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She nodded. “I don’t want to be there. I don’t want to see the looks of pity on their faces.”
Roman’s heart clenched at her admission. “They won’t pity you, Angel.”
“They will. Of course, they will,” she retorted. “But I don’t want them to. I don’t want them to look at me differently after they know. I want them to still see me. Do you know what I mean?”
“I understand,” he said. “And I assure you, knowing how strong you are is only going to make them admire and love you more.”
Angela nodded her head, but he could tell she wasn’t convinced. He didn’t push. He left her in the care of Smith and Wesson, taking a quick shower, before throwing on jeans and a sweatshirt. He sent a message to Sal, asking him to rally the troops and meet him in the main conference room. Then he messaged Colt, posting him at the entrance to the apartment.
By the time Roman had kissed his now sleeping woman goodbye, Colt was already at the private elevator. He offered the bodyguard his hand. “Thank you for alerting me earlier. I appreciate it.” Colt had worked for Salvatore for years and was a good man. For an ex-convict.
Colt shook Roman’s hand firmly. “Of course. The Doc is good people. And I know she’s your priority. I’ve worked with Godfrey before and never got any bad vibes from him. But clearly, I was wrong. Sorry.”
“Not as sorry as I am. And not as sorry as he is going to be, I promise you,” Roman snarled. He went to step into the elevator but paused. “You’ve been on his security detail before?”
“Yes. Once. Last year,” Colt answered.
“What did Godfrey do while he was in the city?” Roman eyed the bodyguard shrewdly.
Colt shrugged. “Just went to a bunch of expensive restaurants and had meetings with a bunch of equally expensive-looking people.”
“What did they talk about?” Roman wanted as much information about Godfrey as he could get.
Colt shifted on his feet, looking regretful. “I have no idea. Sorry. I was never close enough to overhear. He always had me stand by the doors. But most people looked happy to see him.”
“I bet they were,” Roman muttered, jabbing the elevator button angrily. “Sal will have more questions for you. Be available.”
Colt didn’t so as much blink. “Of course.”
Roman trusted Colt with Angel—the bodyguard had proved himself loyal—but Roman planned to be as quick as possible. Thankfully, almost everyone was already seated at the huge oval table when he arrived, with Teague and Alaric following just steps behind. “Thanks for being prompt.”
“Whatever,” Morrigan snapped. “Just tell us what the hell is going on.”
Roman didn’t snap back even though he wanted to. He’d already gone a few rounds with Sal and Abel and his body was still smarting over it. He couldn’t afford to throw down with the deadly woman as well. Glancing at his two friends, he saw bruised faces with satisfaction. He hadn’t been lying to Angel earlier. He’d clearly won.
“The man we know as Godfrey isn’t who he seems. He is no longer an associate, but an enemy with a price on his head.” Roman looked at his security as he spoke, glad when they quickly pulled out their devices and began tapping away.
“What did he do to Angel?” Abel demanded. He was standing in the far corner, looking pissed off and lethal.
Roman glanced briefly at his brother, regretting the need to dredge up bad memories. Sal, noting the look, frowned and scooted his chair closer to Luca’s, placing a hand on his thigh. Roman nodded in thanks. “Godfrey also goes by the title of the Foreman. He’s in charge of a large-scale, perhaps international, human trafficking ring. He was responsible for the buying and selling of Angela for an almost two-year period when she was barely sixteen.”
“The fuck you say!” Abel shouted, heading for the door.
“Abel! You’re not going anywhere. Especially near Angel,” Roman ordered, knowing his friend well.
Abel didn’t let go of the door handle, but he did stop. “I don’t believe you.”
Roman met Abel’s blue gaze head-on. “I’m sorry,” was all he said. It was all he could think to say because he understood what the other man was feeling.
Abel’s angry expression faltered, and he leaned his back against the door. “No.”
“She was taken and trained like me?” Luca asked in a small voice.
Roman bit his tongue, unsure how much to reveal. Angel had asked him not to go into the gory details. But sometimes, not knowing was worse. In the end, he went with the truth, withholding specifics. “Not the same as you, mio fratello. She wasn’t placed into one household, but many. There were auctions. There were... many.” He shook his head.
Luca had been sold as a newborn infant. He had been raised within the walls of one house and trained. It had taken a long time to move past his conditioning. It was easy to forget what he had been through because he was such a happy, free-spirited young man. But Roman knew that smiles often hid pain.
“How could we not know about this? How have we been working with this guy?” Morrigan demanded. She looked pale but her eyes were flashing fire.
