Chapter 54

Chapter Fifty-Four

GREY

For so long, all I had was vengeance and the thirst for answers. The very thirst that drove me to this point in the first place.

Now I have my answers. They weren't exactly what I thought, but they're mine.

Most importantly, Sloane can rest knowing that the truth changes nothing about my care and love for her.

"A man like you will never win," I say, brushing away a tear that plops on my chin. Facing Kurosaki, I lift my head. "I will take you down if it's the last thing I do."

"Many have tried."

"There's a first for everything."

His eyes narrow. I feel a cold wind.

"Mind your words. You are alive only at my son's request. However, my goodwill toward Finn's family can only extend so far."

I inhale a deep breath. "Finn," I say.

He stands straighter.

"Let's go."

Kurosaki motions to him. "Before you leave…"

Finn turns slowly.

The older man hands over a binder. "It's all here. As agreed."

Nostrils flaring, Finn takes the folder.

"This completes our deal. Training starts at sundown," Kurosaki says.

Finn hesitates and then he dips his chin.

As we walk off, I look up at him. "What is that? What deal did you make?"

Security parts to let us through. Finn stalks past them and, to my surprise, all the men bow their heads toward him.

Finn acts like he doesn't notice so I do the same.

At the car, I grab Finn's arm. "Finn."

He hands over the file, his eyes hooded. "Here."

I gasp when I open the folder. "Is this…"

"A list of everyone who used the services of The Grateful Project."

My head springs up like it's attached by a coil. "Your dad would never give this up, even to his son. What did you trade for this?"

Finn takes out his cell phone and checks it, speaking casually. "I'm taking over the family business."

The family business?

As in…

My brow lifts in surprise and my pulse picks up the pace. "Finn, you can't."

"It was inevitable. He would have threatened me if I didn't do it his way." Finn pushes the cell phone in his back pocket. "At least I got something out of it."

"This list wasn't worth it. You're sacrificing too much. I can't let you."

"You didn't. I did it for Zane." His harsh words are off-set by a resigned shrug. "If you're going to thank anybody, thank him."

"What does Zane have to do with this?"

"It was his plan to negotiate for that list."

The words percolate in the air.

"Zane knew about all this?"

"I told him and Dutch about everything the night my dad…" He falters. "The night Jarod Cross called us over. Zane got spooked. He knew it would be dangerous if you continued to investigate this. He wanted you far from the case while we worked out a deal."

"Is that why he broke the flash drive? To drive me away?"

"Not at first. We were going to use the flash drive to take down the names on the list, but Zane spotted a yakuza arrow that was shot inside the suite while you were working."

"An arrow?"

My mind trips back to that moment when I heard a soft pfft sound and noticed the windows were open.

"There was even a note saying that you would die if you didn't destroy the evidence. This wasn't their first attempt at getting to you. Someone came to the house and Zane got hurt fighting them off."

"What? Zane fought them? He told me all the intruder did was snoop around."

"I guess he didn't want you to worry."

My heart is about to crack my ribs with how hard it's pounding.

"Destroying the flash drive was an impulsive move. Which is very on brand for Zane. But even after all that, he was still dedicated to keeping you off the investigation and brokering a deal."

Another lightbulb goes off.

"The boxes! I was wondering why I couldn't find any documents that would expose The Grateful Project. I even had pictures of some of the files, but they weren't in the crates you gave me."

"Zane has all the important documents at the house. He wanted you occupied with looking through those files for a while."

"You were stalling me." I let out a shocked breath.

"Let's be impressed in the car. The men in black are still staring." Finn juts his chin at the vehicle.

I climb inside, grappling with all the new revelations. "Wait, you said earlier that it was Zane's plan to negotiate for the names. This," I shake the folder, "isn't the first time you've seen this list?"

Finn gives me a knowing look. "I saw you reading Jinx's app earlier. Didn't you notice anything out of the ordinary?"

I scratch my chin.

And then it clicks.

I rush back to Jinx's app. Scrolling through the news stories, I find what I'm looking for.

Conner Moheti - hedge fund manager: nudes exposed, marriage destroyed, lost half his fortune to a divorce

Seranbi Vitalagi - senate lobbyist: charged with embezzlement fraud and removed from office

The names go on and on.

Jinx's political reports line up perfectly with all the names on the list.

My eyes hurl over to Finn. "You're working with Jinx?"

"More like we're working for her," Finn mumbles.

My heart burns with a sweet hit of relief. I thought justice would be delayed and that I'd only be satisfied with knowing the truth. I thought death would come before the people involved with The Grateful Project were punished.

"Where is Zane now?" I breathe out.

"Working on the last name."

I scrunch my nose in confusion. "How is he working on the last name when it was just revealed?"

"I'll let him answer that himself." Finn checks the rearview mirror. "What you need to know is that he saved the last name for you. I was to come pick up the folder alone and then talk to you about all this, but I thought you wouldn't believe if you didn't see it for yourself."

"Thank you, Finn."

He drives, focused on the road as if this is nothing.

I touch his shoulder, hammering in my point. "You're entering a very dark world. The Grateful Project was the tip of the iceberg and yet, investigating that was enough to break me." I think of all the visions of Sloane. "Justice isn't easy. Neither is vengeance. You don't want to get lost in one or the other."

He glances at me and then away. Quietly, he says, "I plan to take down the organization, but first I need to take over the business. In the process… I can't be a nice guy."

"It's alright. I became a monster to hunt monsters too."

"How did you stop yourself from turning all the way?"

I wind the window down and take in a deep breath of the fresh, morning air. "I fell in love."