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Dodd looked at Ralf, but I slammed my hand down on the table to get his attention.
“Arthur got her personal info from somewhere. I don’t know where. He didn’t tell me. But he had some people grab her.”
“What for?” I didn’t think I wanted to hear the answer, but I needed to know.
“He’s selling her to traffickers,” Dodd finally said. “And he said he needed to know who the people would be that’d look for her, because he couldn’t have nosy people working in his club.”
I glanced at Fury, the clenching of his jaw telling me he was just as furious about this as I was. “What else?”
Dodd shook his head. “That was it.”
“Dodd,” I warned.
He held up his hands. “I swear. I don’t know anything else.” He pointed at Ralf. “But he knows more. He’s been working with Dalton longer than I have.”
I turned to Ralf, pushing aside the flutter of nerves that came with being near him. The fact that they were a flutter and not a full-on panic attack was an accomplishment, and I knew it was because I had Fury with me. Not in some sort of ‘I needed a big strong man to defend me’ way, but rather just knowing I wasn’t alone, that someone had my back, gave me the courage to face off with a man who’d exploited me for years.
“It’s your turn to talk,” I said to him. “And don’t think for a minute I won’t break more than your nose.”
Ralf looked at Dodd, then at Fury, and finally turned his attention back to me. He folded his arms, and for a moment, I thought I’d have to follow through on my threat. While it was tempting, my hand hurt already. But he started talking instead.
“Dalton never would’ve found me if he hadn’t been digging up dirt on you.”
I took a step back at that. “What are you talking about?”
“Exactly what I said. Arthur was looking into all the managers and shit at that club, and you led him to me. I was, after all, your previous employer.” He leered at me, rocking his chair back on two legs.
“If you want to break something else but don’t want to hurt your hand, I’m sure we can find something to hit him with,” Fury said mildly.
All amusement vanished from Ralf’s face, and the chair dropped back on all fours with a thump.
“What else did he say?” I asked.
“He was interested in my ‘expertise,’” Ralf said.
“What the hell does that mean? Spell it out.” I spoke through gritted teeth.
“He offered me a shitload of money for my girls,” Ralf said. “Which is why I need to know where Lulu is. He paid for her. When I figured out she went to you, I realized that was a chance I couldn’t pass up.”
“A chance for what?” I asked.
“A chance to deliver you.” He shrugged. “Dalton said he’d give me a bonus if I could get you for him. Said it’d piss off two guys you were important to.”
“So even if I’d been able to tell you where Lulu was, you weren’t going to leave me alone,” I hissed.
“It ain’t personal, sweetheart,” Ralf said. “Just business. Like it always was.”
“Must’ve pissed both of you off when you realized your plan failed,” I said. “No money for you and no revenge for him.”
Dodd snickered.
I shot him a glare. “What’s so funny?”
He shrugged, and I took a step toward him. He held up his hands. “Damn. All right. You don’t need to get all violent on me. I was just laughing because Arthur doesn’t have anything to be pissed about. He found a better mark.”
Fury and I exchanged glances, both of us confused.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked.
