Chapter 15
Big
I couldn’t remember when I’d had such a good night – or afternoon, for that matter – and I wasn’t ready for it to end. I’d never met anyone like Josie. I knew from the start she was going to change my life. I just didn’t know what kind of change she had in mind. Without her even knowing it, she held that ability in the palm of her hand, and it was up to her how she used it. For the time being, I would have to wait and see. Stitch sent me a message that there was news, so I had to cut the night short. I left her room and headed down to the bar to find him. As soon as I walked into the room and spotted him sitting in the corner, I knew something was wrong – really fucking wrong. His elbows were propped on the table and his head rested in the palms of his hands. When I sat down beside him, he ran his fingers down his face and groaned. It was one of those deep, pissed off kind of groans, sounding more like a mad dog growling. “You gonna tell me what the hell is going on or am I supposed to guess?”
Before he could answer, Nitro walked up and sat down next to me. He looked over at Stitch with a concerned look. “Have you told him?”
“One of you better get to talking,” I warned.
“There might be a problem,” Nitro started. “I got a call about an hour ago from a Gordo. He said there’d been a change of plan, and they are moving the time of the auction to later tonight. Told me to wait for their call.”
“Did he say why?”
“Not exactly. I asked if there was a problem, and they said they had everything under control. That this kind of thing happens from time to time. Of course, I wouldn’t know. This shit is all new to me.”
“What about your contact?”
“Haven’t been able to reach him.” That wasn’t a good sign, and I could tell from Nitro’s blank expression that he was just as concerned about it as I was.
Stitch leaned forward. “I don’t like it. Not one fucking bit.”
“I don’t either. This is a red flag, brother. Something’s up with this shit.” I leaned back in my chair and turned to Stitch. “What’s your take on this?”
“I think shit is about to hit the fan. Something is up with these guys. I don’t know for certain, but I’d say a lot of planning goes into these things. They’ve got men from all over coming in to buy these women. A lot of money is at stake. They wouldn’t go changing shit around unless someone was putting heat on them.”
After taking a sip of his bourbon, Stitch continued. “Or this whole thing could be a fucking setup. Someone could’ve tipped them off that we’re here, and they’re trying to kill us off.”
“Maybe, but I doubt it,” Nitro started. “They knew where we are. If they wanted us, they could get to us anytime. Why go to all this trouble?”
“Who knows, but I figure they’d do just about anything to make sure we don’t fuck with their auction,” Stitch snapped. “Whether you like it or not, these fuckers are shady as shit, brother. You can’t trust any of them.”
“Maybe not, but we’ve got no choice. If we don’t see this thing through, we’re leaving here without Tristen.”
“That’s not an option.” I’d given my word to Cotton, and after all the hell Josie had been through over the past few weeks, there was no way in hell we were leaving LA without her sister.
“Then we make this thing work.” Nitro motioned to the waitress for a drink. “We stick to the plan. You’ll go in with me. Stitch and my boys will wait in the SUV. Any sign of trouble, and they’ll know what to do.”
“How the fuck are we supposed to know there’s trouble, Nitro? When they bring your big asses out in body bags?”
“I’ve got that covered,” I assured him. “Any idea where this shit is going down?”
Nitro shook his head. “Said they’d give me all the details when they called back.”
“Then we’ll just have to wait for the call.” When I stood up, Stitch followed suit. “Let us know as soon as you hear from them. I’m going to do a little research and see if I can find out if there are any investigations going on in the area.”
“With these guys around, I bet there’s always some kind of investigation going on, but let me know if you find anything.” When we started to leave, Nitro called, “Your turn to put on a show, brother. Gonna need to wear that suit tonight.”
“What suit?”
His lips curled into a smirk. “The Armani I sent up to your room. Wear it.”
“Seriously? A fucking suit.”
He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “Just a small sacrifice.”
I turned and started to leave. “Fuck off, Nitro.”
“And the tie!”
I went back to my room, and just like Nitro had warned, there was a garment bag hanging on my closet door. I unzipped it and found a black suit with a white dress shirt and a royal blue tie. Damn. I hated fucking monkey suits. Choosing to ignore it for the moment, I pulled out my laptop and started digging. If the cops were on to the auction, it wouldn’t be good, but it would be a hell of a lot better than the Calaveras being on to us. After forty-five minutes of searching, I found what I was looking for. I was about to message Stitch with what I’d found when there was a knock at my door. I opened it and found Josie standing on the other side. She was wearing a baggy pair of gray sleep pants that fell low on her hips and a fitted black tank top. Her hair was down around her shoulders, and she wasn’t wearing any makeup. She was absolutely stunning.
“Is everything okay?” Her breath was shallow and her shoulders were rigid and full of tension. “I know you’re busy, but I was worried something might be wrong.”
“Never too busy for you.” I reached for her hand, leading her into my room. I hated to lie to her, but there was no sense in freaking her out any more than she already was. “Sorry about earlier. Didn’t mean to make you worry.”
“Don’t be sorry. I know you have a lot to do to get things ready for tomorrow night.” When she mentioned tomorrow night, I felt a twinge of guilt for not telling her about the change in plan, but I knew it was best to leave it.
“You need to get some rest, Josie.”
“I can’t sleep.” She looked up at me with her eyes filled with sadness, making my heart feel like it was ripped from my chest. “I can’t stop thinking about her. I keep trying to tell myself that she’s okay, and half the time I actually believe it. Then, I think about all those awful articles I read, except now they aren’t faceless names. Now, every one of them is Tristen. I keep imagining all the horrible things they might be doing to her.”
Tears trickled down her face, and I would do anything to take her hurt away. “Baby, you can’t keep doing that to yourself. I know you’re worried, but this will all be over soon.”
She stepped over to me and tilted her head back as her eyes locked on mine. “I need to forget. Just for a little while. The only time I don’t drive myself crazy is when I’m with you. Please, Mike. Help me forget.”
Seeing that look in her eyes and being so damn close to her, there was no way I could tell her no, so I dropped my mouth to hers and kissed her long and hard. Her mouth was warm and wet, and all her little moans and whimpers made me ache with need. When she pulled her tank over her head, exposing her perfect, round breasts, I was done. I had to have her. I leaned over her and watched the goosebumps rise along her skin as I began to trace the slope of her breast with my fingertips. She was perfect – every damned inch of her – and I couldn’t help but imagine a lifetime with her in my arms, making love over and over again. I trailed kisses down the curve of her neck as my hands roamed over her body. Her scent was intoxicating, and I was overcome with need. I slipped her pajama bottoms and panties down past her ankles, then lowered her onto the bed.
I looked down at her, amazed once again at her beauty, and realized there was nothing I wouldn’t do for this woman. Without even knowing it, she’d stolen something from me, something I thought I’d never give up again without a fight: my heart. But I found myself wanting her to have it, knowing I’d never feel this way about any other woman.
I quickly removed my clothes, slid on a condom, and eased myself between her legs. I watched with wonder as her back arched off the bed when my cock brushed against her heat. Damn. I loved how her body responded instantly to my touch. I couldn’t get enough. I lowered my mouth to her breast, nipping and sucking as I slid inside her, quickly finding the spot that drove her wild. With the sounds of her moans echoing through the room, I placed my hands on her hips and held her in place while I continued to drive deep inside. Watching her body twist and jolt beneath me made my cock throb with an uncontrollable need.
I placed my mouth close to her ear and whispered, “I’ll never get enough of you, Josie Carmichael. Never.”
Without saying a word, she pressed her lips to mine in a possessive, demanding kiss and wrapped her legs around my waist, forcing me deeper inside her. There was no doubt she wanted me just as much as I wanted her, and I had every intention of giving her all I had to give. I spent the next hour making love to her, burning every inch of her body into my memory. Knowing there was no way to know what the future held for us, I wanted to remember every moment, every touch, so I’d always have some part of her with me, no matter what happened in the hours to come.
As soon as I laid down next to her, she curled into my side, and the room suddenly became oddly quiet. I looked down at her and smiled when I noticed she’d fallen asleep. I couldn’t help but stare at her, feeling in complete awe of just how beautiful she looked lying there, so peaceful and angelic. Her dreams had taken over, making all her worries seem to disappear. I could’ve stayed there all night just staring at her, but fate had other plans. My phone started ringing, and I quickly grabbed it from the bedside table before it woke her. As soon as I answered, Nitro said, “Time to saddle up and move out.”
“I’ll be up in ten.”
I hung up the phone and groaned as I eased myself out of the bed. I took the garment bag and headed into the bathroom to get dressed. After twenty minutes of trying to get my fucking tie on, I went back to the room and grabbed my duffle bag. Josie was still sleeping soundly. There wasn’t a point in waking her. We were running short on time, and since we hadn’t been able to hack into the security feed, there was nothing she could do to help us. Figuring the sleep would do her good, I wrote her a note to let her know where we’d gone and that I’d be calling in a few hours. I kissed her gently on her temple and headed upstairs to meet Nitro and Stitch. When I walked in, they were all set on go. From the look on his face, Stitch obviously found the suit as ridiculous as I did. “Don’t say a fucking word.”
“Wasn’t gonna,” he snickered. “Nothing I could say could insult you any more than that suit does.”
Ignoring him, I reached in my duffle bag. “How long do we have?”
“The bar is about twenty minutes from here,” Nitro answered.
“Bar?” I asked as I grabbed the miniaturized in-ear receivers and handed one to him.
“Gordo said they have a basement.” Nitro took the earpiece and slipped it into his ear while I tucked the microphone in the inner corner of his lapel.
Once I was done, I put mine on, then handed Stitch his earpiece. “With these, you’ll be able to hear everything that goes on while we’re inside.”
“Got it.” After he placed it in his ear, Stitch turned to me. “Let’s get this thing done.”
Nitro’s men were waiting for us downstairs and followed us out to the SUV. It was almost two a.m. when we pulled up to the address Gordo had given Nitro. When I caught the name of the bar, I grumbled, “You’ve gotta be kidding me.”
Nitro shook his head. “Now, I’ve seen it all. Who’d ever think they’d have this damned thing at a fucking sushi place.”
“Nothing these guys do surprises me anymore.” I turned off the engine and turned to Nitro. “You ready?”
“Born ready, brother.”
I got out of the truck, and once I’d grabbed the briefcase of cash, I followed him up to the door where we were greeted by two Hispanic men with matching ink and menacing stares. Without confirming our identity, one of them opened the door and motioned us inside. As soon as we stepped inside, two more guards were there waiting for us. After a thorough pat-down, one of them turned to the bar and called, “Yo, esé. They’re good.”
A heavyset man with a wide, creepy grin waved us over. When we got to the bar, he smiled and said, “Can I get you two a drink? I’ve got a bottle of tequila with your name on it.”
I figured Nitro recognized the man’s voice from their previous phone calls when he said, “Thanks, Gordo. I’ll take a shot.”
Gordo took the bottle and filled two shot glasses full to the brim. “If you’re ready, we’ll head downstairs to meet the others.”
Nitro downed the shot and took the other in his hand. “All set.”
We followed him over to a side door and down a flight of stairs. Once we got to the bottom, he motioned us forward and we continued down a hallway where the light was just a soft glow. It was too dark to get a good look at anyone who was coming or going; everyone was, just moving silhouettes as they passed by. I glanced behind me, thinking if anything went wrong, we were screwed. There was no way in hell Stitch and Nitro’s boys could get to us in time, but we had no choice but to move forward. Bad seventies music was blaring from the end of the hall, and as soon as we stepped inside, my stomach turned. The room was dark, except for the light that was shining on the girls. They were lined up against the back wall with their hands bound behind their backs. My blood ran cold when I spotted Tristen standing at the end of the line. They had her dressed in a cheap, bright red string bikini, and like the others, her hair and makeup was overdone, making them all look like typical prostitutes. Their eyes were glassed over, making them look like something out of a horror flick as several men circled around them. They looked like fucking sharks as they checked out the merchandise, and I had to fight the urge to kill each and every one of them. Nitro signaled me to wait, while he joined the others, doing what he could to blend in.
Once I got to the back corner, I got a better look and at just the sight of them standing there, my chest tightened, making the air feel thick as I tried to breath. Their ages ranged from around twelve to twenty, with every flavor you could imagine, from Nordic blondes with blues eyes, to voluptuous dark-skinned Hispanic girls and even a few almond-eyed Asians. They seemed completely out of it as the men hovered over them, grabbing their breasts and asses as they examined every inch of their bodies. Hell, they were even checking their goddamned teeth. Some might say it was just the nature of the beast – men fulfilling their most carnal desires – but I found it barbaric. I felt ashamed to be in the same room with these motherfuckers. I glanced over at Nitro and couldn’t imagine how he had the strength to talk to these men like they were long lost pals. Through my earpiece, I listened as he played the game, talking and laughing, carrying on like he was a hungry predator just like the rest of them. My heart started to race when a couple of the men stopped as they got to Tristen. It was clear she’d caught their attention. They spent several minutes eyeballing her and whispering back and forth. After several minutes, they finally moved on to the next girl, but not before they put their fucking hands all over her. Over the headset, I heard Nitro whisper, “Breathe, brother.”
When Nitro finally made his way over to her, and while she was in a daze, she looked at him, really looked at him. He didn’t say anything, but an odd expression crossed his face as he stood there in front of her. They both looked like they’d been caught up in some kind of spell as they stared at each other, but it was quickly broken when another man approached them. Trying to seem uninterested in her, Nitro moved on to the next few girls. He continued through all the rest, making sure to pay close attention to each, and then he joined the others as they waited for the bidding to begin. Looking at them all standing there, it was hard to believe these guys were actually buying these women. While a few of them looked like your typical mafia guys with their fancy suits, expensive watches, and bad comb-overs, there was nothing typical about the others. The thin guy with the horn-rimmed glasses and a stiff brown suit reminded me of my seventh grade science teacher, only this guy had an eerie gleam in his eye, one that made my skin crawl just by looking at him. They all gave me a bad vibe, but there was one other guy that got under my skin. He was heavyset, reminding me of Jabba the Hutt with his bald head and large, rolling belly. His sinister laugh echoed around the room as he said vile things about each of the girls, and I wanted nothing more than to put a fucking bullet between his eyes.
A hush fell across the room as one of the Hispanic men walked in front of the girls and glared out into the crowd. An evil smile curled across his face as he said, “Let’s not keep these lovely ladies waiting. I’m sure they are all eager to find out which one of you will be taking them home.”
The first few girls went quickly. He walked over to each one, taking the bids and becoming more arrogant with each large sum that was offered. When he came up to the young girl, her blue eyes filled with tears as she listened to him talk about her virginity and pureness. Even through all the makeup they threw on her, anyone could see that she was just a child, barely even developed. Bile rose to my throat as I listened to him carry on, and I could only imagine the horror she must’ve been feeling.
He ran his hand down her back. “A real beauty, amigos. Ready to please. Just look at her… I can smell her fresh pussy from here.”
Jabba the Hut cleared his throat and made an offer. “I’ll do seventy-five.”
As soon as the words came out of his mouth, the Hispanic man’s face turned red. “Cabrón miserable. Debería patearte el culo. Going to have to do better than that, amigo.”
A bidding war ensued between Jabba and the teacher, each of them trying to outdo the other, but eventually the price got too high at two hundred grand, and the brown suit bailed out. I thought it was over, thinking that fat bastard was going to get her. My heart ached for the young girl when I thought of the terrible things the man would do to her, hearing him boast about making her his, but we were all caught by surprise when Nitro cleared his throat and shouted, “I’ll give you three hundred.”
I had no idea how much money Nitro had brought in the briefcase. I wasn’t there when he withdrew the money from his account, so I was worried he wouldn’t have enough to cover Tristen, too. Over the mic, I warned, “Nitro.”
The speaker smiled. “Three hundred is a fair price for a virgin puta.” He looked over at the heavyset man. “Care to go higher?”
“Three fifty.”
Ignoring my warning, Nitro replied, “Four hundred.”
“Fuck. No pussy is worth that bullshit.” The fat man stepped back and growled, “Take the bitch.”
Two other girls were auctioned off before they got to Tristen. I knew from the panic on her face that the drugs were starting to wear off. She held her head high as the man approached her, grabbing the back of her long, blonde hair as he said, “Puta rubia con ojos azules. Blonde and blue, my friends. A real catch. Let’s start the bidding at fifty.”
The price quickly rose to one hundred and fifty without Nitro even making an offer. He waited until the bids started to slow before he stepped forward. “Two hundred.”
“My friend knows what he wants,” he snickered. “Two hundred on the table.” Relief washed over me when the room fell silent, but it was short lived.
Suddenly, the man with the brown suit spoke up, “I’ll do two fifty.”
The Hispanic man’s lips curled into a nasty grin as he stepped over to Tristen and ran his hand down her back, squeezing tightly when he reached her ass. “She’s a real beauty, my friends. Surely she would make any one of you feel great pleasure tonight.”
As soon as he finished talking, another bid came in. “Three hundred.”
My chest tightened as I waited for Nitro to counter, but nothing came out of his mouth. He just sat there completely silent as the other men heckled back and forth. Losing patience, I growled into the mic, “Nitro.”
Ignoring me, he continued to remain silent and seemed completely unfazed as another bid was made. “Three fifty.”
“Now, we’re talking,” the Hispanic man boasted.
I was about to have a complete come-apart when Nitro finally cleared his throat and announced, “Five hundred.”
A hush fell over the room as the men turned to face Nitro. He made no acknowledgment to their hateful glares as he waited to see if another bid came in. When nothing else was said, the Hispanic man nodded. “Five hundred it is.”
Once all the girls were sold, Nitro signaled to me to bring the briefcase over to him. The money was quickly counted, and the girls were brought over to Nitro. “Thank you for your business, Mr. Nitro.”
“Same to you.”
Gordo grabbed Tristen by the arm and tugged her over to Nitro while another man brought the young girl over to the back corner to me. “Take them out the back entrance.”
Nitro nodded and started walking towards the door. He’d only taken a step, when Tristen started to resist, fighting with all her might to break free from his hold. He pressed the tips of his fingers firmly against her forearm, forcing her to stop. Through the mic I heard him say, “You want to stay here with them?” He paused as he waited for her response. “I didn’t think so. I know you’re scared, Tristen, but you’re going to have to trust me.” At the sound of her name, I saw her eyes widen with surprise. “If I can't save you, I can't save me. It’s up to you how this thing goes down.”
She gave him a slight nod and took a staggered step towards him. When she finally noticed me standing there, her eyes widened with surprise. The realization of what was really happening dawned on her and I could see the relief in her eyes as she stared at me. I brought my finger up to my lips, letting her know to stay quiet, but it was all too much. Her step started to waiver. She was too exhausted, too drugged to continue walking on her own, so Nitro scooped her up into his arms, cradling her against his chest as he continued walking through the door. He lowered his mouth to her ear and whispered to her, but the words were too muffled for me to hear.
Once she had settled down, Nitro started walking out of the room. He hadn’t made it far when the Jabba the Hut asshole started shouting. “You arrogant piece of shit. You think you can just come in here, take what’s mine, and get away with it?”
With Tristen still in his arms, Nitro glared at him. “I bought her. She’s mine.”
“Do you know who I am?”
“Don’t know, and don’t really give a fuck. Step the fuck off,” Nitro growled.
“You fucked with the wrong man, asshole. I’ll end you!” When he took an angry step forward, I eased the kid behind me and stepped in front of Nitro, blocking the douchbag’s path. “Move!”
“Not happening, mister. You need to leave it. The deal is done.”
“I’m not leaving a damn thing. That little cunt was handpicked for me, and that asshole swindled me.” He took another step forward, trying to bypass me when he spotted the kid. “Come here, you little bitch. You’re mine!”
When he reached out for her, I lost all my restraint and reared back my fist, punching that dickhead with all my might square in the throat, then again in his enormous gut. He toppled over as the sounds of his choking filled the room. I bent down towards his head and growled, “Told you to back the fuck off, you perverted motherfucker. You even think about touching that little girl again, and I will break every fucking bone in your hand.”
Still gasping for breath, he brought his hands up to his throat, tugging frantically at his collar as he tried to take a breath. His bodyguard finally noticed the commotion and charged in my direction. Adrenaline rushed through my veins as I watched him approach. I quickly surveyed the room, making sure none of the others were going to jump in as I waited for him to get closer. I heard Stitch’s voice calling over the headset, “Mike… just say the word and we’ll be there.”
Without answering, I slammed my fist into the bodyguard’s jaw, then threw another three hard punches to his gut. Thankfully, he wasn’t in much better shape than his employer, so he dropped like a ton of fucking bricks.
When he didn’t get up, I looked back over at Nitro. “Let’s get the fuck out of here.”
I reached for the kid’s hand and followed Nitro and Tristen up the stairs. Before we got outside, I took off my suit jacket and wrapped it around her as I said, “It’s going to be all right, kid. We aren’t going to hurt you.”
“You promise?
“I promise. We just want to get you out of here and away from these men. You good with that?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
“What’s your name kid?”
“Lauren.”
“Ok, Lauren. We’ll get you back to your folks as soon as we can.”
“No! Please,” she cried. “Please don’t make me go back there.”
Surprised by her reaction, I told her, “We’ll get you somewhere safe, then. I give you my word on that.”
When we got back to the SUV, Nitro opened the back door and said, “Move.”
His guy got out of the truck and waited as Nitro settled inside with Tristen still in his arms. I handed the girl to Stitch and got in the driver’s seat. Once we were rolling, I turned back to Nitro and asked, “You got any idea what we’re going to do with the kid?”
“No fucking idea, but there was no way in hell I was going to let that fat bastard have her. Work it out with Cotton. Either find her folks or keep her. I don’t give a fuck.”
“You just paid four hundred grand for that kid.”
“I did. And I’d do it again. I couldn’t live with myself thinking about the life she’d have with him. Enough said. Now drive. We need to get the hell out of here.”
I looked back and I almost couldn’t believe that Tristen was sitting in Nitro’s lap. We’d actually managed to get her back, and she was okay. She laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes as she whispered, “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”