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Fear seizes me as I find myself sinking. I’ve been in some dire shit before, but I wasn’t pregnant. It’s not just me who I have to worry about.
As I weigh the pros and cons of fighting my way out of this cluster-fuck, Esteban pulls me to my feet and swiftly starts yanking me toward the exit. Men surround us like a human shield as we enter the hallway outside the clinic, ushering us quickly.
If I wasn’t hyperventilating with a panic attack, I would cry out for help.
Staff and patients scream and scurry as we pass, dodging to get out of the way of our armed entourage. I’m half dragged, half carried, stumbling on my feet to keep up.
An alarm is sounding accompanied by flashing security lights in the halls, giving off a slow strobe light effect.
The alarms only grow louder once we enter the stairwell, echoing off the acoustic concrete cinderblocks.
But none of the noise is as loud as the silent exchange Punk shares with us as he pauses mid-run up the stairs one flight below.
It’s only a second that time freezes before pandemonium ensues.
Two of Esteban’s men raise their guns and fire. Punk dodges in time.
He hollers over the noise. “JO!”
Oh, God!“Punk!” I croak weakly as Esteban hustles me up to the seventh level—the rooftop.
The gunmen continue to fire, concrete shrapnel flying.
Worried for my brother’s safety, I pray he’s okay.
My pulse picks up as my fight-or-flight instinct kicks in. Fighting may not be an option, but I can slow us down long enough for help to come for us. Surely, the police have been notified by now.
Frantically, I dig my feet into the ground, resisting. I try to twist my arm out of Esteban’s grip, but his strong fingers dig into my flesh, yanking me closer to his side. The more I struggle and drag my feet, the harder he grips.
At the top level, Esteban throws the door open to the roof. The sunlight blinds me momentarily. A black chopper is on standby, and we’re racing toward it.
Whoosh, whoosh, whooshare the only sounds I hear. The chill of winter whips around us, shooting straight to my bones. But my heart is on fire, pumping like mad through my extremities.
With every ounce of energy I can muster, I yank one last time against his hold.
Esteban finally loses his grip. My equilibrium fails, and I stumble back toward the ground, landing on my back and knocking the air clean from my lungs. Pain shoots through my body and locks me up.
I can’t breathe.
Several rough hands grab me, yanking me off the ground. Two masked men take advantage of my moment of paralysis to lift me into the chopper and into Esteban’s awaiting arms. The gunmen climb in behind us, slamming the door shut.
Out of the chopper window, I can see Punk has finally made it to the roof. He runs at the helicopter, but he’s too late.
The chopper ascends, lifting off the roof.
Grasping at my stomach, I choke on a harsh sob.
Overcome by nausea, I bend over, dry-heaving, my stomach already empty from not eating earlier.
A large, warm hand rubs circles on my back.
Fearful, I cringe away from Esteban’s touch. From the wounded look he gives me, you would think I hurt his feelings.
Impossible.A man who is as ruthless as he is incapable of having emotions.
Esteban kneels in front of me, too close for comfort. I scurry as far back against the corner of the chopper as I can get. He pays no notice to me trying to escape his proximity and follows right along. I lean my neck back and turn my face away when he reaches out to touch me. He gently cups my cheek, turning my head to face him. His onyx eyes twinkle as he examines my face.
For a moment, I’m caught off guard, staring into eyes so familiar to me.
There’s a pinch in my neck. My eyes go wide when I see a syringe in Esteban’s other hand. The drugs are already affecting me, coursing through my bloodstream.
“W—what…”
“A mild sedative,” Esteban answers the question I’m unable to finish. “It was either this or restrain you. I thought this the safer option. It is harmless, I assure you. Sleep now, Josefina.”
My body is incapable of fighting as he lays me across the seats of the chopper. I try to fight my heavy eyelids, but eventually, the darkness takes me.
