“Good luck telling her that,” he says, nodding over my shoulder to my car, and spins on his heel to get in his truck.
As I walk to the car and open the door to get in, Raven climbs over the seat. Her face is full of concern and worry. She doesn’t even have to tell me, I can just see it all over her face and her eyes tell it all too.
“So, what did he say?” she replies and sits on the edge of the leather seat, staring at me.
“Listen, Angel, before you get mad, I need you to hear me out.” I look over at her, and she nods. “Bret wanted something for trade. He wants Blakelyn for Luis.” I don’t even get to finish the conversation before her fist is jabbing me in the side of my face.
“What the fuck, Damien?! What did you tell him? I know what you better have told him.” She’s seething, I can tell her eyes even look darker. She’s like a damn feral cat right now, and I don’t blame her.
“I made it seem like we would trade. Obviously, you know me better than that, though. God, I’d never let anything happen to that little girl. I promise you that,” I say, hoping she believes every word I’m telling her.
“I swear to God, if one hair is hurt on her blonde head, I’ll slice your throat open and watch you bleed,” she spits out, her tone more venomous than a snake, and pins me with a stare.
“Trust me, Little Viper, don't I know it. I already know you’ll have my head if this goes wrong.” I scrub my hands over my face and drive out of the lot.
Now to just explain this to Eddie and Zeke. Oh, and Lilly. What the fuck did I just get us into?
Chapter 27
Luis
I hear the door creak open, but couldn't care less to move. I already know it’s him; he’s the only one who comes and goes. Every once in a while I’ll hear another man's voice, but I don’t know who it belongs to.
“Well, it turns out your brothers want you back anyway. What a shame. I really wanted to kill you. Still might.” Bret laughs as he kicks me in the side, yet again. My ribs feel cracked, because they are constantly sore. They start to feel slightly better, only for Bret to bring chains to fight with and then they're back to sore all over again. I’m tired and trying to hang on for my family, but it’s hard without her. Every time I close my eyes, it’s her icy blues staring back at me, the light to my darkness.Maybe I was the light to her darkness.
“I’m surprised they fell for whatever bullshit that spewed from your mouth. What did you offer?” I rasp out, my throat feeling even more dry today than it normally does.
“That’s the fun part. You will see,” he says, chuckling as he sets down some food and a jug of water. I get food and water, but it’s the blandest shit I have ever eaten in my life. But I guess I can’t complain.
I’m still trying to work out just enough to keep my strength up. My plan is to fucking leave still, the second he fucks up and I have an out. Being chained like a dirty animal ain’t it for me. Honestly, if this is how those poor women and kids were being treated, it makes my stomach turn, and it just pisses me right the fuck off.
“Don’t have too much fun here, boy. Maybe clean yourself off with some of that water. It’s starting to smell rotten down here,” he says, turning and heading for the door.
“Maybe if you’d let me take an actual shower, it wouldn’t smell so bad. Hell, even soap and the water hose at this point, for fuck’s sake,” I snap back at him. Egging him on is my favorite thing to do. I live for the pain at this point. It gets me a little closer to her each time I see darkness.
“Wanna keep running that mouth, boy? I’ll knock all your teeth out.” He whips around and looks me dead in the eye, a crooked grin pulling on his lips as he marches towards me.
Just as I open my mouth to say something back, his phone rings, and he pulls it from his pocket and looks down at it. His face turns pale almost as if whoever is calling is someone he’s afraid of. He turns back towards the door, answers the phone and rushes out, slamming the door behind him and locking it.Well, so much for baiting him today.Bringing the jug to my lips, I take a sip of the water and enjoy the coolness it brings to my sore throat. I just need a few sips to get me by. Pouring some into my palm, I splash it over my face and scrub my hands down my cheeks so I can slowly start the process of my new way of taking a bath. That’s going to be one of the first things I do when I get the hell out of here, take a fucking steaming hot shower and scrubmy skin clean until it’s raw. I have never felt nastier than I do right now.
“We just got a new shipment in, and it should be good to go at the Southside barn. The cows are all marked clean and ready for sale.” I can hear some of Bret’s conversation from upstairs. I’m so confused,cows?Then it dawns on me. He’s not talking about actual fucking cows; he's talking about trafficking, and if he just got a new shipment, that must mean whoever is on the phone helps him traffic the girls.
How many of these rings do they have actively going? One thing’s for sure, Raven would have wanted them burned to the ground and everyone sent to the safe houses or back to their family. So burn them to the ground I will. I’ll keep her legacy alive.
Chapter 28
Raven
We get to the gym, and I go straight to the ring. I need to punch something, because Damien’s face wasn’t enough. The guys immediately walked to Eddie’s office, I assume to talk to him and Zeke. This plan is shit, and I don’t like it at all. How do they plan to keep Blake safe on top of trying to save Luis? Ugh, this is bullshit. How does he still have everyone playing his game?I just cannot.
Jab after jab I throw at the dumbass that decided to climb into the ring and help me practice.Poor kid.
“Damn, you’re on one today, Raven,” he says, and I can’t for the life of me think of this poor guy's name.
“Let’s just say I have some things I need to work out before I call it a day. Or I might kill someone. Ya’ never know.” I shrug and roll my shoulders as I bounce back and forth on my toes. Ready to go again. I can feel the tension roll through my body as my neck pops.
Just as I throw my leg out to kick at him, the office door bounces off the wall, and it echoes throughout the gym. Catching me off guard, Reyes comes storming out. He meets my stare, but not for long. He casts his eyes down at the floor and walks past me standing in the ring and pushes the door open, walking outside.Well, that’s my cue.I start unwrapping my hands and tell the kid thanks as he slips between the ropes and jumps down. I toss my wraps over the ropes and follow Reyes out of the door. Grabbing the door as it swings closed, the wind blows in my face. I look around and see him pacing back and forth in front of the building like he’s about ready to unleash hell on someone.
“What’s wrong, Lover boy?” I ask, walking up behind him and grabbing his shoulder, turning him to face me.
