“Where you going? Stay and keep me company.”
Jane leaned against the counter. He was handsome, but something about him repulsed her. Maybe it was the yellow teeth or his overly tight grip on her wrist, but something about him made her want to escape. Forcing herself to relax, she gave him a smile.
“I haven’t seen you in here before.”
“I’m Carina’s cousin.” Doubt entered his eyes as he stared at her. “I grew up in El Paso and wanted to visit my mother’s side of the family,” Jane lied smoothly.
His doubt disappeared, and he gave her a smile, showing his yellow teeth again. “You’re smart wanting to learn about your Mexican heritage. I bet you don’t even want to go back home after you learned the difference between men from the States and Mexican men.”
“Differences?”
“That we’re better lovers.” His tight grip became caressing, making her skin crawl.
“Oh.”
His beady eyes narrowed on her. “You don’t agree?”
“I do. I do,” Jane hastily agreed yet couldn’t help her next comment. “But men in the United States have bigger dicks, so I won’t be staying long.”
His hand stop stroking her, and he jerked her toward him, her breasts pressing flat on the counter as he tried to pull her over it. “Then let me change your mind.”
Jane motioned for Teresa, who gave her an angry look as she came up beside the man who was trying to rip her arm out of its socket. “Juan, what are you doing? Are you trying to make me jealous?” Juan's scowl turned into a smile as Teresa rubbed up against him.
“No. Why would I want to make you angry, my little flower?” Jane wanted to vomit as Teresa passionately kissed Juan, rubbing her big breasts against him before pulling away teasingly.
“Go on upstairs. The door is unlocked. I’ll be there in a minute.” Juan was out the door in a flash.
Teresa lowered her voice to a near whisper. “If you keep making the men angry, I’m going to let you be the one to have to fuck them into a better mood. I’m getting sick of bailing your ass out of trouble.”
“I’m sorry.” She should have kept her mouth shut. Jane was angry at herself for placing Teresa in the position of having to bail her out of trouble again.
“Just keep your mouth shut and smile,” Teresa grumbled, leaving the bar.
“What happened?” A hateful voice from behind had her turning to face her new boss.
Jorge was an asshole. He had let Teresa and Carina convince him to let her have a job after they had gone into his private office with him. Jane didn’t want to speculate what it had taken for the two women to get him to agree. Regardless, he consistently kept her under his thumb, watching every move she made as if she were going to steal the money he kept in the cash register.
When she hadn’t taken any of the customers upstairs the first two nights she worked, he had wanted to fire her, but Jane had offered to take less money in pay until she was working practically for free. Jane hadn’t missed the fact that, each time Carina and Teresa returned after taking a man upstairs, they would hand Jorge money.
“Nothing. Teresa was angry that I was talking to Juan.”
He gave her a doubtful look before moving away.
Jane returned to cleaning the counter, looking up when she heard the bar door open. Her mouth almost dropped opened at the man entering. She had always been a woman who could appreciate a good-looking man, and that man was more than good-looking; he was outstanding.
He seemed to be in his late-twenties or early-thirties. His hair was rich brown, which set him apart from the sea of black-haired men, but it was more than that. The men in the bar all carried guns, and Jane was sure more than one had killed to get what they wanted. However, the man who had entered carried himself with lethal intent. He was tall and muscular, wearing his jeans low on his hips, with his booted feet sounding on the creaking floorboards as he walked across the room.
“Give me a whiskey.” Jane nodded her head as he spoke to her in the first English she had heard in more than a week.
She stalked to the liquor bottles, automatically reaching for one that wasn’t watered down. Jorge had told her to start with the hard stuff then, as they gradually became drunk, switch to the bottles he had watered down.
Her hand shook as she poured the liquor into the glass. Being careful not to spill it, she placed it before him.
“Cade! What in the hell are you doing in here?”
Jorge reached out to snatch the money from his hand before she could.
“Getting a drink. What in the fuck does it look like?” He raised the glass, taking a large swallow.
“You think that’s smart after what you did?”
“What did I do?” He was talking to Jorge, but Jane felt his eyes on her. She tried to make herself look busy by drying the glasses she had washed, putting them away afterward.
“Carlos isn’t going to be happy you’re back in town after his guest disappeared with you.”
“You mean Joe? He wanted to hitch a ride home with me, and I didn’t want to make Carlos angry by refusing his friend’s request.”
Jorge treated the man to the same suspicious look he was constantly giving her. “That’s the best story you can come up with, Cade?”
“It’s the truth,” he said, emptying his glass. He pushed it toward her. “Give me another one.”
Jane put the towel down to refill his glass.
“You have a room I can stay in tonight?”
“I have one in the back, unless you want to stay upstairs with the women. Teresa or Carina will be happy to share their bed with you. That is, unless you can convince her.” He gave a sharp nod of his head toward Jane. “Though, so far, none of the other men in here have been able to.”
The asshole didn’t really believe he could make her feel guilty for not wanting to have sex with the revolting men who constantly hung out in the bar, did he?
Cade’s gaze slipped impassively over her body before answering. “I’ll take the room out back. I need the sleep.”
“Suit yourself.”
Cade handed Jorge several more dollars before finishing his second drink, and then he set his glass back down on the counter. Jane couldn’t help watching as he walked across the room to the hallway that had Jorge’s office, the bathroom, and the spare bedroom. Jorge always kept his office locked, which Jane had learned from trying several times to get inside after Carina had told her that was where Jorge kept several addresses of the men who came in the bar.
One man in particular had come in the bar two nights ago. Carina had told her his name was Silva, and she believed he was from Peñuela. The man had talked with Jorge for quite a while at a table before leaving. She had casually tried to question the other men in the bar after he had left, only to see fear on their faces and silence at her questions. When Teresa had warned her with a silent glare, she had stopped.
Carina managed to briefly get away from a table of men she was sitting. “Cade’s staying?”
Jane nodded.
“Stay away from him, Jane. Teresa doesn’t even like it when I talk to him. She gets angry if she thinks you’re trying to make a play for him.”
“I wouldn’t,” Jane denied, seeing no reason to tell Carina she had been attracted to him the minute he had walked in the door.
“Jane, Teresa isn’t nice. She won’t play fair if she thinks you’re trying to take something that’s hers.” Carina gripped her hand in warning. “She won’t care if you get hurt.”
Jane nodded, letting Carina see she would heed her warning.
She waited on tables then cleaned them down as the customers left. At the end of the night, her eyes felt heavy-lidded with fatigue as she finally climbed the steps toward the apartment.
She hadn’t seen Cade for the rest of the night. Teresa had pouted the entire time after Jorge told her he was there and Cade didn’t answer when she knocked on his door.
Jane was so bleary-eyed she nearly tripped over the top step. If she d
idn’t find out new information on her sister soon, she would have to make up her mind about whether to leave. She gave herself a time limit of two days, knowing she couldn’t afford to be away too long. She had bills to pay, and her mother depended on her. Jane tried not to think about how her mother was doing without her, and then her thoughts switched to Bailey. Her sister better make this shit up to her, or Jane was going to make sure Crazy Bitch kicked her ass.
Chapter 3
Benedict looked up from his breakfast when the maid came to stand hesitantly in the doorway.
“Yes, Jana?”
“Mr. Montgomery, you have a visitor.”
“Who is it?” his wife asked sharply. “Benedict, I have told you I don’t like your business associates to show up here. That’s why you have an office.”
“I don’t think they are business associates of Mr. Montgomery’s,” Jana said.
“I see. Whoever it is, show them to the living room, Jana.” Benedict cast his wife a sharp look as he stood from the table, following behind the maid as she walked to the front door.
He went into the living room to wait, expecting one of his friends or someone with a business interest to walk through the doorway, not who did. He would rather face anyone other than the group of women staring at him with dislike.
“Where is Fat Louise?” Sex Piston didn’t wait for him to greet his daughter’s friends, whom he had unfortunately met on numerous occasions.
“I can’t tell—”
“Bullshit.” Sex Piston moved forward furiously, like a tigress protecting her cub. Benedict wished Jane’s mother was as concerned. “I want to know where she is, now.”
He sighed. “Ladies, have a seat.”
Benedict watched as Sex Piston, T.A, Killyama, and Crazy Bitch all sat down on his large couch, staring at him as if he was the one responsible for Jane’s absence.
“You are aware of Bailey’s disappearance?”
“She didn’t exactly disappear. The stupid bitch followed that dick she married into a fucking real life cartel story,” Killyama stated harshly.
Benedict couldn’t argue with her.
“We haven’t seen Fat Louise for three weeks, and her dumbass mom won’t tell us what’s going on. She was living with Crazy Bitch, but she told us her mother wasn’t feeling good and needed her to come home. When we stopped by to check on her, that bitch didn’t know nothin’. If we don’t get some answers, I’m going to report her missing,” Sex Piston threatened.
“Don’t do that!” Benedict shouted then calmed himself quickly.
“Why not?” Killyama’s eyes narrowed on him.
“Because, if you do, they might not let her back into the States. I don’t know if she entered Mexico legally or not.”
“Oh, my God.” T.A.’s mouth dropped open. “She went after that stupid bitch, didn’t she?”
“I’m afraid so. I didn’t know until it was too late,” Benedict admitted. Their accusing gazes made him feel worthless as a father. “Her mother found the note she left behind four days after she disappeared and only contacted me when she realized she was out of money. By then, it was too late to reach her. She had already entered Mexico.”
The women on the couch had been his daughter’s friends for most of her life. They sat there as if they didn’t know what to do or say next. That was a first for the women, he was sure.
Sex Piston was the first to recover. “What are you doing about it?”
“I’ve hired a man who is capable of bringing her back. If he will be successful remains to be seen. We have to remain hopeful, though.”
“Fuck hope. I’m going to get her.” Killyama stood up from the couch.
“No! We are not going to make this situation worse than it is. Cade will bring her back. He’s the best in the business, and he has managed to complete jobs no one else has.”
“Fat Louise isn’t going to survive. She isn’t strong enough. What’s she going to do without her candy? Her favorite restaurant?” T.A. said with tears in her eyes.
“Don’t say that!” Sex Piston ordered. “She is strong. Who is the one we depend on when we need shit done? She’s always there for us.”
The three other women nodded their heads.
Benedict felt bad for the women, aware of how close they were. Jane never went anywhere without one of the obnoxious women by her side.
“Benedict, why are they here?” Delphi came into the room, looking at the women with disdain. Benedict almost warned her; instead, he took a seat on his favorite chair to watch the fireworks.
“You the bitch who’s always putting Fat Louise down?” Crazy Bitch asked.
“Fat Louise? You’re still calling each other childish nicknames?”
“Delphi,” Benedict warned, trying to put an end to the heightened tension that had begun when his wife entered the room.
“You don’t mind them being so rude?”
Benedict shrugged. He had learned to deal with it long ago.
“You pretentious—” Sex Piston began, but Benedict decided to end the confrontation before it really began. If they decided to attack Delphi, he wouldn’t be able to pull them off her by himself.
“Perhaps you should go ahead and leave for your hair appointment,” he suggested.
“Very well.” His wife curled her lip, turning to leave the room, but was brought up short by Killyama blocking the doorway.
“I know you’re the reason Fat Louise took off after that stuck-up daughter of yours. She told me you were pulling a guilt trip on her, and I told her she should shove a fucking foot up your ass. If something happens to her, you’re not going to miss that daughter of yours, because I’m going to send you there in a fucking casket.”
Delphi’s hand went to her throat in shock at the warning. “Are you going to let this … this … trash talk to me that way?”
“Actually, it’s what I’ve been thinking myself,” Benedict said without sympathy.
Delphi brushed by Killyama, leaving the room, although not without a fearful glance back at the women.
After they heard the slamming of the front door, Benedict returned his attention to Jane’s friends. “Go home. I’ll contact you as soon as I hear something from Cade.”
Most of the group stood then walked out of the room with worried expressions. However, Killyama stayed where she was, giving him a glacial stare that nearly curled his balls in fear.
“You let Fat Louise’s mom and that bitch of a wife treat her like shit. If anything happens to her, that bitch won’t be the only one I come after.”
“You’re not going to wait to hear from me, are you?”
“What do you fucking think?”
Benedict was left staring at the empty doorway. He almost felt sorry for Mexico if that woman was headed their way.
Chapter 4
“Wake up!” The command was followed by a brutal punch to her ribs, startling Jane awake. Her frightened eyes lifted to the soldier staring down furiously at her. Despite the pain in her side, she jumped to her feet. Seeing another soldier in the doorway raised her alarm even further.
Jane saw Carina and Teresa standing in their bedroom doorway with terror on their faces.
“Que haces aquí?” She couldn’t understand a word he said. Her sleep-fogged mind couldn’t translate the words fast enough.
Frowning, he repeated the sentence in English. “What are you doing here?”
Jane thought quickly. “I’m visiting my cousin.” She gave a nod towards Carina.
The two soldiers stared at her skeptically.
“I don’t see the family resemblance.” He took her face in his large hand, his grip hurting like hell, but she didn’t try to pull away.
“We’re, like, fourth cousins,” Jane lied. “I wanted to learn more about my heritage.” The soldier’s hand dropped away.
“Why have you been asking about the Silvas?”
“My mother mentioned them. I was trying to find out if we may have a familia connection.” Th
e men talked quietly before bursting into laughter.
The one pointing a gun on her lowered it to his side. “That may be possible. The Silvas like to spread their seed.”
Jane didn’t like the way the two men were staring at her. She became aware of her thin nightgown, crossing her arms over her breasts.
“Grab your things. We will take you to meet more of your family.”
“I’ve talked to my mother. I had the name wrong. I’m related to the Villas.”
“I can see how you would be confused.” All amusement disappeared. “Get your things.”
Jane thought about getting her backpack with the gun in it yet didn’t like her chances. Instead, she swallowed hard. “I really don’t want to go with you.”
“I don’t give a fuck what you want.” The man who had woken her by punching her pushed her towards the doorway. All of them came to a stop when they saw the man standing bare-chested in the doorway.
“Don’t have anything better to do besides trying to kidnap a woman out of her bed, Luis?”
“Cade!” The bastard took a step forward, holding out his hand for Cade to shake. “Where have you been, you hijo de puta?”
“Been busy, but not as busy as you.”
Jane tried not to stare at his chest. She should be scared shitless; instead, she had to force her eyes upward, her arousal spiking.
He didn’t even glance her way, keeping his attention focused on the soldiers.
“Her? She was just going to be a plaything for Javier tonight. He gets bored easily.”
“He must be for you to take her to him. From what I remember about him, she’s hardly his taste.”
Luis turned back to stare pointedly at Jane’s breasts, which were easily visible under the sheer gown.
“He’s right.” The one holding the rifle lifted the bottom of her gown to her thighs with the barrel of his gun. “She doesn’t have enough meat on her.”
“Let’s get a drink.” Cade moved to go back down the steps.
Luis paused before motioning for the other soldier to leave. The gown fell back down her thighs.
“You should search somewhere else for your family ties,” Luis’s harsh warning had her trembling.