The next auction won’t be a recon mission. It’ll be an assault. Broker identified or not—we’re going in. Because I can’t risk Nell being found.
Not again. Not ever.
This one was a lone predator. Next time, we might be outnumbered. And when that day comes, I plan to be ready.
As for the intruder, he’s going exactly where he belongs—buried beneath the new garage foundations I’ve started laying. By tomorrow, a ton of cement will seal him under for good.
A permanent grave. Right under my nose. Easy to keep tabs on.
I make a mental note to call the contractors first thing. He’ll vanish like he never existed.
Talia’s already taken care of the other evidence—quiet and efficient, as always.
“We need to be careful,” Talia says, flicking dirt from her gloves. “If the girls hear gunfire at the auction, it’ll be chaos. One stray shot and we could lose them. We need either Nell or Kyla in there to help guide the girls out.”
She’s right. This can’t turn into a frenzy. We’re here to extract victims—not bury them.
Still, I wasn’t planning on involving Nell. She’s been through enough. Keeping her close but away from the front lines felt safer. But after tonight?
She’s ready.
And I think I’ve finally figured out how to use that fire inside her.
“I’ll talk to her first,” I say, wiping sweat from my brow and setting my tools aside. “But if we put her up as bait we need to make it look legit—we wait till everyone’s inside… then we drop the hammer. She keeps the girls safe. We make sure nobody walks out except us.”
Talia nods once, calculating. “But there’s no guarantee the Broker will be there.”
“I know. I still don’t have a name, just whispers. But we don’t have time to keep playing it slow. If they’ve figured out Nell’s location, or that I’m not who I say I am… it’s over.”
I pace a few steps, visualising the play.
“In buyer gear, I blend in. You do the extraction. They won’t be able to tell us apart under cover. But I can’t lie low anymore. Not while Nell’s vulnerable. Most of the bastards we’re after will be there. That’s our shot and we need to take it.”
Talia’s already scanning the horizon, gears turning in that razor-sharp mind. We both know we’re out of time.
I’ll figure out how they tracked her, but it will have to come after.
Same goes for Kyla. If they find her? She won’t survive round two. I won’t let her get dragged back into the dark.
Once the intruder’s body is buried beneath a thin layer of soil, I make a direct line for Nell. Talia’s already shifting into planning mode—her focus is razor-sharp, her resolve locked in. Tomorrow’s operation needs every moving piece primed, but before anything else, I need to know where Nell stands.
She’s curled on the sofa like nothing’s happened, one hand wrapped around a steaming bowl of noodles, the other lazily flipping through channels.
My gaze flicks to the kitchen counter and I instantly regret it. I swear, it’s like a food tornado hit. Crumbs, sauce splatters, seasoning packets everywhere. It’s chaos.
And weirdly enough? It doesn’t bother me anymore.
The mess is hers. It means she’s here. Safe.
That’s something I can live with.
“Hungry?” I drop into the seat beside her, flexing my fists subtly to hide the dirt still clinging to my knuckles.
“You want some?” she asks, gesturing with her fork. When I don’t immediately respond, she starts to rise, all ready to make me a bowl.
“No, I’m good,” I say quickly. Too quickly. Her eyes narrow with suspicion.
“You sure?”
