AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Twenty-three.”
I guessed him younger, but I wasn’t off by too much.
“And you’ve been with Mateo for how long?”
“Not long. A few months. Mainly I’ve been here, keeping an eye on things.”
“And the rest of your family? Are they alive?” I’m almost afraid to ask.
“They are.”
“So that was the trade-off? You work for him and your family lives.”
“Pretty much.”
“And that doesn’t make you angry?”
“The opposite, actually. Mateo spared me and my family when he could have had us killed. I owe him everything.”
“You owe him nothing. He forced you into a life of servitude.”
“No, he gave me a life.” The look on his face tells me I’m towing a thin line. “You should be grateful to him too.”
“For what?” I almost laugh.
“You have no idea how lucky you are. What being taken by a cartel usually entails for a person, especially for women. I grew up in this life. I’ve seen men killed in cold blood. Women raped, beaten, and discarded with the trash. Children burned alive for the sins of their parents. Why do you think he locked you in here while the unfriendlies are here? One look at a young, pretty thing like you and who knows what would happen. Cartels don’t ask. They take what they want and anyone who tries to stop them usually ends up dead.”
I swallow, my mouth suddenly sandpaper dry.
“You’re Esteban Herrera’s daughter. I don’t think you grasp what that means.” The blank look on my face doesn’t do me any favors. “Anyway, Mateo will probably have my head if he finds out I told you any of this.”
“I won’t tell him.”
He nods in appreciation.
“I just thought maybe you should know, there’s a lot of really bad dudes in the world, and while Mateo is no saint, he’s one of the good ones.”
Before I can utter a response, he’s already flung the door open and stepped into the hallway.
“Just knock on the door if you need me,” he says, waiting for my nod of understanding before pulling it closed between us.
