“I can’t. You promised you’d protect me. I can talk to Violet and come to an understanding. I don’t want anything from you, Cadeon.”
Shaking his head, Cadeon stood and walked over to the window.
“You know he’s not coming back. Everyone made sure he’d stay in that cell for the rest of his life,” he said.
“I know.” Her voice was so small and fragile.
“The club will protect you, Rebecca. All I ask is that you try. I know you liked Tate and Kevin. I’ve seen you with them when he wasn’t around. They made you smile and laugh. They gave you joy. Why won’t you give them some of your time?” he asked.
She was silent, and Cadeon turned back to face her.
“Because I’m afraid,” she said as a sob overcame her. He watched as she covered her face with her hands and cried.
He moved over to the couch and sat down, embracing her in his arms.
“I won’t let anything happen to you, but you’ve got to start living your life. He’s gone. Don’t let him ruin you any more.”
Cadeon held her as she cried. The tears were long overdue. He wondered how much pent-up emotion Violet kept within her. If her situation was anything like Rebecca’s then he knew he would be in for some damage control.
Only when she agreed and he’d got her settled and relaxed, did Cadeon leave. Getting in his car, he phoned Violet to tell her he wouldn’t be home until late and travelled across the city to get to the club, which lay at the far side surrounded by forestry and cut off from everyone else.
The drive took close to two hours, and the sun was already setting by the time he made it over to club. He punched in the twelve digit number, drove down the drive and parked in his usual place. The man on the door told him he’d find Stephen in his study and that they were expecting him.
During the early evening visits the club was only just starting its day’s worth of business. He saw the rooms being cleaned. The bar was having a restock of deliveries. Cadeon walked through until he found Stephen’s office. He knocked at the door and waited.
“Come in,” Stephen called.
“Sorry it took me so long. I was over the other side of the city. Traffic was a nightmare. But I guess you’ve got news for me? Why did you make me come here? Why not call me at home?” Cadeon asked as he entered the main office. Immediately he noted Tate wasn’t the only member present. Looking round he saw Kevin, Sean who was a nasty rich son of a bitch, and the man who owned the club, Stephen. “What’s going on?”
“What do you know about Violet Moore?” Stephen asked. Being the owner of the club it was Stephen’s responsibility to make sure everyone was safe. He’d been the one to take the call the night Rebecca Black’s husband had attempted to kill her. There was so much history between the men in the room, Cadeon suddenly felt overwhelmingly sick. He thought about the question.
“She’s twenty-one. Her mother is dead, and she has no other siblings. Growing up was hard for her, and she doesn’t like to talk about it. Violet is no threat to anyone.” Cadeon looked from one man to the other. “What’s going on? What do you know and are not telling me?”
All of the men looked at each other. He knew something was going on, something he had no knowledge of. “Tell me. I was the one who asked you for this, Tate.”
Sean nodded his head.
“Violet Moore has a reward on her head for seventy-five thousand dollars. Preferably alive,” Tate said.
A block of ice engulfed his heart. “How is that possible? Someone would have recognised her.”
“It’s not your public hit. This is black market stuff. Ever heard of a Dominic Green?” Sean asked.
“The name rings a bell.” Cadeon knew who the guy was. Violet had called his name out during one of her nightmares.
A piece of paper was handed to him. “He’s the most wanted man in the world. Dominic Green is the lowest of the low. Everyone is terrified of this guy. No one will come in to testify, and those that do have ended up dead. There doesn’t seem to be a law precinct where he isn’t known.”
“What does he want with Violet?”
“From what we can gather, Dominic recruits impressionable girls from all over the world. From America to London and through to Japan. That’s how far and wide he can go. No one can touch him. Rumour has it, when he takes a girl she becomes his possession. Everything she earns, whether it’s on her back or helping to deal drugs, he’s got a hand in it.”
“Again I ask what the f**k this has to do with my woman?” Cadeon shouted.
“Well, the possessions go with everything. If a girl has a sister and no family, the sister becomes his. If one of his girls gets knocked up the baby is born and grows and then becomes another little earner for him,” Sean said and stood. His hands were shaking.
“What does this mean? That Violet is a whore?”
No, he knew she wasn’t a whore. He’d been her first, and he’d be her f**king last. No man threatened his girl.
“No. From what we can gather her mother, Valerie Walter gave birth on the quiet. She saved up enough money. Violet was an unexpected baby. Her mother gave birth in secret, and she kept Violet a secret. Most women in her occupation end up having their children taken off them. We don’t know everything that happened in Valerie’s case, but her daughter stayed with her.” Sean handed him some photos.
“How could she have afforded this?” Cadeon glanced down at the baby photos of Violet.
“You ever wondered why Violet talks really slow and watches everyone?” Sean had seen her when Cadeon had brought her to the club. As Cadeon thought about it, he had noticed how she talked slowly and quietly. Never raising her voice. “I can see you can get my meaning. Valerie Walter was born in the United Kingdom. Violet Moore is a British Citizen with an American working visa. Dominic is looking for her because she’s part of a debt that was kept hidden. Valerie kept the existence of her daughter quiet. She was schooled by a local priest who took pity on the girl.”
Cadeon glanced down at the other piece of paper handed to him. Violet at eighteen. Her full name was Dakota Violet Walter.
“How did you know all this?” There was so much information for him to take in. His head felt full as if it would burst if he wasn’t careful.
“We travelled to England and found the place. I’ve been hunting Green for a long time. Violet is the first break we’ve got.” Sean rubbed his fingers together.