The drive is long and uneventful. I try to sleep to help pass the time but my mind is running a million miles an hour. I should have done a better job protecting her. If I wouldn’t have let her out of my sight, this wouldn’t have happened. Everyone keeps trying to tell me this isn’t my fault, but I can’t help feeling like it is. I let my guard down. Just because we were at a safe house didn’t mean we were one hundred percent safe. I should have remembered that.
We get to Finn and Lochlan’s close to one in the morning. We get our bags unloaded and meet in the living room.
“Everyone find a place to sleep and get some rest. Our best bet will be to hit at night. We’ll reconvene in the morning and iron out the details,” Prez announces.
I don’t bother finding a room, choosing to crash on the couch instead. I already know I won’t get much, if any, sleep tonight. I’m too wound up and worried about Marley. I sit on the couch and kick my shoes off.
“You’re not gonna find a bed to sleep in,” Ratchet asks.
“Nah, I’ll only end up tossing and turning all night. I’m better off here,” I tell him.
“Have it your way. See ya in the mornin’.” He walks away. I lay there staring at the ceiling for what seems like hours before I’m dozing off.
35
Marley
After I finished my breakfast, Maria escorted me back to my room. I turn the TV on for background noise. Every time I start to doze off, I jolt awake. I finally sit up to stop myself from falling asleep.
Everything from the past two years plays out in my head. From my mom dying, to being taken and escaping, to meeting Rascal and the other Savage Menaces. Being back with Rodrigo is the last place I wanted to end up, but I need to keep having faith that Rascal will come for me. I can only hope it has a better ending than my nightmare did.
An hour or so later, my door is being unlocked. I’m expecting Maria to walk in but instead, it’s Paula. I let out a quiet groan.
“Get up. El Jefe wants to see you.” She walks over to me when I don’t get up quick enough. Grabbing my arm, she yanks me off the bed and drags me out of the room.
“Let me go! I’m perfectly capable of walking on my own, you crazy bitch,” I hiss out. She turns around, back handing me.
“You’re fucking lucky I have to wait for El Jefe’s permission before having my way with you,” she says. “Walk. Now!”
We walk downstairs toward Rodrigo’s office and she shoves me through the door.
“Preciosa, come, sit.” He gestures to the chairs in front of his desk. I take a seat, waiting for him to keep talking. He grins at me. “How was your first night here?”
“Cut the shit. Why am I here?”
His face twists as he tries to fight back showing his anger. “That’s quite the mouth you have. I suggest you watch it.”
“And if I don’t? You’ll what? Torture me some more? I’m not afraid of you.”
“Ah, Preciosa.” He laughs, but it’s void of humor. “I could easily blow up that clubhouse with all those bikers you care so much about. All I need to do is make a phone call.”
I freeze. The last thing I want is any of them dying because of me. They’ve all done so much for me in the past six months.
“Now that I have your attention, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you,” he tells me. “I brought you here to use you.”
My mind instantly goes to him using my body and a chill runs through my body.
“Not like that, Preciosa. Though, the thought has crossed my mind.” He gives me a skeevy smirk. “I need you to lure out your father.”
“My father? What do you know about my father?”
“I know he’s the Sovietnik of the Bratva. Andrei Orlov’s trusty advisor,” he states. “Nikolay Kalashnik. We were acquaintances once upon a time.”
“And why do you need to lure him out?”
“He took something from me. Now, it’s time for payback.” He sneers.
“How do you know for sure I’m his daughter? Or that I’ll lure him out? What if he doesn’t care that I’m his daughter?”
“Oh, Marley. Your mother kept so much from you, didn’t she? Her and I were close, you know. I even saw her before she died.” There’s a gleam in his eyes like there’s something he isn’t saying.
“What did you do to her?” I grit out.
“I didn’t do anything to her.” An evil grin crosses his face.
“What happened to her?” I shout.
“I made sure she paid for picking that fucking Russian over me,” he growls out.
Tears threaten to spill from my eyes. There’s a knock on the door as one of Rodrigo’s goons walks in.
“Jefe, there’s a phone call for you. It’s really important,” the man says.
Rodrigo sighs. “Have Paula take our guest back to her room.”
The man walks me out of Rodrigo’s office where Paula is waiting for me.
“He wants you to take her back to her room,” he tells her.
She rolls her eyes and grabs my arm, squeezing hard. I try to claw at her hand to make her let go but it only makes her squeeze tighter. The door to my bedroom is already open. She shoves me to the floor and slams the door, locking it.
“She’s got a stick up her ass,” I mutter to myself. I drink a sip out of a bottle of water sitting on my night stand, then lay down.
I manage to take what I imagine was a couple hour nap before Maria comes to get me for dinner. My stomach growls as we walk to the kitchen. Sitting on the table there are two casserole dishes with enchiladas, a bowl of rice and a bowl of beans.
“These are pollo.” She points to one dish. “The others are frijoles y queso.”
“Thank you. It looks amazing,” I tell her.
“You slept for a long time. Eat up.”
I take one of each enchilada and some rice and beans. We sit together, eating in silence. After a few minutes, it registers to me what Maria said.
“Maria, what did you mean I slept for a long time?”
“You went to sleep yesterday evening just before dinner. I knew you didn’t sleep well the night before, so I let you rest,” she explains.
I don’t think that’s all it was. I have a feeling someone drugged my water. It might even have been Maria, trying to ensure I got some sleep.
“Did you drug my water?” I narrow my eyes at her.
She keeps eating, choosing not to respond. Shaking my head, grinning. I take her silence as a yes.
“Do you feel well rested,” she asks without making eye contact.
“I do, thank you.”
“Ah, Maria! It smells amazing in here,” Eduardo says. “And look who finally woke up.”
Eduardo runs his fingers along my shoulders as he walks by. The gesture causes my stomach to turn.
“Tomorrow, you and I get to have some fun. I hope you’re ready.” He chuckles. And just like that, I’ve completely lost my appetite.
36
Rascal
The next morning, I’m woken up to a bunch of clatter coming from the kitchen. After listening to it for a few minutes, I get up and go see who is making all the noise. Walking into the kitchen, Diesel is searching the cabinets.