He shook his head. “It’s not like that. At least not anymore. With Ben at the helm, we’re cleaning up. For years we’ve watched our fathers use us as pawns. We’re not playing by those rules. But there is a code. You aren’t supposed to know anything about it for starters.”
I tried to follow along as he told me how they’d been recruited, the training they had to go through. The lengths that some would go to in order to hold onto power. And the most interesting tidbit of them all… that Ben Covington was now at the helm.
“So two months ago when you handed me the sex trafficking case, that was what, to get me off your scent? Van Linsted was a way to keep me busy?”
East scowled. “No. Bram Van Linsted is a liar. His family held onto their power and position for thirty years, and to move against them meant unpleasant, even dangerous, consequences. And that corruption you talk about. The filth of power. That was everything they stood for. And it was vile. We couldn’t let it continue once we knew. But we couldn’t very well tell you directly.”
My brain tried desperately to fit the jigsaw pieces together. “The trafficking ring. Was that part of the cleanup?”
He nodded. “The men involved. They went after Liv.”
The knot in my stomach tightened. “Christ. Because of Covington?”
His voice was soft when he spoke. “No. She stumbled into it because of a book she was writing. So we had to protect her.”
“Jesus.”
He voice was low. “Nyla. I don’t trust anyone. But I’m trusting you with this.”
I could see it in his eyes. I didn’t want to see it. I wanted him to be lying. But no. He was telling the truth about all of it.
The real question was, what was I going to do with the truth?
15 Nyla
I was still reeling from East’s confession when I shoved my keys into my lock. The hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention when the knob turned easily.
I pulled out my phone, set it to dial 999, and then eased myself into my flat, turning on the lights as I went, checking and clearing the tiny powder room off to the right and then the hallway. It was when I rounded the corner that I saw the actual reason for my alarm.
Denning, on the couch with a glass of scotch in his hand, watching my bloody TV. "Jesus fucking Christ, I could have killed you."
"But you won't." His voice was surly and gruff.
"What are you doing here, Denning?"
As I asked him, I kept my phone in my hand, with the panic button at the ready as I turned on the lights.
He winced as light flooded the room. "Do you mind turning off the lights?"
I shook my head. "Yes, I mind. There's a strange man in my flat. So I'm not going to turn off the lights so you can get along with murdering me."
"You know full well I'm not going to hurt you."
"Do I? And look, for the record, you are trespassing. I’m an Interpol officer."
"And so am I."
The inherent threat had my hackles up. "This place is littered with cameras, live recording and sent to an offsite feed. So just think about that."
He sighed and sat back as he cradled his glass. "You think I would actually hurt you?"
"Well, considering you've done actual harm to me, then, yes. My answer is yes."
He sighed again and then shook his head. "You don't know anything at all, do you?"
"Nope, I guess I don't. What do you want? And please, just cut the bullshit and tell me why you’re here so you can get the fuck out."
"Are you fucking East Hale?"
My jaw dropped and I sputtered. “What the fuck?”
“It’s a simple question.”
“First of all, as you’re my ex, it’s none of your business. Second of all, as my boss, you have no right to ask me who the hell I’m fucking. That’s an HR violation.”
“Don’t evade, Nyla.”
"You really don't have any right to an answer. Especially not after what you did to me."
He cursed under his breath and then sat forward. "Fine. I don't have the right to ask. But you know as well as I do that we couldn't continue the way we were."
"Ah, you know what?” Still holding my phone, I folded my arms across my chest. “I don't even know what this is about. All I know is that you are in my flat uninvited, asking questions that are none of your business, and it's time for you to go."
He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "I know how things ended up hurt you, and I went about it the wrong way. I should have told you before I took the job."
"You think this is about the job?” I stared him down. “No, this is about you being creepy as fuck right now."
"Look, I saw an opportunity and I took it. Unfortunately, I had to give you and our relationship up in the process. You think that doesn't haunt me every day?"
"Oh my God, yeah, you look so haunted with your young grad student plastered against your side.”
"Look, just seeing you with him today and him putting his hands on you like he owns you—“
I held up my hand to cut him off. "Well, there’s your first problem. Assuming that someone could own me. Your second problem is being an overall douche. I know you can't help it. It's just part of who you are. Since we're doing this right now, I'm going to point out your shortcomings. First of all, you broke in here like some kind of creeper. You are my boss. What the hell are you doing here?"
"I didn't like how Hale was looking at you. Like he owned you. I hated it. You have to be careful with him.”
