Chapter 36
Zain
Leaving my slave was the one of the hardest things I’d ever done. The tears, the fear in her eyes as she held and looked up at me, were forever going to haunt my memories. I didn’t want to do this. Not really. I wanted my uncles dead, but I didn’t want to leave Lily to do it. Life was never going to be easy. I had to just suck it up and get this over with. The faster I killed off my uncles, the sooner I’d be back to my new life.
God, had she really tried to convince me to marry her last night? As I stared up at Slade, I felt the top of my lip pull back in distaste. Yeah, she sure as hell had, and here we were…
not
married. Not honeymooning in Vegas. All because of the man before me.
I brought my attention back to my slave and pressed my lips against her again. “Give me a minute?”
She nodded and I looked back at Slade. The way his eyes narrowed told me he was cautious. He was probably plotting his next move to get me further away from his sister.
“Can I have a word with you?”
Slade glanced at Blake, who stood behind me, and turned, heading toward his office. I followed, shutting the door behind me.
“You’re in a very pissy mood, Zain. It may be my imagination, but I don’t think so. If I didn’t know better, I’d say it was aimed toward me.”
My arms crossed over my chest as I stared at him. “No, you have it right. I’m pretty upset and it revolves around you.”
“Why is that?” Slade sat on the edge of his desk, holding the overhanging. The longer I let it linger in my mind, the worse it got.
“Lily wanted me to go to Vegas with her last night. She wanted to get married before I left. I had to tell her no.” The last word had my tone deepening. Slade stiffened and I could tell he was trying to act like my news didn’t affect him, but I knew true fear when I saw it.
“No one in their right mind tells the person they love no when it comes to something that big. I would have married her in a heartbeat, had I not given you my word. If something happens and I missed my chance to ever call her my wife, so help me, I’m coming back to haunt your ass.”
He glanced to the floor, only to bring his attention back up. When he did, he was fully composed. “Rushing into marriage after such a short amount of time isn’t going to benefit either one of you. Trust me when I say you’ll be glad you waited.”
My head shook and I moved my hands to rest on my hips. “You haven’t given me a reason to trust you yet. I thought I might be able to, but your ploy to get me further away from Lilian had that disappearing. You’re up to something and I don’t like it. If you’re trying to push me away, I’m telling you now, it won’t work. Lily is mine and nothing or no one will change that.”
I went to spin around to leave, when I halted and walked closer instead. “Just so you know, I’m buying her a ring when I get back.
When
I propose isn’t decided yet, but I’ll be ready. I suggest you get ready, too, because I’ll be asking her soon. That doesn’t mean we’ll rush to get married, but she will be my fiancée, if she chooses to be.”
Slade sat quietly as I headed out the door and made my way back to my slave. It was so hard watching her try to hold herself together. Knowing how she tried to act tough, when I knew she was breaking inside, was the worst. “I have to get going. I’m going to miss you.”
Her arms flew around my neck and I hugged her tightly. As my eyes closed, I took in her smell and the feel of her body against mine. Three days tops. That’s all I’d allow myself. I couldn’t be separated from her longer than that.
“Be careful,” she whispered. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” I pulled back, kissing her one last time before I forced myself to let go and leave. The door shutting behind Blake had me going straight to the elevator and pushing the button. I didn’t want to remember her cries. The feel of the sobs shaking her body this morning almost had me changing my mind.
I turned to Blake as I waited. So clearly, I could see his knowledge of where I was at. He knew I didn’t want to go. From the thin, set lips, to the slightly narrowed eyes, he was reading me like an open book and I hated being that exposed.
At the ding, I walked to the car robotically and held the metal rail as an anchor to keep myself from rushing back in and taking Lily home. My head lowered and I waited for the doors to close.
“We haven’t left yet. You can still stay. I’m more than capable of taking care of this, you know. I
do
have a partner. All it will take is a phone call. He’ll be ready in no time.”
My head shook while I held on tighter. “No. This has to be me. When Saul dies, it’ll be by my hand and my hand only. He took a life that belonged to me. That I created. Now he owes me his. There can be no other way.”
“So be it.” Blake hit the button to the parking garage and I made myself get into my killer mindset. Lily would be waiting for me. If I was going to get back to her, I needed to focus on the task at hand. It was who I was. What I’d been raised for. Death would be coming for those who deserved it and I couldn’t wait to deliver.
A slight jolt had the door opening and we headed to his SUV. Lights flashed from him unlocking it and I didn’t hesitate to climb inside. Before I realized what was happening, fingers laced into my hair, jerking back, and there was a knife at my throat. I didn’t think. Instincts kicked in and he wasn’t even finished adjusting the blade against my skin before I grabbed his wrist and twisted. I spun, drawing my gun from my waistband and pulling his arm forward, using it to bring myself closer so I could press the barrel against his temple. Voices sounded distorted and nothing was making sense. All I knew was the pretty-boy who stared back at me only inches away. He was stuck next to the headrest, trapped by my grip and he was all I could see. My finger was already tightening on the trigger and I had to calm myself past the defenses I’d naturally thrown up.
“Chill, he was just testing you.” Blake’s voice broke through my wall and I threw a glance at him before moving back to the one who didn’t look the least bit afraid. There was a lack of emotion in his eyes. The void drew me in until I had to blink past it. For someone who was extremely attractive, he was practically gone on the inside. The realization had my finger not quite wanting to move from its ready state.
“He’s good. Better than you let on.” The stranger tried looking at Blake, but settled back on me. “I’m Preston, Blake’s partner.”
“Partner?” Of course. Blake wouldn’t bring anyone close he didn’t trust. And with what he did for a living, he’d have to find someone almost just like him. I let go, watching him move back on the seat. “This was supposed to be just me and you. It’s bad enough taking one person in, but two? You don’t know what you’re getting yourselves into and I’m the one who’ll be responsible when one of you dies.”
A snort came from the back and I glared at Preston.
“No one’s going to die,” he said, shaking his head.
“You don’t know that. I’ve been raised with these people. I’ve trained with them. They’re deadly and to dismiss that will be your biggest mistake.”
Blake turned over the engine and pulled out of the parking space. “No one is going to die, Zain. Just buckle up and listen to Preston.”
The dimness of the garage gave way as we pulled onto the road. I kept myself turned in my seat, watching as Preston pulled a laptop from the floor and opened it. The clicking had me curious. What had they found that made them think we’d get in and out without a problem? I knew my father. Knew the security system he’d had installed inside and out. After all, I’d helped build the thing.
“Saul, that’s one of your uncles, correct?”
My adrenaline spiked at hearing his name and rage left my hands flexing into fists. “Yeah.”
Preston peered up from the monitor. “He’s pretty much taken over for, I’m assuming, your father. He just left a meeting with a man we’ve been watching for a while. Reynaldo Pena. Ever heard of him?”
The name had my stomach turning. “He’s in charge of shipping the girls out of Cuba. It’s one of many stops and he’s one of the men I know in the business.”
“Men you’ll be handing over to me,” Blake said, glancing over. “You already provided a few names, but I want them all. Every single one.”
“You and Gaige, both,” I breathed out. The information was a ticket to a new life. To a no strings attached free pass and I planned on taking it.
Blake glanced over. “Feel free to give them to him, too, but I won’t be waiting around until they get their evidence to make any arrests. Preston and I will do just fine taking care of these shitbags and making sure they get what they deserve.”
I had no doubt he meant that. Preston turned the screen and I watched a slideshow of pictures begin. All of Saul standing outside of Reynaldo’s home. One I’d only been to at my father’s request. The man may have made a lot of money selling off girls, but he had a hell of a hard time paying his debts.
“Saul won’t be there for you to kill, Zain. Figuring out if or when he plans to return just might be impossible.”
Frustration had me almost slamming my fist into the dashboard. Somehow, Saul always seemed to slip under my radar and I couldn’t stand knowing I was headed there when he might not be going back anytime soon. He’d disappeared a handful of times over my life and sometimes it lasted months, even years.
“What about Adul?”
Preston glanced down at the screen “Your other uncle is there, but I can’t say we’ve really picked up on him doing anything. Hell, we really can’t find a damn thing on him.”
“Nor will you. He’s guilty of shit, though. Just nothing in the trafficking world except keeping and killing slaves. He dies. Eye for an eye.”
I left it at that and it didn’t take long for us to near the airport. We all kept quiet until we loaded onto Blake’s private jet. The luxurious set up of leather coaches and screens were hard to appreciate once my attention was stolen by the multiple pictures and corkboards covering the walls. My mouth separated as I walked forward, taking them all in. Some had a red mark over the faces and I could only imagine that those were the ones they’d already killed off.
“Holy shit,” I breathed out.
“Indeed.” Blake took a seat on one of the recliners, staring at me instead of around the room. While Preston sat closer to the door, I relaxed on the sofa. But I didn’t stay so for long. The double-take I did had my heart dropping. Each face on the wall represented a wanted man. A dead man, either now or in the future. So, why, resting above Blake, was my picture on the wall?
Chapter 37
Lily
I held my purse close to my side while I sat and waited for my brother’s rant to end. For an hour, he’d vented his frustration over me trying to convince Zain to run away and get married. I knew he was just about finished. The rage was dissipating and true concern had him shaking his head at me.
“What did we talk about not hours before you asked him, Lilian? I told you to trust me. To let me prove to you that Zain was the one. You agreed. Why go out and try to get him to elope after our talk?”
My gaze lifted to his. “I told you, I love him. Maybe we
should
wait. Maybe it was stupid to try to get him to marry me, but I didn’t think so in the moment. I still don’t. What are you planning to prove? Whether he’s stable? He is. He’ll adjust to society. Everything between us will work out just fine and if we have problems, we’ll handle them like adults. There’s nothing either of us are going to do to jeopardize each other’s future.”
“That’s what you may think now. But you don’t know that, Lily. No one does.”
“Exactly. Including you.” I pushed up from the chair. “What does it matter anyway? We didn’t get married, nor will be probably for quite some time. My Master—” Nausea swept over me at my mistake and I took a step back from my brother as his eyes flared, only to narrow. If I’d ever seen Slade’s temper spark, apparently I hadn’t witnessed it to this degree.
“Your…
what
?”
My head shook and no matter how much I wanted to cower, I forced myself to stand taller. “Nothing.”
One step. Two. The closer Slade got, the faster my heart raced.
“You…will
never
refer to him as that again. Ever,” he roared. “You may have been a slave once before, Lily, but you are far from that now. To think that that’s where your mind goes when you think of him, I’m not so sure I want this for you, despite what he proves to me.”
Words…nothing came as I felt the train wreck of my life come to an explosive end. Why had I done that? Where had it even come from?
“What I need for my mind does not warrant your approval, nor what I need in my life. Remember that.”
“Are you threatening me?” Slade only grew angrier and I was at a loss on how to mend this. Was it even fixable?
I eased my purse to the ground and took off the white blazer I wore. The black shirt underneath was sleeveless and I glanced down at my arms before lifting them in Slade’s direction. The scars stood out in contrast to my skin, but he didn’t see them. Not when he was forcing himself to look at my face.
“I’m going to tell you a story. The story of a slave who was saved by her Master.”
“Lilian,” he growled. The threat was there, but I continued.
“It all began from darkness. You see, I was drugged when they brought me to Afghanistan. Drugged and raped by four men. My virginity was gone, brutally and viciously. I awoke long before I opened my eyes. The foreign language that was spoken around me had me praying for death. As I laid there and let what had happened to me sink in, I never wanted to breathe another breath. I was terrified, yet dead already, at least on the inside. Or so I thought.”
Slade stayed quiet, a mix of emotions of his face that I couldn’t even read. Sadness, pain…yet nothingness. I made myself continue.
“When we arrived at Amir’s palace, I was even more confused than when I was trying to figure out what was going to become of my life. After all, why would someone that rich need me? I was ruined. Soiled from what had happened. I truly believed that if I survived and somehow escaped, no one would ever want me after the rapes. Hell, I didn’t even want myself.” My hand moved, as if to shove away the memory of how gone I was in those moments. “While two other girls and I were led inside, I tried to study everything. My brain was fuzzy and I can remember my tongue feeling thick in my mouth. I could barely swallow. Barely walk.
“I was taken to a man I remember being terrified of. I feared he’d be the one I was meant for, but he wasn’t. That was when he took me to Zain. I was told that he was my Master and I was his slave. I was a gift for everything he’d done and although I didn’t view myself as belonging to him at the time, I quickly realized that the only reason he’d accepted me was to spare my life. He didn’t want me, Slade. Not like that. He saved me. Where girls were constantly dying because of their beatings, he tried to protect me from anyone who got too close. He made me wear a wrap around my face so I wouldn’t attract attention. Whenever I had to go to the restroom or take a shower, he stood outside the door and guarded me.”
Memories took over my vision and I let them. “Even though he was…harsh, at first, I could see that he was so sad. So…broken, just like I was. Our lives there were nothing short of being prisoners. Even though he was Amir’s son, he was still a captive. His back and legs bear so many more scars than I will
ever
carry. If you could only see what I have, live through what we were made to, you’d understand why I have so much faith and trust in Zain. The whole time we were together, we clung to one another. I was his light where all he’d known for so long was dark. We fell in love, fast and hard.”
Slade came back into view as the images subsided. He was staring at my arms, a blank look on his face.
“It happened, Slade, whether you want to believe it or not. I was a slave.
His
slave, and I will not shy away from that. It saved my life. All of these claw marks you see were someone’s sister or daughter. Maybe even someone’s wife. I could still be gone right now. Dead, even. So when you get mad at me for slipping and speaking the words of my past, that should just show you how comfortable I am around you. Enough so that I let the mistake fall through my cracks. I try to hide what happened to me from everyone. The last person I want to know what I experienced is you. But I am who I am now because of being taken and if I had to change it and forget I ever met Zain, I’d choose to go through hell all over again. Listen to me when I tell you, for the millionth time…
I love him
. Keep that in mind when you’re conducting this plan you’ve convinced me to go through.”
A sniffle had me turning. Mary wiped the tears from her cheek and I slid my blazer back on and reached down for my purse. I didn’t want this to be some hug-fest or for them to tell me they were sorry for what I’d gone through. My brother just needed to know where I stood. I wouldn’t be letting Zain go and no one or nothing was going to stop me from being with him.
“I have to go. I’m meeting Gaige’s wife, Elle, at the coffee shop down the road. I shouldn’t be gone more than an hour. Brace will be going with me.”
Silence followed me to the door and I was thankful for it, but I didn’t miss Mary’s voice echo through the moment I shut it.
“Slade, what did you do?”
The sadness was still in her voice and I tried to push it from my head as I met Brace halfway and we got on the elevator. Soft classical music filled the space and I looked over to him, raising one of my eyebrows. Trying anything to erase what had just happened. The slight smile had me mirroring his. If there was one thing I could count on, it was my silent giant. He had always been there for me. Just like Marcio.
“You up for some shopping later? There are some things I need to pick up and I could use your help.”
He shrugged and nodded. “Fresh air would do me some good. What sort of shopping?”
“Furniture shopping, amongst other things. I have a house to decorate and I want to keep it feminine, yet manly. I’m sure you can help me with that.”
“Zain’s? Or are you thinking about leasing your own place? Doesn’t seem like you’ve been getting along so well with your brother since he’s been back.”
The elevator doors opened and we walked through the busy lobby. Cool air rushed into my face and I hugged my arms to my chest, cursing the fact that I didn’t grab a jacket. I looked over at Brace while I let his question tempt me. “Zain’s. There’s no point in me getting a place when I’m just going to eventually move in with him anyway.”
Brace stayed at my side while we walked at a fast pace. The jacket he put on my shoulders had me hugging to it tightly, even if it did swallow me.
As we waited for the crosswalk light to change, I couldn’t help but wonder how my brother’s and Mary’s conversation was going. What did Slade think about what I’d told him? I knew he was aware that I’d been raped, but the number of how many times had never been revealed. I kept the numbers out the courts, along with being drugged. They’d only gotten the necessities out of me and even that had been hard for them to do.
“Brace, do you think—”
Squealing tires had my words freezing in my mouth. My hand instinctively reached out to my guard as I prepared for…what, I wasn’t sure. Being taken again? In that moment, all I knew was fear like I’d never felt before. The buildings swayed, warping around me in a wave, and sound disappeared as my pulse took over every inch of my body. The thumping became a life of its own, rocking me with the steady rhythm.
“Just a red light. You okay?” Brace’s arm was around my shoulder, yet I never felt him step closer. My skin tingled and I attempted to slow down my breathing.
“Fine. I don’t know what happened. I just…”
“You’re pale. I think we should head back.”
The crosswalk light came on and I took a step forward. “No, let’s go.” With each foot of distance I covered toward the coffee shop, I felt myself grow even more aware of my surroundings. The buzz of voices was almost nonexistent. Car engines decreased and then revved as they zoomed by. Sweat was starting to cover my skin and I handed back over the jacket, not able to bear the weight any longer. The faster I got this over with, the quicker I could get back home. I suddenly needed the security of my walls. They’d help this episode pass.
A soft bell sounded as I pushed open the door and glanced around the small space, almost wanting to rush back out. People sat with their laptops or tablets in front of them. Some were in line. A blonde with long, wavy hair motioned with her hand and the smile she gave me was genuinely nice. She was beautiful and tall. Inches taller than me and Mary.
“I’ll order your latte.”
“Thank, Brace.” Had I still been holding onto him? My hand disconnected with his wrist and he pretended not to notice while I tried to decipher what was happening. My goal had been to become strong. I’d started training again. Taken the pills as prescribed to sleep at night, which were working, but were they? It was as if my nightmares were now creeping into my everyday life. Would it go away?
“You must be Elle.” I met her halfway, shaking her hand, and following her back to the table. Again, I scanned the area before coming back to her happy face. Her eyes immediately drew me in. The color was almost teal. So bright and grabbing that it took me a moment to process her words.
“Oh, yes, I’m Lily. Sorry. I was…thinking.”
A soft laugh filled the space as her hands gripped around the coffee’s Styrofoam cup. “It’s okay. I do that a lot. So, Gaige tells me you’ve been trafficked before.” Her words were slow, quiet, and very careful. Hearing the correct term left me even more anxious.
“Yes. Once, a few years back. I was taken again not that long ago, but that was under different circumstances. But it was by the same people that were linked to my situation before.” How messed up did that sound? I repeated what I’d said through my head, trying not to dwell on how it made me feel.
“I’m sorry.” Elle glanced toward Brace, but brought her gaze back to me. “You’re lucky they found you. Usually, the second time a woman is taken, she doesn’t fare that well. How are you?”
Everything in me screamed to say that I was perfectly okay and bouncing back, but I knew that was a lie. I was here for a reason.
“Not good.” My head lowered. “The nightmares are better now that I’ve been put on sleeping pills, but I’m…scared.” As I rose to meet her eyes, I felt as though I could tell her anything. That didn’t happen often with the people that usually surrounded me. I had a hard enough time talking to my therapist. I sighed, pushing myself to continue. “I heard someone braking just before we made it in here and the sound set me off. That’s never happened before. Not like that.”
Her gaze lowered and the cup turned from the push of her fingers. “I think we’re all triggered by certain things. Brakes get me, too. Vans or SUVs stopping next to me, even more so. Years may ease the fear we feel, but I don’t think it’ll ever quite go away. We’ll always be more aware of the little things most people don’t even give second thought to. My best method of coping comes from the work I do at the organization. It helps.”
“I looked at the website earlier. I’d like to contribute in some way. Whatever I can do.”
Elle glanced up as Brace neared the table. I took the latte and watched as he went a few tables over, sipping on his coffee.
“We’re always taking on volunteers. Why don’t you come by in a few days and check things out? See what you think. If you find it to be too stressing, there’s always other ways to help, too.”
A pamphlet was pulled from her purse and I took it, glancing through the pages as she continued.
“There are several forms of trafficking we associate ourselves with, but I focus mainly on the cases more…severe. Ones like ours. International. But you’d be surprised how rare that’s becoming. The US has seen a major increase over the years on the number of women who are made to become slaves right here in the United States. It’s a frightening epidemic. One that I’m afraid is going to get a lot worse before we can make it better.”