Page 87 of Coveted By Cupid

The only explanation I can assume for her absence in public is that she must be on lockdown after escaping Kirill and Mikhail. Can’t say I blame her. I’ve seen firsthand how terrifying these traffickers are. I’d go into hiding too if I were certain they wouldn’t follow me.

No, it’s best to play the long game, to squeeze every penny I can from the job to pay for the rest of my tuition and make something of myself from this horrid situation before attempting to leave the Black Market Railroad organization.

Besides, I’m not leaving without Vanessa. She’ll be more pliable after I pull her out of the sex ring, willing to forgive me for my past transgressions against her when I’m the hero in her story.

Kirill and Mikhail are lying low after the warehouse they used to hide our trafficked victims was raided. Supposedly, it was the Feds. At least that’s who was on sight when Kirill and Mikhail came upon the aftermath. However, none of Kirill’s men survived—the merchandise gone.

Feds might shoot a threat, but they don’t do a clean sweep of every perpetrator. Nah, someone else did the dirty work, taking out all of Kirill’s men like vermin before the Feds arrived.

Kirill is certain it was the Royal Bastards MC, considering the president of the MC was the one stopping them from taking Vanessa. Mikhail isn’t sure we can’t rule out the Mercy Ravens MC, who are known for busting trafficking rings.

Who do I think it is?

I have no proof, but I’m pretty sure it involves Cupid. The man is violently unpredictable. He seems like the type to walk into a warehouse full of armed thugs and unload on everyone.

Unfortunately for me, I can’t reveal to Kirill or Mikhail that I’ve had a run-in with Cupid before and that he has ties to my ex-girlfriend. I might as well dig my grave if I come clean about it.

Regardless of who’s behind the bust, Kirill and Mikhail are hiding—at my goddamn apartment of all places. It’s not exactly relaxing sleeping in an apartment with Russian fugitives sharing the same space. I can only speculate they’re staying at my place instead of Riley’s because they’re doubting my loyalty after they had caught me in my lie about my connection to Vanessa when I suggested her for the trade. Being monitored by the traffickers only makes me more anxious about them staying in my home.

With matters involving Vanessa, I’m on my own. Kirill told me as soon as I can confirm her location, they’d make the grab. Until then, I’m without her, playing host to criminals and trying to keep Riley from getting into my pants.

“Come on, Vanessa! I know you’re in there.” There’s nowhere else she can be.

Obnoxious whistling cuts through the pounding of my fist on the door. A college-aged guy comes waltzing up to Vanessa’s apartment door, cutting his tune short and eyeing me with suspicion. “Can I help you?”

Annoyed, I suppress my eye roll and turn toward the guy. “Not likely unless you can tell me whether Vanessa is home.”

He shakes his head, pointing at the apartment. “Don’t know any Vanessas, but I can confirm she’s not in there.”

Shouldering past me, he inserts a key into her apartment door lock, turning the handle. It pops open, revealing a completely different space. For a moment, I’m floored, unable to comprehend what I’m seeing. I push past the guy, forcing my way into the apartment.

“Hey, man! Get out of my place,” the guy says, miffed that I’ve entered the unit.

Nothing in the studio apartment is as it was. All of Vanessa’s belongs are gone. The shelves of books have been replaced with a large desk with two computer monitors and an oversized gaming chair in front of the setup. Gone are her precious plants and the vintage pinups. Anime posters line the walls now. Mismatched furniture has replaced her IKEA furniture, aside from the cursed burgundy couch she caught me and Riley fucking on, most likely picked up off the curb.

Vanessa is gone.

Panicked, I grab the guy by the front of his jacket. “The girl who lived here, where did she go?”

He shoves me away, brushing himself off as if I’ve soiled him by laying hands on him. “The hell if I know. I just moved in. Go ask a neighbor.”

“I have,” I snap, running a hand through my hair. “None of them are speaking to me.”

“Can’t imagine why,” he says sarcastically. “You seem like an absolute delight to converse with.”

“Fuck you,” I say, storming past him and out of the apartment.

“Fuck you too, man! Whoever Vanessa is, she dodged a bullet,” he shouts out of the apartment after me before slamming his door shut.

Heated, I punch the wall in the hallway of the complex as I leave the building, cursing and shaking out my hand.

Sonofabitch. I’m in trouble.

Kirill is expecting me to find Vanessa and make good on our deal. He’s already at the end of his rope after losing the property at the industrial park and all the people being kept there. If I can’t produce Vanessa, he’ll lose his shit on me.

A familiar car pulls along the curb near where I’m walking. The window rolls down and I hear, “Boden, there you are!”

I shut my eyes with a groan.