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“We need to split up and question the businesses around if they’ve seen her. Either she’s been abducted, or she’s escaped and on the run,” Eli said.
If it was one on one, I wanted to think she got away. But by my calculations there had been three people in that room.
I had to hope she’d fought them off successfully. My gaze was drawn back to the bed and I couldn’t help the surge of rage that shot through me. Had she been tied to the bed? Just conjuring simple explanations made my blood boil. I stalked toward the door, needing to get out of the room before I set the whole fucking building on fire.
“Romero, stay in the vehicle. Let us do the questioning. It’s not safe for you to be wandering out and about in your state, not to mention Barrera’s men are still hunting you,” Kieran said.
I shot him a look that would have made any other man cower. “She’s fucking hurt and out there somewhere, if they haven’t taken her out of state. I’m not sitting in the fucking car.”
Kieran sighed. “It was worth a shot.”
I started for the building next door, Rafael close behind me. Inside, I questioned a young Asian woman, showing a picture of Julietta that not even she knew I’d taken. It was at a pool party with her friend Arie. I’d tailed her myself that day because I just couldn’t seem to stay away. It was her eighteenth birthday, and though I’d sent a single text that just said happy birthday, she didn’t respond.
The two of them had lounged outside by the pool in their bikinis and Julietta’s body had been on display. It was the first time I’d noticed such a visceral reaction in me. And when she’d laughed at something her friend had said, I couldn’t help but snap a picture. She looked every bit the young, carefree girl she was meant to be.
Which was why I’d promptly turned around and left.
The woman shook her head. “No, I don’t think she’s come in here.”
I gave a tense smile. “Thank you for your time.”
Moving on to the next building, we were met with a similar response, though the vile, pot-bellied man eyed the photograph with clear lust in his beady eyes that made me want to rip his arms and cram them up his ass. Rafael pulled me away just as my phone rang.
I answered, hearing Aaron’s voice immediately. “Gas station down the road. She was here and bleeding. Said she’d been hurt by an abusive ex-boyfriend. The cashier clearly thought I was the ex and didn’t want to tell me anything. After Kieran worked some of his magic, she said Julietta was going to Texas…to stay with her mother.”
I frowned. It was all clearly a lie—smart on her part. She’d left the car, which meant she knew we’d be following. The question was, did she go to Texas or not?
“Check the bus stations, have Kieran pull up her card purchases. Though I’m sure she withdrew cash so it couldn’t be traced.”
Aaron agreed then hung up.
I stowed my cell and let out a heavy sigh, rubbing the crease on my forehead. Damned stubborn girl was going to get herself killed.
If I didn’t find her first and strangle her for running off on her own, that is.
Chapter Thirty-One
JULIETTA
Two days later, the final bus stopped in Nebraska. I was exhausted, and my skin itched something fierce. After checking into the nearest hotel, I showered off, then collapsed on the bed. But I didn’t sleep.
It was nearly impossible now. The void between me and Romero was a tangible, gaping wound that I swear I’d bleed out and die from. I hadn’t been idle though. The hours spent sitting on a bus near all sorts of people had me burning through the data on my new phone, researching.
A woman in Omaha had gotten back to me this morning saying she could help me with what I needed, but she’d need a week to complete the job. Until then I was stuck trying to stay off the radar, away from any traceable route for Romero, or worse.
Thank God for cash-only hotels, I thought, checking my email again. It was a new account under the name I gave the hotel. The name I planned to start over with.
Bernadette Kelley.
The first name, I’d gotten from a book series I loved. The name itself wasn’t very badass, but the girl was. I wanted to imagine myself like that when I thought of the name. If I wanted to survive, I’d have to think of myself as the type of badass bitch that could survive starting over.
I’d managed to withdraw only five thousand dollars in Texas, hoping it would lead Romero there to search for me before my next bus went north. Meaning I’d have to be frugal. Hopefully I’d get a job soon. There were ways of withdrawing the rest so it couldn’t be tracked—not easily anyway—but I wasn’t taking any chances. That money was never really mine anyway.
Besides, surviving on nothing was something I was accustomed to.
I left the hotel a few hours later to buy a few decent outfits from a thrift store, as well as some basic grocery items.
Staying for a week was going to be unnerving, but at least I’d have the documents I needed to officially disappear.
