“So, Carrie was the rat. She was delivering those recordings to Hernández in exchange for a fuck ton of money,” Trigger snarls.
“Apparently, she dug her way into his life as deep as she could go so that she could get information on him to give to you. She was trying to bribe you for ol’ lady status,” Brick narrowed his eyes as he spoke. “She was a fucking lunatic.”
“Was?”
“Oh, I didn’t tell you the best part. She was the one who sent the package. I guess she was afraid we were going to catch her, and she figured this would earn her protection. Hernández found out and killed her.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Trigger cuts in. “We got the information we needed. Let’s go get our girls back,” he says with a knowing grin.
I let it slide this time, but not without glaring at the man.
Hold on, baby. Stay strong for me. I’m coming.
Chapter Twenty-One
Rose
“Hey, wake up?”
My goodness, my head is pounding. What did I get hit with?
“Are you okay?” A familiar voice asks.
“Where am I?”
“We’re in some type of cargo container, I think. How did they get you out without anyone seeing? I tried to warn you. I knew something was wrong the moment I smelled smoke.”
“Who are you?” I ask. I’m confused and having a hard time focusing. Taking a fortifying breath, I finally open my eyes.
“Rose, it’s me, Princess.”
“What?” I swing my head in her direction just as the cargo doors open.
“Well, well, well. Look what we have here. My bride and a side toy. Must be my lucky day. I’ve been looking everywhere for you, bride. Let’s go. Time to go home.”
“We’re not going anywhere with you, fucker,” yells Princess.
Before my next blink, Roman has Princess by the hair jerking her head back.
“You know what, bride, I think I’ll play with my toy first.” He shoves Princess against the side of the container.
“No, please stop,” I beg him. “Please, just leave her alone. Let her go and I’ll come with you.”
“Oh, you’ll be coming with me regardless. However, I think I did just find a way to make you cooperate.” Roman release Princess and she falls to the floor curling into herself. I’ve never seen her look so defeated.
“Both of you, get the fuck out here now or so help me god, bride, I will fuck your friend in every hole she has and force you to watch,” Roman says from outside the container.
Knowing he’s not lying I walk over to Princess and help her stand. “Come on, honey.”
“Rose, I’m scared.”
“I know, Princess. I am, too. We must try and stay strong. Bear will come for us. You and I both know he will.”
I just hope he isn’t too late when he does, Rose silently thought.
***
We don’t travel long before we stop in front of a large two-story white house. The front door swings open and an older gentleman walks out heading straight for us. He is the spitting image of Roman. Must be his father.
“Mijo, what took you so long? I was about to send out Benny,” the older man greets when Roman opens the car door.
“I don’t need Benny to fucking babysit me, papa,” he says as he exits the car, leaving the door open. “I ran into a little snag. Tonio took care of it.”
“What was your snag, mijo?”
“A bitch. She was trying to warn the woman of my arrival before I had a chance to announce it myself.”
I give Princess a squeeze. We’re still sitting in the car while they talk. I’m looking around trying to find a way out. Maybe when they aren’t looking, we can make a run for it. It’s worked for me once before.
“Where is Tonio?”
“He’s pulling up now. He had a stop to make. Said he was hungry. Pendejo”
Just then someone pulls in behind us.
“Hola amigos. Where is my pretty prize?”
The car door opens, and Princess is ripped out of my arms. I follow behind her and see a man dragging her toward the house.
“ROSE, PLEASE HELP ME.”
Running as fast as I can to reach them, I hit the man’s back with as much force as I can. It’s not long before I’m lifted and thrown back into a flowerbed hitting my head with enough force to cause my vision to blank out for a few seconds.
“Please,” I whimpered. “I said I would do everything you say. Please, don’t hurt her.”
“Oh, I have no plans on hurting her. Tonio here, however, is another story. He enjoys his women in pain.” Roman is still standing back with his father near the car just watching everything happen.
I act before I think. I grab the nearest rock and run for the one called Tonio. He’s bent over trying to pick Princess up where she’s curled herself into a ball. I raise my arm back and hit him as hard as I can in the back of the head.
I know I’m not that strong, but adrenaline must be on my side because Tonio drops to the ground. Reaching down, I grab Princess’s hand.
“Let’s go,” I whisper. “Run.”
I don’t know what made me think we even had a chance knowing that Roman and his father, and probably this Benny character, were watching us, but I knew that we weren’t going down without a fight.
We run toward the tree line. We almost make it when a loud bang sounds out. Princess’s hand drops from mine and I turn to grab it again. Not feeling her, I turn around. That’s when I notice she’s fallen. I rush to her, slamming down on my knees. She’s looking up at the sky with tears in her eyes. A single tear slides down her face and lands in the growing puddle beneath her.
She flicks her gaze to me, and her lips tip into a small smile as I watch the last bit of life leave her eyes.
I don’t fight as I’m lifted from her still body and thrown across someone’s shoulder. I don’t fight when we enter a building that must have been hidden behind the house. I don’t fight when they chain me by my hands and lift my arms above my head. I don’t fight when my nightgown is ripped from my body and I’m left alone and naked in the dark room.
I don’t fight because Princess is dead, and I know with everything I am that it’s my fault. I deserve whatever they have planned for me. Bear can’t save me now. No one can.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Bear
It’s been six hours. Six fucking hours. Derrick gave Trigger five locations where they could have taken Rose and Princess.
The first three, two warehouses and an old boathouse, weren’t a complete bust but there were no signs of the women. We found nothing of value in the first warehouse but there were crates of drugs and guns in the other one. The boathouse had four frightened women locked in the only bedroom room. None of which spoke English. These must be the women Hernández planned to sell.
I had no choice but to call in detective Dick. Now, he thinks he’s taking point for the next two locations. A cargo container about half an hour away and Hernández’s childhood home.
Well, fuck that.