Where the hell did they take me?
“Where…” Licking my lips, I tasted blood as they cracked and split from tension and dehydration. “What time is it? Where are we?”
“We’re going on a boat ride, now shut up and walk.”
The light extinguished, shrouding everything in an ominous cloud of darkness.
The hellIwas going anywhere with these people. Digging my heels in the soft sod, my sudden movement caused a couple of them to stumble. Curses flew and another blow landed across my face. A new man grabbed my hair and dragged me across a river bed. The soft slosh of small waves crashing against the bank greeted us as my eyes landed on a small yellow blow-up raft.
“Oh, hell, no.” Digging my heels in again, I shook my head violently. “I’m not getting in that thing. We’ll sink.”
Rough hands twisted in my hair, jerking it backward until I stared perpendicular to the night sky. “The only thing that’ll sink is you when I shove this gun down your throat and throw you in the river. Now get in the fucking boat!”
As I stepped into the raft, a hard shove from behind had me sprawling face first onto the bottom. With my hands still bound behind me, I had nothing to break my fall but my already bruised jaw. Blood filled my mouth again, the taste almost becoming comforting.
At least I knew I was still alive.
Two men climbed in after me, and the rest pushed the boat away from the embankment. As the current took us away from civilization, Val and Nash entered my mind.
Regardless of what happened, I knew I’d see one of them soon. Which one depended on what happened in the next few hours.
Chapter Thirty
VAL
The car had barely brokentwenty miles per hour heading up the driveway to the estate when I couldn’t take it anymore. Throwing the door open, I tumbled out, hitting the concrete with a jarring force that rattled my brain.
Once I caught my breath and got my footing, I took off on a full run toward the house. I knew Mateo called my name a few times, watching the movement of his mouth from my peripheral vision as he parked the car, but it didn’t matter. The roar in my head took up all the space reserved for sound.
I reached the front door and prepared to kick it down, when I noticed it standing halfway open.
They’re already inside.
Pulling my gun, I called her name the safest way I knew how. “Cereza? Where are the cans, baby? I can’t see the posts, so you need to tell me.” I waited for a response, listening for any signs of movement. “Cereza?”
Farther into the house, a metallic smell hit my nose, sending a violent chill up my spine.
No.
Out of the corner of my eye, a body lay on the floor swimming in so much blood, there couldn’t have been any left inside of it. Instinctively, I closed my eyes, willing it not to be Eden. The moment I opened them and saw the militant style black pants and heavy black boots, I let out a sigh of relief, then felt like a shit for being happy about the death of one of my men.
But between one of my men and Eden, I’d choose death for my men over and over.
Leaning over him, I recognized Joaquin Salazar. Barely an adult, the loyal member of my father’s personal team had proved his honor and willingness to protect our cartel with his life. It was the whole reason Mateo chose him to stay with Eden.
If a man like that had been gutted like a fish, what the hell had they done to a woman who’d been at the center of an international drug war?
“Manuel Muñoz has probably slit her from throat to pussy by now.”
Within seconds, Mateo appeared by my side, gun in hand. “I’ve searched the upper floors and the pantry, boss. They’re not here.”
“Where the fuck is she?” Conflicting emotions raged through me: relief at not finding her lying in a pool of blood and fear at what was happening to her at the hands of Manuel Muñoz.
“I don’t know where they are, but come with me. I think I know how it went down.”
Moments later, Mateo led me down into the cook’s pantry. Shattered glass on the panes of the door indicated multiple locations of impact. They were too small to belong to a man. Blood splatter across the walls and the floor indicated a hard-fought struggle.
Sudden pride filled my hollow chest. She didn’t go quietly or shaking with fear. Eden fought like a hellcat with everything she had inside her.
