Page 5

5

O ctavia wrapped herself in a towel and stared into the mirror. With a tentative finger, she traced the scar from her temple down the side of her cheek. She could still feel the cold metal cut her skin and the warm blood trickle down her face.

It hadn’t stopped her from fighting. She kicked, screamed, and dug her nails into the man’s flesh. She even bit his biceps, which cost her a hard smack across the face.

Tears burned the corners of her eyes. She couldn’t think about that moment without crying. At some point during the attack, her head hit a rock or something hard on the ground, and everything went fuzzy. Her memory faded in and out as if she’d lost consciousness.

Maybe she did .

But she’d never forget him tearing at her clothes.

Or how he called her horrible names in Spanish as he raped her. His accent wasn’t thick, and she couldn’t see him as he wore a mask.

But she knew. How could she not?

For the first year, she tried to forget. She didn’t even tell Tate. But as time passed and the reality of what had truly happened sank in, she had no choice.

When her attacker was done, he kicked, spit on her, stabbed her in the stomach, twisted the blade until she screamed, and left her to die.

Octavia sucked in a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she pushed those memories back into a corner of her mind. She no longer resented the memories. Nor did she fear them. They reminded her that what happened in the village that day was personal. It had taken her a while to believe that conclusion. Somehow, it was easier to live with when it was a random act of violence. That she’d somehow been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Not an intended target.

But the more Tate dug, the more he knew her death was part of the plan.

She ran her fingers through her wet hair and stepped out of the bathroom. She gasped as she stared at Bellamy, all six foot something of him leaning against the wall by the door with his phone in his hands. He glanced up and cocked a sexy brow.

“Jesus, you scared me.” She glanced down, making sure she was all covered up.

“Sorry about that.” He tucked his cell in his back pocket. “Did you have a nice shower?”

“It wasn’t the worst.” She lifted her clothes from the bed. “Do you mind?”

“I’ve seen you naked.” He winked. “As a matter of fact, I believe I was the first man who ever saw you naked.”

“Not the point.” She glared, feeling heat rise to her cheeks. Before the attack, she’d never been modest. But after? Well, she could barely stand to be naked in her own skin.

He pushed from the wall and closed the gap. Reaching out, he cupped her face, fanning his thumb across her scar. His gaze dropped to her shoulder, where he pressed his lips to the burns on her skin where the man had put out a cigar. “What happened?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

He cupped her chin, his lips drawn into a tight line.

She’d seen that look before. It was a combination of pure rage and powerful love all in one stare. She had never questioned Bellamy’s love. Not even when she ended their relationship.

And it was she who made the decision that it was over. It had to be. He was never going to change. Not even when their life had been altered by tragedy. She understood that about him, even if he didn’t understand that about himself. He could believe that they called it quits because they both needed time, but in reality, Bellamy struggled to make real connections with human beings.

Sure, he loved, and he loved her with his whole soul.

But he could never truly comprehend how he related to people. It was strange because he could read people better than anyone she knew. However, he couldn’t connect the dots where he was concerned. He believed all they needed was a little more time to battle on in their careers.

And maybe a little space to deal with the pains that life had thrown at them.

What he failed to understand was relationships didn’t work that way. When she tried to talk with him about their future, he was the one who put the brakes on. He told her he wouldn’t be the guy who asked her to give up her dreams. He wanted to support her and she loved him for that.

But her dreams—at the time—included him.

Until they didn’t.

“It matters to me,” he said.

She let out a long breath. She’d have to give him something. But she wasn’t sure giving him the whole story would be a good idea. Not tonight. Maybe not ever. “You read what Tate put in that document. I was left for dead. That wasn’t figurative. It was literal.”

“I’m going to make sure whoever did this to you pays.” He kissed her. It was soft and gentle at first. Just a brush of the lips over her mouth. Nothing to write home about. But as he wrapped his arms around her body, he deepened the kiss and she allowed herself to get lost in the moment.

Lost in the past.

Every stroke of his tongue reminded her of their time together. Of their unwavering love.

And she still loved him.

Always had and suspected she’d never stop.

She pressed her hand on the center of his chest. “Bellamy,” she whispered.

He blinked, taking a step back. He ran his thumb across her lower lip and sighed. “Put some clothes on, and then I need to ask you a few questions.” Turning, he strolled toward the window. If one could call it that considering it was streaked with years of dirt and grime. He palmed the wall with one hand and planted the other on his hip.

As quickly as she could, she shed the towel and dressed in the clean clothes she’d purchased at the shop down the street. She could only imagine the things that ran through his mind and she certainly didn’t look forward to the conversation. “You can turn around. ”

He pulled the chair from the small table, turned it, and then straddled it. Bellamy had never been an easy read. He didn’t wear his emotions on his sleeve. While he could be quick to anger, and he often easily forgave, he wasn’t the kind of man who one could tell at a glance what he was thinking.

Not even her and she knew him better than anyone.

At least she used to.

She fluffed a pillow and curled up on the bed, which sagged in the middle. “What do you want to know?”

He twisted his body, snagging the stack of papers that Tate had left for her and thumbed through them, before tossing them back on the table. “Let’s start with why Tate and Nova were the only ones who could know you were alive. And since we’re on that subject, why did you stay in this country after everything that happened? There are safe houses in the United States. There are places that Tate could have taken you. You kept yourself in harm’s way… for what? Why would you do that?”

“I never planned on staying here for five years, much less forcing the world to believe I was dead that long.”

“But you did and it took years before your father accepted it. Do you have any idea what you’ve put him through?”

“Don’t.” She shook her head. She could only imagine the pain her father suffered believing his only child had died. And worse, not knowing what had happened to her, or that it could have possibly been at the hands of someone he once trusted. Or maybe still did.

She knew Eric was still working under her father’s charge, and she had no idea what that meant. Tate assured her that her dad’s hands were relatively clean.

Whatever that meant.

“You have no idea what it’s been like for me. What I’ve gone through and it’s been hell.” She held up her hand. “When Tate first found me, he begged me to let him take me back to the States. To a decent hospital. But I wouldn’t let him. And after I told him what I saw during the attack on the village, he agreed that it was best that I stay missing until we learned more.”

“All right. What did you see?”

God, this was the part she resented about Bellamy. He could be so damned detached about stuff it made her nuts.

“Americans.” She glared. “They tried to disguise themselves and blend in with the local drug cartel angle, but they were Americans. I could tell by their accents. By the way they carried themselves. Tate did what he could to follow up on the investigation, but the local government blamed it all on a turf war between drug lords. It was utter bullshit and Tate knew it. The DEA gave him some wiggle room because of what he was working on and the missing girls and boys that were being used as mules who were found in the US, but at the end of the day, the situation was closed and our government walked away.”

Bellamy pointed to the papers. “That took fifteen months. Why didn’t you reach out to me?”

She cocked her head. “Seriously? You actually have to ask me that question.”

“I get I said some things I shouldn’t have about your fiancé.”

“That’s an understatement,” she muttered. “But at that time, you were still in the Marines. What were you going to do? Not to mention, you have a wicked temper when it comes to Eric. You would have gone off and done something stupid.”

“So, you believe Eric is behind this.” Bellamy arched a brow. “Why? And when did you start heading down that road? I also want to know about Lemin and what he might have to do with this.”

“I don’t know anything about Lemin other than he’s good friends with Eric. Whatever Tate learned, it’s new and he didn’t share it with me. This is the first I’m learning of it.” If she told Bellamy the truth, he was going to put his fist through a wall. If she didn’t, he would find out eventually, and he’d do something even worse. “But I do know Lemin and he’s much like Eric. As in he believes he can pretty much do whatever he wants because he has money.”

“I’ll have to do some digging on him. For now, let’s stick with what you know about Eric and his connections to the attack,” Bellamy said. He was like a dog with a bone and he wasn’t going to let this go.

She was backed into a corner and she was going to have to tell him whether she liked it or not. “Things with me and Eric were difficult when I came here.”

“I remember.” Bellamy nodded. “You mentioned he demanded you pull out and set a wedding date. You threatened to extend your stay if he didn’t stop pressuring you.” If she wasn’t mistaken, he cracked a smile. “Eric should have known you don’t take ultimatums well.”

“No. I don’t. But it wasn’t that so much that pissed me off. It was that it wasn’t even a discussion. It was that I was the little woman and I was to do as I was told.”

“He really doesn’t know you very well.”

“Neither do you.” She pursed her lips. “You thought letting me go was the answer, and it wasn’t. You ended up pushing me into the arms of another man.”

He tapped the center of his chest. “That hurt and was not my intention.”

“Well, it’s what happened. But that’s not part of this discussion.” She let out a long breath. “The first six months I was here, Eric came to visit. A lot. At first, I thought it was sweet. I thought he was trying to accept me and what I wanted to do with my life. But then it became stifling and honestly, weird. There were times I felt like he wasn’t even here to see me, even though he had no official reason for being in the country. I didn’t put it together until after the attack. But I had asked him to look into two missing young girls. He said he would. Every time I asked him about it, he told me that if he learned anything, he’d let me know. One of those girls was found murdered near the US border right before the attack. I confronted him on it and all he had to say was that the government was handling it and that he didn’t tell me because he hadn’t had the chance. But she was running drugs for a cartel and she wasn’t missing. But I don’t believe that.”

“What do you believe?”

“Tate thought they were being forced into running drugs. But his connections inside the drug cartel have only found a couple mules. Some not even on my list. Most he hasn’t been able to tie to Eric, but we know he’s involved.”

“Did you believe that before the attack? Or is this something that’s come out of the research that you, Tate, and Nova have been doing?”

“I had suspicions before,” she said. “But because I was left for dead, we have to wonder if the attack was to get me to shut up.”

Abruptly, Bellamy stood, knocking over the chair. “What you’re trying to tell me is that the attack on the village was more about killing you than anything else.”

She nodded, sucking back a sob. “The Peace Corps had already put us on a no-travel-at-night ban, which isn’t uncommon for this region. But if they suspected, or if there had been any chatter about a pissing match between drug lords, they would have pulled us so fast it would have made our heads spin. Even faster if our military had caught wind of something and Tate said there was nothing. Not a single rumor anywhere. Not back in the States and not on the ground. Add in that I know some of those men were Americans, well, you tell me what to think?”

He raked his fingers through his hair. “You told me earlier that you saw Roxy and she walked right on by.”

“That’s right.”

“Roxy knows you and I had a shirt of yours. She had your scent.” Bellamy pinched the bridge of his nose. “Someone messed with every single dog on that rescue. None of them were doing what they were trained to do. And Eric was there. He was always right there in my damn face. How did he get in-country so fast? He was there before your father. ”

“I can’t answer that, but we both know Eric’s funds are practically unlimited. However, why would he mess with the dogs? He loves dogs. He’d been talking about that military joint K9 Pilot Program for years.”

“I have no idea, especially when his fiancée was missing and he blamed me for not finding you.”

“You should know that when I went missing, we were no longer engaged,” she said just above a whisper. “I’d broken up with him a few months prior.”

Bellamy snapped his gaze in her direction. “Excuse me?”

“I called it off because he wanted me to be something I’m not and I wasn’t in love with him anymore.” Hell, she wasn’t sure she’d ever been in love with Eric. He’d been the polar opposite of Bellamy, and that had been exciting.

At first.

Eric wined and dined her. He bought her expensive presents. Treated her like a princess.

It’s not that Bellamy didn’t treat her well, because he did. Bellamy respected her and gave her whatever she wanted. But he never went out of his way to show her that he cared. Eric would buy her a tennis bracelet for no reason—or at least that’s how she first perceived it.

Now she knew better.

All Eric did was bribe her with gifts. As if that’s all he knew how to do .

Eric had no depth.

“According to that document over there, Tate believes Eric orchestrated the raid on the village to cover up something. But he never comes out and says human trafficking. He hints at it. He lays out a blueprint for it and gave me a name of someone who used to work for the FBI to follow up with. Someone I’ve actually met. Why are we still being so secretive about all this? Tate’s dead. He died, I believe, because of whatever he uncovered. I can’t do this alone. I might have my men and the backing of one of the best organizations I’ve ever worked for, but Jesus, Octavia, this is the big leagues.” He sat on the corner of the bed. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“Nothing can be proven and Tate didn’t even know this right away because I wasn’t sure. I’m still not entirely sure.” But the more she allowed her mind to drift back to that moment, to visualize the sounds, the smells, the touch of that disgusting man.

She knew.

“Octavia.” Bellamy scooted closer, taking her hand. “I can’t help solve this problem unless you arm me with every detail, proven or not. Even a theory can help me discern through all the weeds and muck until we find the right answers and get justice.”

She closed her eyes. She couldn’t bear to look at the man she still loved with her entire being. “You asked how Eric could have gotten there so quick. Well, I believe it’s because he was already in-country.”

“Look at me,” Bellamy commanded.

She blinked.

He cupped her chin. “Why do you think that?”

“I can’t be sure. My memory of that day is clouded. I was beaten so badly. I had a concussion, and when Tate found me, he said I was unconscious for days. He said I was close to death.”

“Not the point, O. Now tell me.”

“Eric,” she whispered and swallowed a guttural sob. “I think it was Eric.”