I look up in relief, but it’s not Angel entering the room but the woman who did our exams. She looks just as uncaring now carrying in a tray of food as she did drawing blood and giving out the birth control shot. I keep my eyes locked on her, noticing how she doesn’t look outwardly scared of Javier, but she also maintains her distance, making sure not to get too close. Does he hurt the staff as well? I wouldn’t put it past him. Some men are just inherently evil, and any man who could pull a woman off the back of a truck and rape her has absolutely no redeeming qualities.
The woman leaves without a word, and I find it odd that I’m irritated he didn’t tell her thank you for bringing him something to eat. I spin my head around to glare at him when the door closes, but the challenging arc of his eyebrow as he looks back at me makes me snap my mouth closed.
“Are you hungry?”
My stomach threatens to gurgle, but I get the feeling it has practically given up even begging at this point. I shake my head.
“It looks like turkey and swiss on rye. Lupe makes the best spicy tomato soup.”
I’m unable to pull my eyes from his hands as he cuts the sandwich in half, lifting one section to his mouth.
When he groans as he chews, I know it’s just another tactic. He’s either purposely trying to make me insane or the half he isn’t eating is poisoned. Or the soup. The soup is probably poisoned.
But then he stirs the soup, sipping a spoonful in his mouth, and my stomach betrays my hunger with a loud growl.
Javier finishes half of the sandwich and a couple spoonfuls of soup before wiping his mouth with a napkin.
I tremble harder when he stands, lifting the tray of food from his desk. I’m shaking because he’s carrying it in my direction.
I can’t even manage to pull my eyes from the tray once it’s on the table in front of me, despite his proximity and my need to prepare myself in case he tries to grab me. It’s like I’m in a trance watching the small bits of seasoning floating in the creamy soup. The sandwich has fresh lettuce and tomato and from the looks of it, spicy brown mustard.
Another round of tears begins as he backs away, and I just can’t bring myself to eat it.
After another hour of just sitting here with Javier typing away on his computer, Angel shows back up to take me back to the basement. I regretted not eating that food every second it was in front of me, but not as much as I do when I get back downstairs only to discover the packaged food I hid under my cot mattress has been removed.
Chapter 10
Thumper
I’m no stranger to stressful situations.
As an undercover FBI agent often stuck in the middle of the equivalent of a viper pit, adapting becomes second nature, but this is the first assignment I’ve had where there are such long periods of inactivity. I wasn’t a pacer or a finger tapper until recently, and it’s driving me crazy.
I know I’m not the only one Gonzalo Sevilla is supplying girls to, and while I wait for the slow trickle of information from my handler, he continues to abduct women off the streets. I’m doing my best to try and save four women and get Lauren where she needs to go, and I don’t doubt his men haven’t abducted ten times that since they arrived.
I feel helpless.
My phone chimes with a text, and I race to pull it from my pocket because at least it may give me something to do.
Angel: Basement. Now.
Two words is all it takes to put me into action. I race out of my office and fly down the hallway.
He’s never texted to demand I be somewhere, and a sick feeling forms in my gut with every heavy step of my boots. My mind immediately goes to Cara, fear twisting me up. Then I feel like an asshole because if there’s an issue, I should be worried about all the women down there equally, but I can’t exactly control my thoughts at a time like this.
I’m breathless, heart racing a hundred miles an hour from adrenaline as I fly down the basement stairs.
It only takes a second to assess the situation. Megan, one of the blonde women, is curled in on herself, sobbing in the corner. Her sweats are ripped to shreds and discarded on the floor. Angel is huffing from exertion with his knee planted against Juan’s neck.
I’m supposed to protect these women, and this animal came down here and fucking raped her.
“What the fuck happened?” I roar.
I took precautions against this. The cages and locks were meant to protect them as much as isolate them.