Haunting-Adeline
I shake my head, dumbfounded. “You’re her boss?”“I guess you could say that. I started my organiza on from the groundup, and once it got big enough, I took plenty of people on. They have theirobjec ves and the people they report to. But we all have the same goal.”“Which is?” I press.“Bring the girls home.”My chest constricts, and I have the sudden urge to… I don’t know, dosomething. I don’t know how I’m feeling—completely bewildered, forstarters.I turn my head to look out the window, contempla ng his words. He’sbeing upfront, but I get the feeling he’s s ll holding back.“So, you’re helping to save children and women from sex trafficking,” Iconclude. While it doesn’t seem like a lie, it just seems too… simple.“Yes,” he confirms. “I do my own work on the side to bring in the fundsto support the organiza on. Luckily, it's something that allows me, myemployees, and every survivor we rescue to live comfortably. But that isn'tthe only thing we do. The government takes advantage of the public inmore ways than stealing their kids. The enslavement of children andwomen is just my primary focus.”“Okay,” I say slowly, trying to ignore the flu ering in my stomach. “Whatexactly is Mark involved in?”He sighs, curling his fingers ghter around the steering wheel. “Heperformed a sadis c ritual on a child. A sacrifice of some sort. Someonerecorded and leaked a video of it happening, and another one just leaked.”I cringe, closing my eyes against the pain in my chest. How could anyonedo something so vile?“Does Daya know about what’s happening with Mark?”“No. The rituals and Mark’s involvement have been kept under wraps.I’m not ready to expose that un l I take them down. It’s something I’vebeen handling mostly by myself.”I nod, understanding the implica on. Don’t tell Daya.“So that’s why you’re under a different alias. Why not give me a differentname?”“Because you’re an average ci zen and finding out who you really arewould be so incredibly easy, it’s almost laughable. Me, on the other hand,not so much,” he answers, shoo ng another smirk my way.
Ugh. The arrogance.His face turns serious. “This is why I didn’t want you involved. But I’mafraid Mark has already taken no ce of you and I’d rather you be close tome. At least this way, I know you’re safe.”I face him, eyeing him closely. He’s relaxed into his seat, his long legsspread, one hand draped over the wheel and the other res ng on thearmrest between us.I force myself to focus and ignore the way my chest is clenching from justone look.Just because the sun is pre y doesn’t mean it’s not dangerous to stareat, Addie."I believe that you'll protect me from Mark, but who's going to protectme from you?"His gaze sweeps the en rety of my body, and his eyes blaze withpossessiveness. “Whoever tries is going to end up dead.”My eyes thin. “How can you work to save women while ac vely stalkinganother?” I challenge, cocking a brow.He has the nerve to look amused. I have no idea what could possibly beso funny about stalking someone.“I’ve never stalked anyone before you,” he says simply. “Not outside ofmy job, at least. Definitely not for roman c purposes.”I give him a face, my expression full of incredulity.“Is that supposed to make me feel special?”A slow, wicked smirk glides across his face, unbothered by myincreasingly burning stare. “I wouldn’t mind if it did.”I want to slap him. But the asshole would probably like it, and then turnaround and slap me back. And my dumbass self would probably like it, too.I’m fucked in the head. And dealing with this man—I am beyondstressed. This just can’t be good for my skin.Scoffing, I turn my head out the window and spend the rest of the carride in tense silence. The atmosphere has only worsened, and I can’t tell ifit’s because I now know he’s some vigilante, saving children and womenfrom evil people, or if it’s because he confessed that he’s only ever turnedinto a psycho for me. S ll, both prospects have shi ed the way I look athim.
- Page 213 and 214: Immediately, he dives for cover, pu
- Page 215 and 216: exactly alike when laid on their de
- Page 217 and 218: I enter into what looks like a foye
- Page 219 and 220: While Mark was burning his cigar on
- Page 221 and 222: Addie won’t ever have to worry ab
- Page 223 and 224: wary, and then resigned. Tears line
- Page 226 and 227: Chapter 21The Manipulator’m stewi
- Page 228 and 229: about the gun incident. I don’t t
- Page 230 and 231: Maybe I just want to be able to say
- Page 232 and 233: My world spins as I stumble up the
- Page 234 and 235: And then I climb up on the bed, in
- Page 236 and 237: I’ll never tell him how glorious
- Page 238 and 239: When the last bit of cum drops from
- Page 241 and 242: Chapter 22The Shadowy li le mouse d
- Page 243 and 244: As Mark drones on about some bill h
- Page 245 and 246: “S’all good,” I say calmly, s
- Page 247 and 248: Addie shakes her head, closing her
- Page 249 and 250: “Oh, I know that case!” Mark ex
- Page 251 and 252: Sighing, I push out of my chair and
- Page 253 and 254: wild with hunger. I’m ravenous an
- Page 255 and 256: I frown. “What makes you think he
- Page 257 and 258: Zade picks me up in a classic Musta
- Page 259 and 260: “The hell are you doing, Zade?”
- Page 261 and 262: I glare up at him, tears s ll linin
- Page 263: Oh, what a fine gentleman you’re
- Page 268 and 269: Chapter 24The Manipulators there an
- Page 270 and 271: downright boring.The inside is even
- Page 272 and 273: another senator. I guess the story
- Page 275 and 276: Chapter 25The Shadowf I spend anoth
- Page 277 and 278: The girl gets off on fear. The mome
- Page 279 and 280: “If you were my li le girl, I wou
- Page 281 and 282: I groan, the feel of her ass diggin
- Page 283 and 284: Releasing her face, my hand dri s t
- Page 285 and 286: Chapter 26The Manipulator’m seeth
- Page 287 and 288: if I had to guess on what type of m
- Page 289 and 290: "Now, of course, when my father tol
- Page 291 and 292: told John he didn’t give a shit w
- Page 293 and 294: I open my mouth, ready to pry, but
- Page 295 and 296: “Because you’re not listening.
- Page 297 and 298: "You trauma zed me."He leans down a
- Page 299 and 300: “Or what?” he challenges. I sig
- Page 302 and 303: Chapter 27The Manipulator’m just
- Page 304 and 305: worse and probably end up leaving.
- Page 306 and 307: me. He makes it a point to stay on
- Page 308 and 309: My phone vibrates in my hand, and I
- Page 310 and 311: “How did you even come into conta
- Page 312 and 313: preparing for it.“He hasn’t sai
I shake my head, dumbfounded. “You’re her boss?”
“I guess you could say that. I started my organiza on from the ground
up, and once it got big enough, I took plenty of people on. They have their
objec ves and the people they report to. But we all have the same goal.”
“Which is?” I press.
“Bring the girls home.”
My chest constricts, and I have the sudden urge to… I don’t know, do
something. I don’t know how I’m feeling—completely bewildered, for
starters.
I turn my head to look out the window, contempla ng his words. He’s
being upfront, but I get the feeling he’s s ll holding back.
“So, you’re helping to save children and women from sex trafficking,” I
conclude. While it doesn’t seem like a lie, it just seems too… simple.
“Yes,” he confirms. “I do my own work on the side to bring in the funds
to support the organiza on. Luckily, it's something that allows me, my
employees, and every survivor we rescue to live comfortably. But that isn't
the only thing we do. The government takes advantage of the public in
more ways than stealing their kids. The enslavement of children and
women is just my primary focus.”
“Okay,” I say slowly, trying to ignore the flu ering in my stomach. “What
exactly is Mark involved in?”
He sighs, curling his fingers ghter around the steering wheel. “He
performed a sadis c ritual on a child. A sacrifice of some sort. Someone
recorded and leaked a video of it happening, and another one just leaked.”
I cringe, closing my eyes against the pain in my chest. How could anyone
do something so vile?
“Does Daya know about what’s happening with Mark?”
“No. The rituals and Mark’s involvement have been kept under wraps.
I’m not ready to expose that un l I take them down. It’s something I’ve
been handling mostly by myself.”
I nod, understanding the implica on. Don’t tell Daya.
“So that’s why you’re under a different alias. Why not give me a different
name?”
“Because you’re an average ci zen and finding out who you really are
would be so incredibly easy, it’s almost laughable. Me, on the other hand,
not so much,” he answers, shoo ng another smirk my way.
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