Saddled (The Stables Trilogy #3) (14 page)

His shoulders jiggled with a silent chuckle, but he placed his hands behind his head. “When did you get so bold, little slut? Where’s the little mouse I know so well?”

“You burned her to death in a fire,” Maple hissed as she tried to grab the gun. It was stuck, the angle not right. She bit her lip in frustration. “Turn toward me, Tony. I’m going to warn you. My finger is super jumpy.”

There was no quick retort. He spun around to face her. His eyes were large and inquisitive. It bothered Maple that he had no fear of her. From the front, the gun slid easily out of its holster. Now she had a weapon in each hand. She thumbed the safety off his weapon, stepping back and pointing both of them to him.

“Do you have rope?”

He nodded. “In the truck bed. It was for you, along with a host of other goodies.”

“Let’s get it and Gus. Tony, please don’t move too fast.”

“Or you’ll shoot me like your friend?”

She nodded.

He walked slowly toward the trailer. Maple shuffled behind him, the guns waving in her quaking hands. Her body was thin with adrenaline and terror, barely responding to her thoughts. She was tired, and she was scared, and the situation felt so out of control.

At the base of the pick-up, Tony drew Gus’s attention. “What the fuck, man? That was the longest piss--”

Gus saw her and snarled. “You fucking bitch, I’m going to--”

“She’s got the guns, Hoss,” Tony said jovially. “Better do as she says.”

Rage warred over Gus’s face, his features and ugly twist. “What do you want?”

Maple motioned to the truck bed. “Rope. Tony, tie Gus up. Tight, like you enjoyed tying me up.” He had, too, letting her lie in agony for hours as the ropes and knots rubbed deep welts into her skin.

It took so long. Several times she almost dropped a gun, hoping they didn’t see how close she was to losing it. But Tony secured Gus and Maple stepped close, inspecting. “Okay, good. Now open the trailer.”

Tony stepped lightly. It jarred her to see him treating this so lightly. What did he know that she didn’t? The back door of the trailer creaked and moaned as he opened it.

At the back, four figures were huddling together. All of them were tied at hand and ankles, with strips of cloth tied through their mouths, partially gagging them.

Relief flooded Maple, reinforcing her. “Untie them.”

Tony went in and got to work. Maple was forced to switch her gaze from him to Gus, Gus back to the trailer. Finally, all of the women clamored out. “Katie,” Maple barked, “Come here.” Of all the pony girls, Katie had been the most, well, not kind. But avoidant. She’d rarely participated in Brie’s bullying, choosing to ignore more often than not.

Maple handed her a gun. “I’m going to tie up Tony, Okay? Keep the gun trained on him. If you risk shooting me, fine, but don’t let him attack. Got it?”

Katie nodded, mute. Her eyes were wide and doe like, shimmering with tears.

Just get through this, Katie. Just help me get through this.

The end was so close that Maple could taste it. Her body seemed to already be there, systems shutting down, unable to sustain the adrenaline-fueled energy from before.
 

Maple made Tony sit. She grabbed more rope. Then, taking a deep breath, she set her own gun on the ground away from him, where he couldn’t get it quickly, and moved in to tie him up.

Tony stood and Maple jumped back. “Katie, shoot him!”

The grin on Tony’s face was huge. “Thanks, Baby.”

“I’m still pissed at you,” Brie’s voice hissed from behind Maple. “You were going to sell me with these girls!”

Tony held his hands up, placating. “No, I wasn’t. I just needed Gus to believe it until Marco showed up. You did a good job.”

Tony grabbed Maple and whirled her to face Brie, who was pointing the gun at the crying, huddled bodies of Katie, Lexy, and Justine.

“I’m sorry,” Katie cried. “She asked for the gun! I thought--”

Brie sighed loudly. “You thought wrong, you dumb cow.”

Tony’s body pressed up behind Maple’s, his breath hot in her ear. “Some women train better than others, Maple.” He released her and grabbed her gun from the ground.

Maple was done. She’d tried so, so hard. Whatever the signs had been, this was the end. She sat down, defeated.

It was nice, though, in a way. Maple turned inward, shock and exhaustion numbing her to what was happening. Instead, she mused. How calm she suddenly felt. There wasn’t any voice in her head, belittling her for failing. For thinking she could save the day.

Brie tied Maple up after slapping her hard on the face and cursing. Whatever she was screaming at her, Maple didn’t hear it. She descended, sinking into the subspace.

It wasn’t until a gun went off, its deafening crack echoing, that she bothered to look. Tony stood over Gus’s body, which had tumbled over. A small wave of relief washed over Maple. There was no remorse over the loss of Gus. A demon slain, and that alone was worth the price.

Brie locked the remaining girls back in the trailer.

Several dark SUV’s pulled up. Brie kept her gun trained on Maple. The doors opened simultaneously. Men in jeans and low cowboy hats all piled out.

“Marco,” Tony said, worried.

“What the fuck is happening?” A gruff voice demanded.

Tony shrugged. “Change in management. Same deal, though. I got four girls for you.”

The leader, Marco, stepped forward and nodded at Maple. “I only see one.”

“The others are in the trailer.”

“Why’s she out?”

Tony smiled. “This one’s wild. Needs to be broken.”

Marco smiled. “I can do that. Let me see her.”

Brie kicked Maple, yelling at her to go over to the leader. “Be careful,” she warned.

“Put your gun down, whore,” Marco sneered. “I can handle myself.” Brie spat in anger but lowered her weapon. Knowing Gus, she was probably used to men speaking poorly to her.

Maple stumbled over to Marco. She didn’t resist. There was no more fight in her. She’d tried her hardest. It hadn’t been good enough.

That was okay. It had been a magnificent effort, and, for once in her life, she felt wholly proud of herself.

Marco’s hands grabbed her shoulders. Gripping hard, he pulled her close.

And then roughly shoved her behind him. “Now!” He yelled. There were a dozen men, at least, with him. At his cry, they all pulled their weapons on Tony and Brie. “Drop your weapons,” he commanded.

The two guns fell from Tony’s and Brie’s hands, thudding on the ground. Both had their mouths open, confusion and fear finally contorting their cruel, vindictive faces. Maple’s heart hammered, and she clung to the stranger, Marco, not understanding.

“This is the F.B.I. Tony Fields and Brie Sampson, you are under arrest for the murder of Gus VanHorn and multiple counts of human trafficking, kidnapping, and assault. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law…” Marco continued saying their rights as his officers closed in, throwing Brie and Tony to the ground and cuffing them.

Chapter Eighteen

Maple’s back thudded softly against the SUV behind her. Her eyes were wide as she saw the monsters responsible for every pain, every hurt of her body and heart, get cuffed and marched away.

Marco, wrapping things up, turned to her. “Are you okay, Miss?”

Jesus. How to answer that? But she knew he meant bodily-- was she physically okay. Aside from the exhaustion that had ensnared every inch of her and the growing ache of her thighs from riding Bane bareback?

She nodded.

It took too long. Maple was forced to sit, a blanket thrown round her shoulders. Men were speaking to the girls, who shrieked and babbled and pointed to her.

Marco leaned down in front of her.

“Ready to tell me what happened?”

It was morning when the F.B.I. SUV pulled in front of the gate to Deyton Ranch. Maple watched them open it, taking in the wrought-iron fence and marble gate. In front of them was the long gravel road that led to home.

After getting her statement, Marco had tried to have her taken to a hospital. Maple had been compliant until then, but she fought. After a long exchange of words, she’d somehow managed to convince him to take her home. To J.B.

She leaned her head against the cool glass window as the gravel rumbled and spat under the tires. Her shoulders were collapsed in, but her chest was expanding the closer they got. Finally, the house appeared, its ranch-style walls and deceptive size lifting her.

Sunlight flared off the glass front and Maple was forced to squint. When they turned, the flare disappeared. Dots danced in her vision, slowly dissipating to reveal a lone figure, waiting at the front.

He was tall and lean, slightly more muscular than the average cowboy. His hat was pulled low, making it hard to see his face, but she knew it by heart. Clad in a chambray shirt and Wranglers, he waited for her. A thrill ran through her at him, some sense of foreboding.

That man could destroy you
, she’d thought when she first came here. Now she knew how wrong she’d been.

That fear she’d had, the anxious self-doubt that had been so crippling the last time she’d come up this driveway, was gone.

Marco, it turned out, had been infiltrating the cartel for years and had finally been promoted to a place to get proof of American traffickers selling human sex slaves. Gus had been his first big bust. Her story, told to Marco several times, had apparently helped release J.B. and the others, who’d been cuffed and in a van on the way to a Federal holding facility. Agent Marco was relieved. When the FBI had gotten J.B.’s anonymous tip, they’d been caught off guard by what seemed like two major trafficking rings operating within a hundred miles of each other.  He’s called and had J.B. released and brought to the ranch immediately. Now they were witnesses, like her, in the case against Tony and Brie.

She pushed her door open before the SUV had even stopped, flying out and racing to him. Shouts for her to wait bounced off her. No way.

J.B.’s arms unfolded from his chest, opening wide and catching her as she leapt into them.

His mouth found hers and claimed her, hard. Maple’s fingers knotted in his hair. She was desperate for him, for his kiss, for his air.

She heard the agents behind shuffling awkwardly. Now came the tedious part. Breaking from his kiss, Maple wrapped a hand in his. J.B.’s long, rough fingers clasped hers firmly.

It was a clear day. Blue dominated her vision, so deep and true that it dazzled. But it wasn’t unmarred. The white scrape of the moon, trying to remain prominent in the day, was a reminder of the moment.

Of everything that had brought her here, hand wrapped securely in J.B.’s.

Her heart flew, seeing the space for what it was. Limitless. Full of possibility.

J.B. led her inside. He led her home.