Emerge: The Captive: (Book 3)(27)
“Your brother?” Livia said. “I can just imagine what he’s up to. He has that techie look about him, doesn’t he? You know we love our techies around here, right? They fetch such a spectacular price at market. We prefer kids like Graham. Kids who don’t have access to the kind of training they need to understand their more modern gifts. He’d be a perfect fit for Soma.”
“Lay a hand on him and I will end you.” Quinn’s eyes blazed in fury. She was right. Graham was a technological genius who had only scratched the surface of what he would one day be capable of. His training was often unproductive and frustrating for him because their parents didn’t know enough about his type of gift. But they were making an effort to get him the help he needed. Quinn would die before Livia ever laid a finger on his brother.
How did he manage to slip away from Mom and Dad? And why? If Quinn knew anything about how his family would react after his capture, it would be to get Graham and the other kids out of the country as fast as possible. Graham should be in the Azores with their parents by now. But Graham was sneaky. He could easily ditch the family and hop a plane to Atlanta to check out Soma and return without their ever noticing his absence. Their mom was probably a mess anyway. And Dad…. Quinn couldn’t fathom what his dad must be thinking. All his years in a Coalition prison only to lose his son to something even worse? They couldn’t know much about Soma yet, but by the looks of it, they were all busy doing their homework, looking for an opportunity to make a move.
“A kid like that could bring a fortune. And this one? She’s beautiful.” Livia slid another photo from the pile.
A girl with sun-kissed caramel skin stared back at him and Quinn’s heart stopped in his chest. His eyes starved for the sight of her.
“She’s not nosing around our front door, but she’s asking too many questions and seems quite determined to find you. But we’re keeping her busy.”
What is Sasha doing in the jungle? It was obvious from the selfie that she was far from home, laying on a mat beside a man teaching her how to use a sniper rifle. The brilliant smile that lit her face told him she was in her element. But there was something wrong. The light in her eyes was different. There was something incredibly sad there. Like she wasn’t the girl he remembered. The man beside her had a faded tattoo on his face and the two looked far too friendly for Quinn’s comfort. They look happy. Jealousy coiled like a snake inside him. Even after that last night together, Quinn and Sasha had no claim on each other. They’d set each other free more than a year ago. He’d done enough to hurt her over the years, but he didn’t want to see her anywhere near this man.
What have they pulled her into? The time stamp was from just a few weeks ago.
“Who are all of these people, Quinn?” Livia gestured at the photos piled on the desk.
“I’m not telling you anything, Livia.” Quinn heaved a deep sigh of despair. The only thing he could do for Sasha and his brother was to keep his mouth shut. Wherever Sasha was now. Whatever they had her doing, there was no way Greggory McBrien didn’t have a tail on her. Livia could threaten all she wanted. He was calling her bluff and praying to God he could count on Gregg to keep Sasha and Graham safe.
“She’s your girlfriend, right?” Livia gave a disgusted snort. “She was your date to the little school dance that night, wasn’t she?”
“We’ve hooked up on and off over the years, but she means nothing to me,” Quinn said, the lie tasting like ash on his lips. Sasha meant the world to him. He’d gladly stay here if it meant keeping her safe.
“I’m keeping her close for the moment. Just remember that.” She fanned out the images of his family in different parts of the world. Liam and Darius meeting with a Soma rep in Chicago. Graham, all on his own just across the park, right here in Atlanta. Sasha in some distant corner of the world. The photos of his mother standing watch on the rooftops just a few buildings away—each one was like a knife in the gut. His father, looking older than he remembered, clearly following Ryan along the streets of some foreign city. Gregg. Naeemah. His grandparents. Everyone he loved was looking for him and he wanted nothing more than for them all to give up and let him go. He wasn’t worth the risk.
“I want names, occupations and abilities, right now.” Livia placed a pen and a sheet of paper in front of him. “Who they all are and what they do.”
“So you can go after them? Not a chance.” Quinn folded his arms across his chest and sat back.
“Then your girlfriend will wind up right here with you.” Livia tapped the picture of Sasha. “The Senate has taken an interest in her training and have hired my people to do it. When it’s done, she’s supposed to go home, no damage done. But I’m intrigued by the intel I’ve received about her. I’d love to bring her in, but if you tell me who these people are, she’ll get to go back to her life. Otherwise, you can make room for her between you and Santi.”
“You can’t cheat, Livia. You can’t break me this way and you know it,” Quinn said. “I know how it’s done and this isn’t it. You want to blackmail me by threatening the people who mean the most to me, fine. But we both know I’m never going to submit willingly and you can’t take shortcuts to break me. Breaking an Immortal’s will requires a hell of a lot more than breaking their heart or scaring them into it. You have to damage me beyond repair. You have to earn it, and this is a cheap shot.” Quinn shoved the pile of photos across the table.