Page 53

"That doesn't mean I can't hurt you. He doesn’t care what we do to you, as long as you're still alive."
"Who the hell ishe?" I yelled, knowing he wouldn’t tell me, but frustration got the better of me. “Who the fuck is this guy? I haven’t done anything to warrant this.”
Antonio shook his head, stepping towards me. "Get inside, or I'll have to hurt you."
"No."
"Tatiana, Jose was always bad about keeping his gun stocked, but I take care of my guns. I know exactly how many bullets I have left."
I tilted my head, curious. "How many?"
“Thirteen.” he said, certain.At least two missing bullets.
Fuck, he was serious.
I heard pounding footsteps behind me, and, glancing behind me, I saw three men running towards me.
Shit. I had to get out of here. Now.
Turning, I scrambled towards the car and Antonio's gun went off. Pain lanced through my shoulder and I bit down on it, hissing. I got to the SUV door and threw it open. I jumped into the driver’s seat, slamming and locking the door.
Searching through the keys, I found one that looked like the SUV. Just as I shoved it into the ignition, Antonio’s face appeared at the window.
I turned the key, and the engine roared. The car door jerked open and I gasped in surprise. His hand clamped on my arm, dragging me out, dangling his copy of the keys in my face, the bastard.
I kicked him in the stomach, then tried again for the groin but we were quickly surrounded. Men piled in from all sides. The passenger seat, behind Antonio, the back seat.
It took several of them to get to me, and I punched and kicked as many as I could. I tried everything I could to get away but there were too many of them.
Then Antonio was over me, a determined look on his face. He shook his head. “I didn’t want it to be like this, Tatiana. Just remember you forced me.”
Arms held me down as he plunged another needle into me. The darkness rushed over me quickly this time, and I was out.
* * *
The world around me was a haze of movement. I was in an unfamiliar room, on a dirty, bare mattress on a concrete floor. Light filtered through a large rolling door, where a brown, diesel pickup truck sat, blaring Banda music.
The man sittingin the truck, with a thick, black mustache spoke to a woman standing outside it. She was wearing a skin-tight pink and purple flowered dress, with an AR-15 slung around her back. She leaned in to kiss him and his hand reached out the window to grab her ass.
A knuckle ran down my cheek, a hot breath washing over my cheek, “Hey, littlepajarita. Remember me?”
The familiar nickname, little bird, should’ve sent a jolt of fear through me, but instead I could only blink lazily.
I sighed, not looking at the mirage, feeling happier than I'd felt in a long time.
Not since coming to Vegas, and not since before my parents were killed.
For once, the thoughts that plagued my mind were silent.
"Whadda want?" my voice was slurred. "You know what, I don't even care. You're dead."
There was a low chuckle. "I'll never be dead,pajarita. You'll never escape me."
I swayed to the music playing in the background. "You always thought highly of yourself, until I slashed your throat." I laughed, remembering that moment. "That was the best day of my life." I frowned. "Oh, is that why you're here?"
His murmured response blended into the background because I didn't care why he was here. I was just happy to be back in this place. Floating on clouds, wrapped in a warm hug. Shit, wasn’t life so beautiful?
I gasped, my mind suddenly alive to the world around me. My heart was racing, but the oxygen through my lungs felt like fire and ice and sweet, sweet heaven.