Natalia stood in her robe, staring at herself in the mirror, and felt nothing but disgust. She’d been given another red dress. Another fucking red dress. Montez liked her in red, so much so that she had grown to detest the color. She had to keep telling herself that the day would come when Montez would also be dressed in red—the red from his own blood when she slit his damn throat. The woman looking back at her was a stranger. Dark circles under her eyes, pale complexion, hip bones visible through the fabric due to tightness of the mini dress, her collarbone jutting out from all her weight loss. This woman in the mirror was not the Natalia Alvarez who began this act of revenge. She was no longer the strong, skilled, ruthless, and cunning woman who began this mission. No. This woman Natalia stared at had become broken. She had greatly underestimated how hard getting into Montez’s inner circle would be.

Sighing, she reached for her brush that sat on the dresser. She knew that Montez would want her hair long and shiny. He didn’t like it pulled up, and all but demanded she always show its length in however she styled it. The first thing she would do when she left this hell hole would be to cut her hair. Her mother had also loved her hair long, but Montez ruined that memory. Everything about him would need to be wiped out from her mind. No red, no long hair, no submitting to a piece of shit ever again.

Combing her hair, she heard a knock at the door. One of the guards entered before she could even give permission, but that was always the way and had ceased to surprise her one bit. She had no privacy. She was a slave, and whenever she even dared act like she deserved respect, Montez would beat her into submission again.

Know your place, he would shout. Know your fucking place.

Yes, she would… for now. But her place would soon be standing over his dead and limp body—just like his pathetic excuse of a dick.

“Mr. Montez would like your hair down, red dress, black heels, and red lips,” the guard said.

Looking into the mirror, it was all she could do not to point to the red dress on the hanger and roll her eyes. Natalia could see the guard got pleasure in dictating Montez’s command. They all did. Each one of his men got so much gratification from doing exactly what Montez said. It was like he was some sort of God, and they all were his devout followers.

“I know. Thank you.” She continued to run the brush through her hair, trying her best to pay no attention to the guard in hopes that he would simply go away.

“He also said to wear no stockings, and no panties.” The guard chuckled. “He said he would be checking.”

Her once pale cheeks flushed, and the rage inside threatened to boil over, but she maintained her silence.

“Mr. Montez will be here in fifteen minutes to escort you to the ballroom. He does not wish to wait.”

Natalia nodded. “I will be ready. Thank you.”

Luckily, the guard left without saying anything further. One more sick chuckle from the damn minion would have caused her to completely snap and beat the man to a bloody pulp.

Removing her robe and panties, she put on the dress from hell. It was two sizes too small for her, which was just how Montez liked it. Squeezing herself into the lycra-type material, forced her breasts inward and upward giving her cleavage that would have every man staring down, rather than in her eyes, all night. Groaning as she slipped her feet into the five-inch heels, she made another mental note that she would never wear high-heels again for as long as she lived.

Closing her eyes, trying not to hate herself for following every order dictated by the sick monster, she reached for the tube of lipstick. Delicately applying the red paint to her lips, she wondered why she was waiting. Maybe she just needed to kill him tonight even if it meant losing her own life. But she was afraid to die. Not just for herself, but for all those poor women who had been sold off. Once she got out of this awful mess, her plan was to do whatever she could to help save each and every one of the women at the auction. If she died… they might die too. She had to think of the big picture and not let the thirst for revenge blind her and make her act carelessly.

But then again, she hadn’t gotten anywhere with Montez. Not one little bit. Maybe he trusted her more than when she first arrived, as he didn’t require her to be chained up anymore or locked in a cage at night. He allowed her to have a room and her own bed—as long as she was well behaved and did exactly as he asked. But she hadn’t thought it would have taken her this long to figure out a way to kill him and walk out alive. Could it simply be that she was confusing caution with fear? Was she too scared to kill the man?

Maybe it was the words of her grandmother that still haunted her to this day. “No more death. No more war. Peace, my Natalia. Find our family peace.”

Killing Montez would go against her grandmother’s dying wish. Was that what was holding her back? Were her grandmother’s words keeping this sick bastard alive?

The door opened without even a knock. Montez walked into the room and studied her appearance. Even dressed in a black tuxedo, he still looked like a fat slob.

“Very nice, my pet. You look very nice. Every man will be staring at you and wishing to have a taste.” He took a few steps toward her and extended his arm. “Come. The party cannot truly start without its guest of honor.” Montez’s thick accent made her ill. He liked to speak English when possible because he had told her he was more intelligent than his enemies. He believed he was far superior to them all, and Natalia could only hope that his arrogance would catch up with him someday.

When they entered the large room, every inch of space was draped in elegance. Strung lights twinkled all around, brightly colored flowers burst from large vases, and satin ribbons of orange and red hung from the ceiling. Women in slinky black dresses walked around with platters of food and flutes of champagne. Music filled the room from a full string orchestra in the far back corner of the room. Circular tables were scattered about the room with large centerpieces made of roses intertwined with black twisted twigs that appeared as if they were roots swallowing up the delicate flowers. The tablecloths were a bright red rather than the typical white you would expect to see. Yet no one sat at these tables for they were all too busy mingling, as dinner would not be served for some time. The sounds, the smells, and the overall buzz of the room were truly intoxicating.

The guests only added to the energy. Each person was dressed in their finest. Women in gowns, jewels dripping from wrists, earlobes and necks, were sipping from their glasses as they stood near their men. Every man in the room wore suits of black and exuded mystery and danger to even the most innocent of eyes. If one word had to be used to describe the guest list, it would be the word power.

Juan Montez instantly was greeted by a swarm of people. Natalia felt as if she were being suffocated by the constant praise, the ridiculous amounts of ass kissing, and the undertones of fear these men and women had for this man. They all knew this fat fuck was ruthless, and it was better to be on Montez’s good side than his bad. Still, the groveling made her sick to her stomach.

Natalia stood by his side as she had done so many times. She never spoke. She never looked anyone in the eye, and she never gave Montez a reason to discipline her. He would. She knew he would, and wouldn’t hesitate doing it in front of all his men and business associates. This was a room full of people who would never question one thing the man did, even if it was beating his purchased sex slave. When there was finally a small break in the mass of birthday wishes, Natalia took advantage of it.

“Do you mind if I step out on the veranda for some fresh air?” she whispered to him in the most respectful tone she could muster. “I’m really hot, and I would hate to faint in front of all your guests.”

Montez looked down at her in disgust. Not an ounce of concern was present, only annoyance that she would even dare be so weak as to faint. “Go.” He turned away without saying another word and began talking to one of his men again.

She quickly walked to the open French doors before Montez could change his mind. There was only one other person on the veranda when she walked out, and he was just finishing up smoking, flicking his butt over the edge. He gave a quick glance in her direction, of course clearly taking in her obnoxiously displayed cleavage, and then returned to the party without so much as a nod or smile. Natalia knew that the entire Montez cartel were all too scared to even talk to her if they didn’t have to. Testing Montez’s raging jealousy was not something any one of them wanted to do, and she couldn’t really blame them. They didn’t want Montez for one second doubting their undying loyalty to him, and if he caught one of them paying too close of attention to Natalia, it was very likely he would feel threatened. Everything made the paranoid bastard feel threatened.

Once the man left her in peace, Natalia rested her arms on the railing that ran the perimeter of the veranda and stared out onto the hotel’s garden. It was too dark to make out the details of the flowers and trees, but she could smell the rich fragrance of them. The humidity in the warm air was high that night, but she still enjoyed the fresh air. The lovely string music of viola blending with cello coming from inside soothed her nerves and filled her soul. She had to take in the tiny moments like hearing the sounds of insects and songs of night birds, or the feel of the tiny breeze on her face, and truly appreciate that she was still alive. So many had suffered, and were still suffering, but she was still alive.

“Natalia,” a deep and hushed voice called from behind her.

She turned to see a shadowed figure in the far corner of the veranda that she hadn’t seen when she first walked out.

“Yes?” She squinted to see if she could make out who the man was.

“Shh,” the man said as he began to slowly walk toward her.

“Who are you? What do you want?” Warning bells were going off inside her head. Montez had a lot of enemies. Was this an assassin to kill his woman? She took a few steps back, but then realized she was stepping further away from the entrance to the ballroom. If she screamed, she was sure she would be heard, but would it be too late by the time someone ran out.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” the man said as he came into the light and stood closer. “My name is Anson, and I mean you no harm.”

With the light from inside casting on the man, she could now see his features. He was a gringo through and through. Blond hair, blue eyes, and tall with broad shoulders. He too was dressed in a black tux, and looked polished yet rugged. He was extremely handsome, but she would never admit to such a thing. Though he was clearly a stranger, and not one of Montez’s men, she couldn’t help feel as if she recognized him from somewhere. He had to be a bad man. Everyone but staff at this party was bad one way or another. Montez was only friends with shit heads. That much she had learned.

Taking another step back, she asked, “What do you want?”

Anson put out his hands in a gesture of peace. “I didn’t mean to scare you. My name is Anson Steele, and I am here to get you out of here.”

Glancing toward the doorway and then back at Anson, she asked, “Are you insane? I’m not going anywhere with you. If Montez catches you out here, he’ll kill you. I don’t know how you know my name, or who you are with, but go. Go now.” Natalia wasn’t going to be some pawn used by an opposing cartel to get at Montez. “I know you think I’m important to Montez, but I can assure you I am not. So whatever plan you have of kidnapping me is a foolish one.”

“I don’t think you understand,” Anson began. But then, like a bolt of lightning, Natalia realized where she recognized him from.

Son of a bitch!

“You!” she spat. Anson Steele was the sick asshole who had bid on her at the auction and had lost. “You tried to buy me that night. I remember you.” Bile built in the back of her throat as the memory of that awful night flooded in. Her head began to spin, and her knees felt weak.

“Natalia, let me explain.” He glanced at the door, to see if anyone was coming no doubt, and though she could see he was uneasy, he didn’t appear to be afraid.

Stepping back and putting her hands in front of her to block any advance, she said, “Get away from me. Are you here to steal me since you couldn’t win me?” Taking another step backwards, she was suddenly up against the far railing, so concealed in shadows that no one would be able to see her if they looked out onto the veranda. Her heart skipped when she realized this man now had the upper hand. “Get the fuck away from me or I’ll scream. I swear I will scream, and every single one of Montez’s goons will be out here in a second and kill you.”

“I’m here to rescue you!”

“Rescue me?”

“Yes! We don’t have time for me to go into it all now. We have this small window to get away. Come with me now, and I’ll explain later.”

Was the man crazy? She wasn’t going anywhere with him. What was he talking about? Rescue?

“You tried to buy me that night! You aren’t any better than Montez. I like that you think me becoming your sex slave is somehow being rescued, but I disagree. Now get the fuck away from me.” She glanced at the door in warning. “I’ll scream. I’m showing you mercy right now by not doing so, though why, I have no idea. But this is your last warning.”

“Stop and listen. I didn’t try to buy you.” He stopped and swallowed hard. “Well, I did, but not for the reasons you think.” It appeared that she was frustrating him, but she didn’t care.

“What reasons are there? You attended an illegal auction with men who all bid on women held captive and forced to sell their bodies and souls. You are disgusting. You lost, and now you want to steal me. Well, fuck you!”

“You have to believe me that I am here to rescue you. We need to get out of here so I can get you to safety. I don’t have time to go back and forth and explain all the details.” Anson reached for her hand but she pulled away, prepared to claw his eyes out. “Please, Natalia, you have to trust me.”

“Go to hell!” She bolted toward the right and made her way toward the doors. “I mean it. You stay away from me. You don’t want to mess with Montez, and if I see you again, I will tell him you are trying to take what is his. You’ll be a dead man.”

She heard the crazy gringo say her name one last time as she quickly entered the ballroom to find her owner, never looking back. She could have screamed. She could have run in and told Montez that some man was on the veranda and almost kidnapped her. If she did, the man would be dead in minutes. Anson was just as vile as the rest of them. So why in the world was she protecting him?

Taking a deep breath, she struggled to calm her nerves. She didn’t want Montez to see she was on edge and clearly spooked. Not that he would want to protect her or anything of that nature, but he would instantly get suspicious that she was keeping something from him and get it out of her through whatever means necessary.

Seeing him across the room, she walked over and quietly stood by his side. She wasn’t close enough, however, because he reached out and grabbed her by the ass. Pulling her close, he whispered, “Better?”

She nodded and looked down at the ground, not wanting to stop the conversation that was occurring.

Luis, one of Montez’s leaders, leaned in and said, “The Ortez cartel attacked our lab outside of Ciudad Oculta last night. Took all the paco, killed the workers, and then burned it to the ground.”

“How do you know it was Ortez?” Montez asked calmly, though Natalia knew he was anything but calm.

“We got word that a whore in Ciudad Oculta leaked the location.”

“Did you kill the whore?” Montez asked, sipping from a glass of scotch on the rocks.

Luis shook his head. “It’s not clear which whore leaked the info.”

“Then kill them all,” Montez ordered. “Send a very clear message that betraying Montez means certain death.”

“And Ortez’s men?” Luis asked. “What do we do about them? Destroying one of our labs was a clear message. If we don’t retaliate, we will look weak.”

“The Ortez, and the Hernandez family for that matter, are getting far too cocky. If this is the way they care to repay my generosity, it’s time we string their bloody bodies up. No more mercy. No more. The Montez cartel will be the only cartel.” Montez paused and looked at his men who circled around one by one. “As of right now, on my birthday, I declare war. They will all die. Each and every one of them. No leniency.”

Natalia couldn’t help but wonder if Anson Steele was a member of the Ortez or Hernandez Cartel. Was his failed attempt for her to go without a fight just another attack on Montez? Should she tell Montez?

No.

Maybe she should have gone with Anson and given Montez’s enemies the information needed to destroy the man she hated with her entire soul. She knew a lot. She knew locations of labs, locations of drop shipments, names of dealers, names of government officials bought off by Montez; Natalia knew a lot. It was impossible to stand by the side of Montez for a half a year and not hear every single detail of his daily workings. Her knowledge could be gold for his enemies.

But then that wouldn’t explain why Anson had been in Moscow bidding on her.

No, he wasn’t a member of the drug cartel.

He was just an arrogant rich fuck who was pissed that he didn’t get what he wanted. All those men who had been in that room were used to getting exactly what they wanted. This was just a matter of a stupid fool not knowing who he was messing with, and just how powerful Montez was.

Looking at the open doors leading to the veranda, she wondered if Anson would still be there. Scanning the room, she could see he wasn’t inside. He was gone.

“Are you looking for someone?” Montez asked.

“No, sir.”

“Then focus on me,” he said in a deep and warning voice.

“Yes, sir.”

And she would. She would focus on Montez just as he ordered. She would stop thinking of Anson, stop thinking of Ortez and Hernandez, and focus on her mission.

To kill Montez.

Nothing, and no one would get in the way of that.