The kid followed after him. “How long do you think it’ll take?”
“No idea,” Deadshot replied. “But I’m guessing it won’t be a quick mission. Finding Quincy isn’t going to be easy.”
Chapter 17
Traveling through the desert was never easy or fun, but it had become second nature to Quincy. The men had been keeping a closer eye on the women, making sure that they didn’t try to escape again. Quincy was still furious about what had happened, and he desperately wanted his horse and saddlebag back, but nobody had come to look for them. He was hoping that some of his men or even the boy would show up, but there was absolutely no sign that they were being followed.
Quincy was starting to think that he might have taken the women with him for no reason. He would keep them around just in case, but they were going to have to prove useful in other ways. He and his men had reached their hideout a couple of hours ago, and it felt great to be back home. It wasn’t a house in the traditional sense, but it was the closest thing to a home that Quincy had ever had. He had never owned a regular house or stayed in the city, but he and his men had changed the cave into their own house.
Some of the men had brought items from their houses back in the city, but most of the furniture was obtained through raiding ranches and farms. It might have been a cave, but onthe inside, it was decorated like a house. It was the place where Quincy felt most comfortable and at home. Now that they were there, though, he had to come up with a plan. He had no plan, and he still desperately wanted his horse and saddlebag back. He had no idea how to go about it.
Quincy always figured out a way to get what he wanted, but sometimes it took a little time to come up with a new plan. He would give himself that time, and while he tried to figure things out, the women would have to entertain him and his men.
So far, they had been patient with him and obeyed his command to leave the women alone, but now that they were home and nobody had come to claim the women, there was no reason why his men couldn’t have some fun. Quincy had allowed himself to indulge only that one time. It had helped to calm his nerves a little, but the older woman wasn’t the one he wanted. He had chosen her that day because he was angry and knew she had masterminded their escape. Deep down, he had known that he wanted the younger girl since the moment he laid eyes on her.
Quincy didn’t usually mind sharing. In his mind and to his men, women were only good for one thing, but for some reason, he did not want to share the younger girl. She was his and only his. The older woman was still stunningly beautiful, though, and his men could have her as much as they wanted. He would tell them later, and then they would also be able to relax a little more. He would have to have a talk with them and give them clear instructions that they couldn’t do with her as they pleased. He did not mind if they hurt her, but they were to keep her alive.
Usually, he and his men simply used women for their own entertainment and then killed them, leaving the bodies behind. This time was different. The women were at their home in the cave, and for that reason, it was best to keep them alive. The women would serve as entertainment and might still come in useful for getting his horse and gold back. Quincy was still hoping that he would somehow, someday come across the boy so that he could kill him for all the stress he had put him through. That was a worry for another day, though; right now, Quincy had something else he desperately wanted to do.
When they arrived, he had locked the two women up in a room at the back of the cave. He and his men had sculpted the cave on the inside in such a fashion that they could put locking doors on what they called the walls. There was no way the women would be able to escape the room they were in. There were no windows and nowhere for them to go. Feeling a little lighter at the idea of what he was going to do, Quincy made his way down the makeshift passage and all the way to the back of the cave.
As he walked, he paused by a few chambers that had been turned into bedrooms. His men were busy unpacking their stuff, and in the area they used as a kitchen, somebody was busy making food. It was as if they were one big happy family, and they all finally came home at the same time.
Except for the fact that he was still missing his horse and gold, Quincy felt in a good mood and wanted to celebrate. Sarah would help him do just that.
***
Isabelle watched Sarah closely. Her daughter was not holding up well, and she was really starting to get extremely worried. They weren’t in the wagon anymore. They were in some sort of cave in the middle of the desert, and in all honesty, she doubted they would ever get out. She wasn’t sure if anybody was looking for them, but if there was somebody out there searching, she honestly didn’t think they would find the cave.
Sarah was clearly shaken by what had happened to Isabelle. Not wanting to scare her daughter any more than she already was, Isabelle chose not to go into detail, but she also could not lie to her. She had told Sarah that Quincy had assaulted her, but that she was all right. Isabelle wasn’t sure if she was, in fact, all right, but she had to be. She needed to be strong for Sarah.
Once inside the cave, Quincy had locked them up in a makeshift bedroom. It was more spacious than the wagon, and they could stand up and move around, but there was no way to go. There were no windows, and the door was made of solid wood and locked. They did have a bed, though, which was soft and comfortable, but that made no difference considering how horrible their circumstances were.
“What now, Ma?” Sarah asked from where she sat on the edge of the bed.
Isabelle shook her head and gave her daughter a soft smile. “I don’t know, but I’ll figure something out.”
It was only half a lie. The part about her not knowing what to do was completely true. The part about her figuring something out was only wishful thinking. They were in big trouble, and Isabelle had a feeling that they would never, ever leave the cave again. She had no plan for what to do next. The only thing she could think of was trying to figure out a way to get the men to allow her to roam freely in the cave. Maybe she could convince them that she could cook for them or be of use to them by cleaning the place or something. If she could see what the other rooms looked like and see if there was an exit somewhere, then maybe she could come up with a strategy for them to try to escape again.
It was a horrible plan, but it was the only thing she could think of. With a sigh, she sat back on the bed. It wouldn’t work even if she figured a way out of the cave. She had no idea where they were, and if they tried to escape into the desert, they would surely die before they found civilization again.
The sound of the door creaking on its hinges had Isabelle sitting upright. She immediately knew that something horrible was going to happen, but she was hoping that somebody was simply bringing them food. Isabelle’s gut was never wrong, though, and the smile on Quincy’s face confirmed it.
“Are you two making yourselves comfortable in here?” he asked as he glanced from Isabelle to Sarah.
Sarah shifted closer to Isabelle, her eyes wide with worry.
“Not talking to me, huh?” Quincy chuckled. “Not a problem, sweet thing,” he said, stepping closer to Sarah. “I’ll have you screaming for me in no time.”
Isabelle clutched her daughter’s arm, her stomach twisting violently.
“It’ll be easier for you if you don’t put up a fight,” Quincy told Sarah, ignoring Isabelle completely. “But it makes no difference to me.”
Sarah whimpered, her nails digging into Isabelle’s arm as she tightened her grip on her mother.
Chapter 18
Quincy loved seeing the fear on Sarah’s face. He wasn’t sure why, but it made him happy for some strange reason. Since he could remember, he had always fed off other people’s fear. Dragging her away from her mother and out of the room gave him such a thrill that he could barely wait to get her alone. Luckily, Quincy’s room was right next to the women’s. He had specifically placed himself in the room next to his so that he could be close to them.
