Chapter 1

-Jared-

I traversed the dimly lit, crimson-hued chambers, my senses heightened as I sought out my targets. The slow pulse of blood coursed through my veins as I observed the throngs of writhing bodies, the air thick with an unsettling, intoxicating aroma, and the distant moans that barely registered in my consciousness. I endeavored to divert my thoughts from the vacant stares in the eyes of the women, and the repugnant disregard exhibited by the men who cared for nothing beyond their own pleasure, eagerly thrusting themselves into any available hole.

Yet, as I navigated the labyrinthine corridors lined with open doorways, where onlookers could witness the torment within or switch places, I realized that it wasn't solely women ensnared in this debauchery. Men, too, found themselves trapped, some alarmingly young for such depraved pursuits, and my heart ached with the recollection of my own anguish. At times, it was difficult to discern whether the victim before me was male or female—or perhaps neither—and it became evident that this place made no distinctions. Whatever you desired, or rather your private parts craved, could be gratified here.

Alison's father and his friends were complicit in this darkness, unhesitant to indulge even the most sordid desires. As I continued through the corridors, the ambiance shifted, doors closing and silence descending. It became evident that certain areas required special keycards for access.

Were those fuckers inside? Did they harbor their own sinister desires that needed gratifying? I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case. But how could I gain entry? Glancing around, a woman passed by me carrying a tray with a drink, beside which lay a solitary pill. Whether the pill was intended for the drink's recipient was a question worth pondering. These victims were so heavily drugged, I marveled at their ability to navigate through these narrow passageways.

A gasp caught my attention, and I turned to see the woman who had been carrying the drink being forcefully dragged into a room, the tray crashing to the ground and the glass shattering. It was clear that no one was safe, not even the servers.

Pressing on, I hoped to discover an end to this seemingly endless maze. Yet, there appeared to be no conclusion in sight, and I found myself back in the initial main room—a circular space with a bar and casino tables. Some of the women were collared, relegated to kneeling beside their "Masters", while others were seated on laps. Casting my gaze around, I spotted a disturbing scene in a dark corner: a young guy being fucked in the midst of it all by an older, overweight man who had lost much of his hair.

Clutching my fists tightly, I fought to suppress any reaction that might betray my cover. But still, I couldn't locate Alison's father and his cohorts. I had anticipated their arrival tonight—the instructions on the card had been crystal clear. Yet, thus far, I hadn't encountered any of them, not even Rick Sages.

What I stumbled upon were Finn and Noah seated at one of the tables, engrossed in a game of poker, as if we didn't have more pressing matters at hand. I approached them, my hands landing firmly on their shoulders, and I squeezed tightly enough to elicit groans from both of them. They turned their masked faces toward me, communicating their disdain through the holes in their masks, but the sentiment was mutual.

"Playing a game, are we?" I queried, attempting to conceal my frustration and ensure that the other men around the table remained unaware of my displeasure.

"Yes, we're just getting acquainted with the others," Noah responded before turning his head to reveal the bandage still covering his severed ear. I couldn't help but smile at the sight. It brought me great satisfaction. Unfortunately, Finn bore no scars from my handiwork yet. The thought of what he had done to Alison filled me with a burning desire to pummel his face repeatedly. However, given our impending familial ties next week, I refrained from laying a hand on him unless absolutely necessary.

"Is that so?" I inquired.

Glancing at the other men around the table, all similarly masked, I noticed something peculiar about two of them. Adorning their index fingers were identical rings that none of the others sported. As I scrutinized them further, I recognized something familiar about one of the men—the contours of his physique, his slightly protruding belly that even his expensive suit failed to conceal.

Rick Sages, I thought to myself, and the other man had to be a partner, but was it Alison's father? No, this man was bald and quite large. Alison's father was the only one who had aged with grace. He kept fit and would be easy to recognize among the sorry lot, so I couldn't quite figure out who the second one was. However, it seemed I underestimated Noah's and Finn's abilities. They had located the men I couldn't find among the many orgies.

"Want to join in?" Rick questioned me.

I smiled, though my mask didn't reveal it.

"Of course," I replied.

I took a seat beside Noah and turned to him. His mask only covered half his face, and I could discern the displeased scowl at having me close to him. I wagered his ear was still bothering him, and it was likely to heal in a less-than-pleasant manner. I couldn't wait to see the end result.

Returning my focus to the game before me, a scantily clad woman approached. Her attire barely covered her, and her breasts nearly spilled into my face as she handed me a drink. I accepted it while leaning slightly to the side, avoiding her proximity.

The others noticed, as I set my drink down, that I had no need to indulge. The men smiled at my sudden behavior.

"Not your type?" Rick teased, eliciting laughter from the others. "We can find someone less... feminine."

I rolled my eyes. Now I was perceived as gay in their eyes. Noah and Finn chuckled beside me, and Noah reached out, grabbing the woman and placing her on his lap. I glanced at her, noticing her dilated pupils and distant look. She was completely out of it. I wondered if she had even realized that I hadn't ordered a drink.

"Engaged," I replied, my gaze still fixed on the woman.

"And?" another man inquired, amusing the rest of the group.

"It's to our cousin, so we are keeping an eye on him tonight," Finn explained, further entertaining the table. Now they understood that I wasn't "allowed" to find entertainment tonight. It made me feel infuriated as Finn and Noah grinned at me, acting as if they were in control.

As the game began, Noah slipped his hand into the woman's underwear, but she didn't react. I wondered if she could even feel anything. It further angered me, making me want to lash out at everyone present here, except the victims. I wanted to save them all, but while we had come tonight to gather information, this wasn't the right time to strike. I just wished Noah wouldn't taunt me this way. Once we were alone, he would lose that second ear. These women were not to be touched by us. They were suffering enough.

I shifted my focus back to the game, but it had barely commenced before I noticed Rick grabbing his phone and passing it to his friend, who wore a similar golden ring with a small ruby in the middle. The longer I gazed at the ring, the more familiar it became, and I realized I had seen it before. Shane, Alison's father, always wore that ring whenever I had seen him at school. It brought back dark memories that I pushed away, but it was clear how deeply intertwined Shane was in all of this.

The game continued without further disturbance, but Rick soon folded and left his seat. While I had a pair of kings lying right in front of me, I announced, "I fold". I placed down my cards and then followed after Rick. He proceeded down the long hallway I had just come from. I kept a good distance behind him, ensuring I didn't lose sight of him. However, as I turned a corner, he suddenly disappeared. I looked around, confused. Where the hell did he go?

I continued down the hallway and came across a door with a bathroom sign. I cautiously pushed the door open, and the sound of bodies smacking overwhelmed the soft music from the speakers. As I stepped inside, I wasn't immediately greeted by the sight of the bathrooms. A wall obstructed my view, which was perfect.

I slipped to the corner of it, peeking around to see a naked woman with a tight leather collar bent over the sink. Rick, having discarded his jacket and pushed down his pants so they pooled around his ankles, was grabbing her collar while fucking her from behind. He grunted and groaned, making awful noises, while the woman remained completely still, absorbing the force of his thrusts without a word.

This sight sent shivers down my spine, evoking memories of when I had been assaulted in the locker rooms. I shook off the haunting recollection, then crouched down and inched forward. Rick didn't seem to notice a thing, his eyes closed as he struggled to ejaculate. Seizing the opportunity, I grabbed the jacket lying on the ground, pulled it toward me, and began searching his pockets for his phone. I quickly located it and saw a notification pop up. Though I couldn't fully open it as the phone was locked, the message was unmistakable—an invitation to a party, and I recognized the address.

A dark smile crept across my lips as I put the phone away and carefully returned the jacket to its former spot. However, as I slowly rose and retreated into the shadows, I caught sight of someone watching me. While Rick continued his futile efforts with his eyes closed in deep concentration, the woman fixed her gaze on me through the mirror. Unlike the others, she didn't appear as heavily drugged, and I could discern a pleading look in her eyes. I felt frozen, unsure of what to do. I wanted desperately to help her, to rescue her from this nightmare, but any sudden action on my part could ruin everything.

With a heavy heart, I slipped out of the bathroom, almost colliding with another drunk customer. He had a woman under each arm, and they stumbled down the hallway until he selected a room for them. I sighed, inwardly cursing my inability to do more. In truth, none of these women mattered to the wolves or even to Vince. They were simply disposable pawns in a cruel game of power. But for me, this was personal, and I was determined to ensure that Rick and the others felt the weight of that personal vendetta.

I walked back to my seat, only to hear Noah let out a loud victory cheer at winning the game. The woman was now on her knees, pleasuring him while he collected the chips. I rolled my eyes at the sight, then passed by Finn and Noah, signaling that we needed to go. I had what I needed, and I wasn't playing around.

The other two didn't seem to agree, but I wasn't about to entertain any objections. I grabbed the woman who was servicing Noah, pulled her to her feet, and shoved her in the opposite direction. Noah shot me a glare as he fixed his clothes, clearly displeased he didn't get to finish.

"Come on," I urged them. "We have other things to do."

Noah and Finn followed me, knowing I wasn't going to be patient with them. However, as we stepped outside the club, Noah had some words to share.

"We weren't finished down there," he snarled.

"Oh, but we were," I retorted.

"No, we weren't."

I grabbed him and pushed him against the wall of the building, ensuring we were concealed in the alley.

"Just because you didn't get to finish doesn't mean I didn't. I got what I wanted," I informed him.

"And what was that?" Finn inquired.

"A perfect way to make these guys my friends."

"Friends?" Noah exclaimed incredulously.

"These men are the top players in all of this. If we want to take them down and ensure they never interfere with our business again, we need to get close to them. We can't achieve that by simply being their customers. So stop indulging in their products and start thinking bigger."

The other two exchanged skeptical glances, but I didn't feel the need to elaborate further. Tonight had given me an unexpected sense of satisfaction. My leverage over these men was growing stronger by the minute.