Viking Warrior Rebel (23 page)

Astrid waved him on. “Go. I'll be fine. You'll miss the best bonfire ever, but that's your loss.”

He leaned in for a kiss, and she briefly touched her lips to his. He hesitated but didn't know what to say, so he just walked off to find Pekka. He wanted the guns and the switchblade back. At the tree line, he realized he'd need a ride back into town and turned back to ask Astrid.

Her eyes were closed as she reclined against the log, her legs curled up under her. Sipping her drink, she looked achingly beautiful and very alone. He was about to go back to her, but the phone buzzed again. Luke clenched his jaw. He had to make good on his promise to Donovan.

If he went back to Astrid, he'd want to stay with her. He'd ask Pekka for a ride.

Astrid leaned back on the game room's oversize couch. Her feet ached from dancing around the bonfire like a maniac. Her head was a little foggy from too much mead, and still she couldn't sleep. She kept mulling over the conversation with Luke. There was something off about it. He'd extracted a lot of information from her without giving much in return. Why was he so interested in the North Dakota lab? After hours of staring at the ceiling and not coming to any conclusions, she'd given up and gone to the game room in search of something to read.

Her old favorite,
The Lord of the Rings
, lay open on her lap, but she couldn't concentrate on Frodo's adventures. She was still pissed about Luke leaving. Like Henri, Luke put his work first. She wished he'd been a little more reluctant to leave. Maybe she hadn't properly explained how much the wedding meant to her and how important it was for him to be there. Maybe he wasn't interested in her outside of the bedroom.

She closed the book and abandoned the needy thoughts. She should concentrate on things she could control instead. The fertility lab had to be shut down before the wolverines ordered another load of abducted women. Since when did Loki's creatures have the intelligence to plan something like kidnapping and taking the victims across international borders? Someone else must be the brain behind the operation. Loki himself wasn't allowed in the mortal realm—the Norse gods' council forbid it. If the half god had gone against their rules, Odin and Freya would have noticed and told Leif. Wouldn't they? She rubbed her forehead.

The king had called a meeting for eight a.m. to discuss the plan for destroying the lab. She felt bad about Leif and Naya not getting more than a few hours of a wedding night. It seemed duty trumped everything. But that was their function. They'd had their regular lives as humans a long time ago. Now they were warriors on a mission from the gods. Things like vacations and honeymoons were not for them. How did Naya feel about giving up a normal human life without the reward of immortality? How would Luke?

Although he worked all the time now anyway.

The door to the computer room opened, and Ulf stepped out. Astrid bristled. She still had unfinished business with him. He stopped dead in his tracks, eyes wide, when he noticed her on the couch.

“I thought everyone had gone to bed.” He looked around as if hunting for an escape.

“You thought wrong.”

He gave a half smile. “Great wedding, right?”

Oh no. They were not doing small talk. “I think you have something to say to me.”

He ran a hand across his shorn hair. “Look, I didn't touch Holden. We may have had words, but—”

She held up her hand. “That's not what I'm talking about. You abandoned me on a mission.”

His face twisted. “That was a shit move, I know. I'm sorry.”

“Why did you?” She splayed out her hands. “I know we've never been close, and we've had this crazy rivalry for as long as I can remember, but are you now out to get me?”

“No, of course not.” He sat down beside her. “I don't know what I was doing. I've had this idea you and I could…” He scowled. “Forget it.”

“Could what?” she insisted.

“That we could be more than friends.” He watched her intently.

Astrid looked down at the book in her lap. “I had no idea you felt that way.”

“It was a stupid idea. One of the others mentioned that you and I bickered like an old couple. My mind extrapolated from there.” A corner of his mouth lifted. “I was obviously way off the mark.”

“Obviously, or I wouldn't have bonded with Luke.”

Ulf's face clouded. “I've been digging on the Darknet all evening for chatter about the lab and the women we rescued. I found some disturbing information about Holden.”

Astrid's heart beat faster, but she kept her poker face. “And?”

“There is this guy named Kraus. A really bad guy from Germany who's popped up in Pine Rapids. He's into everything: drugs, weapons, money laundering, and human cargo.”

Alarm bells started tingling at the back of Astrid's mind. She knew that name from somewhere.

Ulf brushed something invisible off his knee. “Holden seem to be in business with this guy. They've met several times.”

No, no, no. This couldn't be true. Luke wouldn't be in business with anyone who was involved in human trafficking. She knew his business touched the gray areas of what was strictly legal, but he wouldn't make money from human trade. Would he?

It finally came to her. Kraus had called Luke when she was at his apartment. She'd seen his name on the phone display. “How do you know this?” Her voice sounded desperate.

Ulf's face softened. “I was searching for footage on Kraus and came across a Denver PD video of him meeting with Holden. I then checked our local police department's surveillance archive and found more footage. They've met twice. As recently as this evening.”

Astrid went numb. “Show me.”

Ulf looked like he wanted to protest, but she headed straight for the computer room. He followed and gestured for her to sit in the chair next to his. Rows of data scrolled on three big monitors. She had no idea what it meant. Ulf clicked a few keys, and a grainy video popped open.

Two men sat at a table in what looked to be a diner. Despite the low resolution, she clearly recognized Luke. There was no sound, but the other man slid a folder and a thick envelope across the table to Luke. It was the right size for bills.

“That envelope is full of money,” she whispered.

Ulf nodded. “But we don't know what kind of business they're doing.”

“Doesn't matter. Luke would have researched this guy. He would have found out about the human trafficking, but he still decided to work with him.” Her heart raced. Luke knew where Camila and the others were. He was the one who'd told them about the refugee organization. She stood. “I have to go.”

Ulf grabbed her hand. “I'll come with you.”

She shrugged him off. “This is something I have to do alone.” It was better to be alone. That way, nobody could disappoint you. Hurt you.

She rushed out the door, ignoring Ulf shouting after her.

She'd told Luke why she related to Camila and the others after the rescue, and he had still gone into business with Kraus. Today when she'd told him all the sordid details of her life as a thrall, he'd seemed to understand. He even seemed angry. Had that been an act? How could he meet with that scum and take his money after what she'd told him about being someone's property?

* * *

Luke's doorman was fast asleep behind his desk when Astrid ghosted by. She may not have Sten's ninja skills, but she could be quiet enough. The elevator took forever, but it gave her time to collect herself. She forced herself to breathe deeply.

Unfortunately, she couldn't calm her thoughts. She should have a plan before she barged in on Luke. Let him explain why he was meeting with Kraus. There could be a reasonable explanation… She laughed out loud at how desperate she was.

When had she become this stupid woman grasping for a reason to hold on to her lover? The only reason to be in business with scum like Kraus was that there was a lot of money to be made.

The doors dinged open. Striding toward Luke's door, she undid the safety of her gun but kept it holstered. She squared her shoulders and banged on the door. It took three more tries before she heard movement inside. Luke opened the door squinting. His hair stood on end, and he was wearing only a pair of navy boxer briefs.

“Hey.” He rubbed his face and broke out into a smile. “I missed you but didn't want to call until morning. I figured you'd get to bed late because of the party.”

She stepped past him. “I have some questions.”

He closed the door. “Okay.” His forehead furrowed. “About what?”

“About Kraus.”

His face went blank and then hardened. “How do you know about him?”

Her heart sank. He wasn't trying to explain himself. “This time it's my turn to ask the questions.” She pointed at him. “It's your turn to answer.”

“Hey, calm down.” Luke stepped toward her and she took a step back, hand reaching for her gun. His eyes widened. “You came here carrying heat? You're afraid of me?”

She shook her head. “I'm not afraid of you. Just cautious, now that I'm getting a better idea of who you are.”

“Astrid, I—” His eyes softened, but she resisted their pull. He reached for her, and she took another step back. His face turned cold. “So you have decided I'm a low-life criminal.”

“I have no idea who you are, but I know the people you do business with are among the lowest scum of Midgard.”

“And that makes me scum too.” It was a statement.

“If you say so.” She had to swallow hard to get the big lump in her throat to go down.

He jammed his hands on his hips and looked down on the floor. A tic pulsed in his jaw. “Tell me how you found out about my meeting with Kraus.”

“It's not important.”

He looked up, eyes blazing. “It's extremely important. If you found out, others can too.” He took a step toward her. “I'm not fucking around, Astrid. Tell me.”

She pulled her Glock. “I'm not the one giving information tonight. You are.”

Disbelief filled his eyes. “You're pulling a gun on me?”

She changed to a two-handed grip to keep her hands from shaking. “Tell me what your business with Kraus is. Did you tell him where Camila and the others are?”

He shook his head. “This is what you think of me? That I could hurt women, trade them like cattle to the highest bidder?”

She swallowed. “I don't know what to think anymore. But the truth is, I don't know you at all. You've given me nothing. I shared what had happened to me, and you still left the wedding to meet with that scum.” To her horror, she felt tears well in her eyes. She blinked them away. “You obviously know Kraus deals in human trafficking, and you're still in business with him.”

The tic in his jaw was back. “It's very complicated.”

“Uncomplicate it for me.”

“I can't. There's too much at risk. You have to trust me.” He held his arms out. “Put the gun away. Tell me how you found out I was meeting with Kraus.”

She kept the gun pointed at him. “Denver PD and the local precinct here in Pine Rapids have surveillance video of your meetings.”

“Fuck. That's very bad.” Holden seemed lost in thought. “I have to fix that.”

This was an odd response. “Tell me what's going on.” She lowered the gun but kept her double grip. “If this thing between us has any chance, you have to. I can't—” Her voice broke. She cleared her throat. “I can't be with someone who profits from slave trade.”

Luke's gaze on her was sad. “Deep down you know I'm not that guy. Trust your instincts.”

Her heart wanted to believe he wasn't capable of hurting Camila or the others, but her instincts obviously weren't worth shit. The facts were: Luke was in business with Kraus, a man who made money from abducting and selling women. And she knew nothing about Luke that would make her trust him implicitly. “Explain what's going on and maybe I'll believe you.”

He shook his head. “People's lives depend on me keeping quiet.”

She raised the gun again. “Right now, your life depends on you telling the truth.”

“You wouldn't shoot me.” His eyes flickered.

“It doesn't have to be a kill shot, but I can still make it hurt.” Her heart thumped so loudly that she was sure he could hear her, but her hands were steady.

Luke scowled. “I'm going to humor you. Let's sit.”

She gestured with the gun for him to walk ahead. They took their seats across from each other in his ridiculously soft leather couches. Her mind flicked through images of what had happened the last time they'd sat here, but she kept a tight rein on her thoughts before they went down that path. “Talk,” she said.

“For Christ's sake. Lower your gun, Astrid.” Luke shoved his hands through his hair. “I can't concentrate with that thing pointed at me.”

She put the gun next to her on the couch. “Good. Then you can't make up any lies.”

Glaring at her, he nodded. “Fine.” He turned toward the windows, clenching his jaw. When he faced her again, his eyes flickered with something that looked like regret. “I'm an undercover FBI agent. I have been for the last eighteen months. I've been surveilling Naya, you, and now the others.”

Something cold clamped down around her heart. “That's impossible. Naya worked for you. She would have checked you out. She would have figured out if you had a fake persona.”

He gritted his teeth and leaned forward, elbows on his knees, but didn't look at her. “I work for a covert operation of the FBI. We operate completely in the dark, have our own IT infrastructure, our own procedures. Not even the FBI knows who I really am.”

“What's your real name?” She had to know who he was. Who she'd shared a bed with.

He looked up. “It's still Luke, but my last name is Hager.”

“All this time…” She sobbed but managed to turn it into a sad chuckle. “All this time you've targeted me. I was your in to get to Naya.” Despair filled her. She'd led danger to the fortress door. How could she be bonded to someone who lied to her? What kind of cruel joke was Freya playing?

She couldn't breathe.

Luke moved forward, but she held up her hand to stop him. “Tell me why,” she croaked. “Tell me why you went through all this trouble to get me to trust you.” Her lips stretched in a bitter smile. “Tell me why you literally fucked me over.”

He shoved a hand through his hair. “It wasn't like that. I didn't plan to sleep with you. That first time in the club, I didn't even know you were affiliated with Naya. I just about freaked when you walked into the club the day I was meeting with her.”