Seducing Texas (So not Prince Charming #2)(42)

Staring at the hole, I don’t know if it’s large enough for me to squeeze through. I watch through the bars and listen. It’s quiet, and this may be my only chance. I shove the two water bottles out of the hole.

I push one arm through first and then a shoulder. My head goes next. Getting both shoulders and my chest through will be the tricky part. I pull the other shoulder through, but when I work on my chest, I’m stuck. I cannot budge.

Dammit. I have to get through now. I don’t want to die here. A single tear rolls off my chin.

Inhaling several calming breaths, I relax and stretch my legs. My feet bump into the bed fixed against the far wall. Using the bed as leverage, my feet shove against it, and I suck in a deep breath. The stones scrape against my skin through the shirt. It’s so painful I have to bite back my cries of anguish.

I squeeze my chest through the narrow slit, so only my hips are left. The toes of my Chucks dig into the dirt to push me forward, and my hips crush against the stone. Sweat pours down my forehead. I can’t move. I’m stuck. My fingers scrape at the mortar. I rock my hips back and forth and the other stone I’d been working on earlier comes loose but is now wedged askance and preventing me from getting my hips through the tight opening.

Shit.

I wiggle my hips until the loose stone pops out. I scramble the rest of the way out of the cell. I stand up. I’m in a long hall of the house. I’ve never been in this section, but if I find a window, I’ll crawl through and run into the desert.

I stuff the water bottles into my jeans and skulk down the hallway. Light pours in through a window midway in the hall, but it’s up high. I dig the toes of my Chucks into the stone to climb up. Outside, several guards carrying assault rifles chat before moving on to survey the grounds.

I wish it were dark. Escaping will be much harder in broad daylight.

I move down the hall and realize I’m close to the main living area. There’s a back entrance that leads to a path that goes out into the desert. I must cross a wide expanse fully exposed to get to the rear part of the house.

Sneaking into the living area, I hold my breath. Before I dash across, young Manny’s voice comes from the hall, and he’s talking to one of the guards. My stomach climbs into my throat. I spin around searching for a place to hide. If that little prick catches me outside, I’m as good as dead. I have to hide.





Chapter Cyn


I drive up to the eight-foot concrete walled compound where rifles peek over the top. They’re all pointed at me. I shake so hard I can hear my bones rattle. I inhale deeply, and as the gates open for me, I drive slowly inside. They could shoot me right now and kill Willa too. I straighten my spine and mentally prepare myself. I visualize myself calmly finding the gun, shooting Manny, and pressing the pager to call Juarez. Then I can release Willa and get the hell out of here.

Killing Manny is what I need to concentrate on. I have to focus on how much I hate this man, so I can go through with murdering him in cold blood. He killed my mother, and he kidnapped my sister.

I scan where the windowless cell is located and finger the small button pager and flash drive between my breasts. My phone is in my pocket, but it probably won’t be for long. Manny will confiscate it.

I step from the car, my nerves rapid firing underneath my skin, tingling the hairs despite the desert heat. Uncle Manny steps outside along with my little shit cousin. He nods to a guard who immediately rotates his assault weapon behind his back.

I lift my hands and he frisks me, finding the keys and my phone. I left my purse with Shane, and I hope Manny doesn’t notice.

“Where’s your passport?” Manny asks.

“I left it close to the border. If I don’t return, they’ll be looking for me, so I better go home with my sister.”

“She can keep her keys and the phone,” he tells the guard. “Just turn it off.”

After the guard turns off my phone, he hands them back, and I pocket them.

“Did you bring the original?” he asks.

My rigid body aches from the strained muscles. “It’s close by.”

“Any copies?”

There’s no point in lying. “Yes.”

A hard look narrows his eyes. He has to expect that I wouldn’t turn them all over. “Then we cannot make a trade.”

“I will send you the others only if I leave with her.” This is turning to shit. I wipe sweaty palms on my skirt.

“Neither of us can trust each other,” Manny says, “so we’re at an impasse.” He gestures for me to enter the house. “We should talk.”

I blow out a whoosh of fear. If he kills us both, my dad doesn’t know where the other copies are.

From his confident smile, Manny thinks he can get away with killing me. As I walk inside, his wife greets me with a tight expression and hurries off. The youngest girls aren’t around either, which is good. I wouldn’t want them to get caught in the crossfire. His son stays by his side, and he likes blood. I’ve heard he’s killed.

A young female servant offers me a glass of lemonade. Manny takes a glass she pours, so I do too. I think about what I’m going to do. Do I get the gun before seeing Willa? I debated that for the last half hour of driving. Go for the gun.

Little Manny is packing. I see the gun stuck in his pants, and I’m sure he’ll use it. Manny does not appear to have a gun on him. He’s dressed in a black casual business suit, no tie, but he probably has guns nearby.