“Are you? Well, it doesn’t work that way, sweetheart. You belong to us. Your precious Papi gave you to us, and you shouldn’t have even tried to get away,” he said and reached for my wrist, he pulled me. I struggled against him, but Juan was much stronger, and he was dragging me down the steps, towards his parked car.
I didn’t stop screaming or calling for help, but nobody heard, I was all alone. Until I heard someone else’s cries. It was coming from the car. I looked up, and now saw through the open door, Paola sitting in the back seat. She was crying; her makeup was running in puddles down her cheeks.
“I’m so sorry, Valentina…they made me! I’m so sorry!” she was crying, and when I saw her, my body went limp. Now I knew how Juan had found me. Paola had either given up the information willingly or maybe they had her phone bugged. Either way, calling her had been a mistake, giving her my address had been an even bigger one.
I held her gaze, shooting darts at her through my eyes. Paola was shaking her head, hollering more.
“What are you going to do to her? Please, Juan…don't do this!” she wailed, as he shoved me into the backseat of the car with her.
“That is none of your business, bitch,” he hissed at her, sticking his head into the car.
I was lying on my side on the back seat, close enough to Paola to be able to smell her cheap perfume. How was this happening? Just when I thought everything was going to be all right, just minutes after I was so truly happy?
“Juan, you’re making a big mistake,” I said through gritted teeth, straightening myself up.
“Juan, please let her go,” Paola continued to wail, and instead of targeting me, Juan extended his hand past my shoulder and landed a cracking slap on Paola’s face. With enough force to jerk her face sideways. She cried out with pain, and another volley of tears poured down her cheeks.
“Stop battering her. Hit me if you have to!” I snapped at him. Juan turned to me with a smile and then reached for my face again. I was cold to his touch, my body slithering from his proximity.
“We wouldn’t want to ruin that pretty face of yours, would we? Besides, I have other plans for you, sweetheart,” he said and slammed the car door shut on us.
Paola was sniffling beside me, and I tried to calm myself as Juan sat down on the front seat beside the driver.
“Let’s go,” I heard him say, just as Paola wrapped her long cold arms around me and rested her head on my shoulder in solidarity. I wasn’t really in the mood for hugs, even though I forgave her. Whatever she had done or not done, this wasn’t her fault. All I needed to do, was figure out an escape plan or somehow get in touch with King.
Through the dark tinted glasses, I couldn’t see a thing outside, so I didn’t even know where they were taking me.
Chapter 15
King
Elwood had called Church, and my brothers and I were standing in a circle around him, discussing what our next moves against the Muerte Viviente were going to be. We were all in agreement that we needed to act fast before they retaliated. Even though they were small and useless against the Rogue Rebels’ authority, chances were that they were going to try and seek vengeance. Especially since I had stolen their prized possession, Valentina, from them as well.
“Do we know where they like to hang?” one of the guys asked and I nodded my head.
“Hiputi, it’s a gambling bar downtown, in their hood,” I told them. As far as I knew; the Muerte Viviente hadn’t changed their congregation location in all these years.
“We could hit that?” Slade suggested, and Elwood was thinking.
“Are there more kids?” he asked, and Commando shrugged his shoulders at his father.
“There could be more. The ones we rescued were the ones on lease to the Black Skulls,” he said, and I shook my head.
“There aren’t anymore. The gang is running massive losses at the moment, and I sniffed around. There are no other fighting rings in operation right now. My guess is that they put all their kids to work with the Black Skulls,” I told them.
“So, the only reason for us to attack the Muerte Viviente would be to teach them a lesson?” one of my other brothers spoke up, and Elwood took in a deep breath.
“Yes, and also to make sure that they are so far defeated that they can’t do the same thing to any other children anymore,” he said.
“The best way to do that would be to take out Juan Castillo,” I suggested, and Elwood met my eye.
“He’s their leader now, but what is to stop them from appointing another leader after he’s taken out?” Girth asked from beside me, and I turned to him.
“Because without Juan, and if they’re reduced to rubble by us, it will take them a very long time to band together again. The gang is running low right now, technically, they don’t have the power or control they used to. Now is the best time to hit them where it hurts,” I told him, and when I turned back, I saw that Elwood was nodding his head, he agreed with me.
“King is right. Now is our opportunity and we should strike when we have the chance. Put an end to these scumbags,” he growled, and a cheer rang out in the bar. We had all been waiting for Elwood’s approval to take them out. Everyone who had gone to the warehouse and seen the way the kids were being treated, knew that this needed to come to an end once and for all.
Commando thumped my back like it was my own personal victory…and I knew that in a way, it would be. Once the Muerte Viviente were eliminated, it would mean that Valentina would be finally safe. It would mean that we could start living our lives together.