions, they’d get a bright idea and come together. Talk about over protective, but they did it with love, so I couldn’t complain too much.
I shut the door behind me and brought my macchiato to my lips.
“It’s going to be a long day,” I muttered.