“Where the fuck did you take her?” Cyrus asked, slamming Jacob’s body against the wall again.
“Maria’s Cantina. A couple blocks down the street. You can’t miss it. Big fucking neon sign.” He said with a wince. “Please, I swear to god that's all I know.”
The four of us released Jacob and made our way back to our cars. We knew Maria’s Cantina, and we knew it well. Not only was it the best Mexican place in town, it also housed the worst criminals this city has ever seen. Maria’s Cantina was of The Diaz Cartel’s favorite hangouts, which could only mean one thing.
Melanie Diaz took our girl and in doing so, incited a fucking war.
Chapter 39
Stevie
I awoke to the distinct smell of decay surrounding me. My head throbbed as my eyes peeled open and my blurry surroundings came into view. A lone lightbulb swung above me, creating a halo of light in what looked to be the center of a dark and empty room.
I didn’t know how long I was out or who attacked me. Whoever brought me here had left me with my wrists bound above my head and my feet just barely touching the floor. I wiggled my fingers, trying to bring them back to life as I yanked the ropes biting into my wrists.
“Don’t bother.” A feminine voice hissed. “There’s no way in hell you’re getting out of those.”
Like a caged animal, I whipped my body around in a circle, trying to see where the voice was coming from. Still disoriented from the blow to my head, I recognized the voice, but I just couldn’t place it.
A slight figure stepped into the light and I had to do a double-take, just to make sure my eyes weren’t deceiving me..
“Jessie?” I asked, narrowing my eyes. “What is all of this?”
“Sorry, Love.” She smirked, circling around my body. “It’s really nothing personal.”
How the fuck was bashing me in the head and chaining me up not ‘personal’?We hadn’t known each other long, but I considered her someone I could trust. Someone that I could’ve one day called a friend.
“Where the fuck is my sister?” I hissed, moving my body to follow hers, “What did you do to Alex?”
“Alex? Hmm… The name rings a bell…” She said, flashing me a sinister grin. “Relax. When sissy came by, all my men did was snatch her phone and kick her to the curb. She’s probably still alive out there looking for you. Such a shame that she’ll never know what happened to her big sister. ”
My chin quivered as rebellious tears raced down my cheeks. Jessie was going to kill me. I could see it in her eyes and I knew my time was fleeting.
Alex was alive, and for that I was grateful, but it hurt that I was abandoning her. That I was leaving her out in the world alone with no answers and no clue as to what happened to me. I failed her; I failed everyone.
“Why are you doing this?” I screamed, baring my teeth. “Why me?”
“It’s simple, really.” She stated matter-of-factly. “I told you to stay away from The Reapers, warned you they wouldn’t want to be with someone like you, and you didn’t fucking listen to me.” She hissed. “Here’s a little clue, Stevie. I don’t like being ignored!”
“But why would that matter?” I asked, still not understanding her logic. “Why did you want me to stay awa-”
“Did they tell you we grew up together?” She asked, cutting me off as she dreamily stared out into space. “Oh, who am I kidding?” She asked, shaking her head with a smile. “Of course they didn’t. They never like to talk about the past. But our history together goes way back.”
The shift in her demeanor was jarring, but I nodded along anyway. She was obviously unhinged, and I knew that the longer I could keep her talking, the more time I’d have to figure out a plan.I needed a fucking plan.
“I only saw his brothers a few times before they were fostered, but Atlas and I were as thick as thieves growing up.” She beamed, circling around me. “Like two peas in a pod.”
“Atlas was a few years older than me, and at first, he hated it when I’d follow him around. But after a while he understood my need for him. He was the only one who could stop my monster from visiting me each night.”
“David, my monster, was terrified of Atlas. I quickly learned that as long as Atlas stayed close by, David wouldn’t go near me. Eventually, though, we grew up and went our separate ways. Atlas had his brothers to take care of and I went out to live on my own, but we still kept in touch here and there.”
“I didn’t know it at the time, but my monster had gotten meaner and angrier after he left the group home. He hated that he couldn’t have me and was simply biding his time until the opportunity struck.”
“David nearly killed me the night he found me alone outside of a nightclub. He and his friends beat me and raped me so brutally, that by the time they finished, I was barely recognizable. When I showed up on Atlas’ doorstep, he and his brothers took one look at me and went out looking for blood. They killed David and his friends for what they did to me and from that day forward, The Reapers promised they’dalwaysprotect me.Always.”
“Even after the engagement news, I never worried that they wouldn’t be able to keep their promise. Anyone with eyes could see that Atlas couldn’t stand Melanie. But then you showed up and everything fucking changed.”
“It doesn’t have to change.” I said, trying to appeal to her. “Nothing has to cha-”
