AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She’s taken our instruction well, asked extremely intelligent questions, even making us shift a few plans. Her chin is back up, just the way I like to see it. She’s in a baggy, cheap men’s button up and sweatpants from Walmart, something we could see captors letting her have. Her hair is a mess, she’s bruised, pale and has bandages on her neck. And it’s my fault.
“We’ll be with you the whole time.”
“In my ear.” She touches the side of her face.
“And the button on your shirt is a camera. But we’ll be watching from everywhere. Your uncle’s house is full of cameras and it took forever, but luckily just a week ago, our team hacked his whole system.” I remind her. She nods. “And this.” I say, handing her back her engagement ring. She looks up at me, eyes bloodshot and confused. “You were wearing it. Plus, you’ll hand them your phone and change clothes. If the earpiece were to fall out, which won’t happen, but, still, it’s another way for us to track you.”
She puts her palms up to her beautiful face and rubs. Like she’s trying to scrub away this reality. Trying to wake herself from a nightmare.
“Gailo, give us a minute.”
“I’ll check the tunnel again.” He says and disappears behind the heavy door. The second he’s gone, I clutch her to me. She hesitates before hugging me back and I hate that. I hate that second of hesitation almost more than this whole situation, more than the Delgados and the syndicates and this whole fucking underworld. I’m really losing her. Like I said I wanted.
“Do exactly as Robbie says in your ear and you’ll be fine.” She nods in my hand that’s holding her head to my chest. She feels so small, too small to go face the giants that are waiting. I make myself push her back so I can hold her face and look in her eyes. “You can do this, Ellie.” She nods quickly and puts her hands on my wrists. “Then you’re free, you get your money, your little bakery, your life with Mia and…whoever else. You’re almost out.”
More nodding. I was hoping for something, some hesitation, like maybe after all this she’d come back to me. I go on. “I’ll be watching every second and if shit goes sideways, we’ll be there in an instant to get you. I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.” Her eyes water and I see the disbelief. “I know. Fuck, I know. I got you burned and hit and sliced open, but I mean it. Nothing else happens to you from here on out.”
“I believe you.”
“You do?”
She gives my wrist a squeeze. “I believe you guys will get me out if you have to.”
I sigh. That’s something, at least. I kiss her forehead and talk into her skin. “A day or so and then I’ll be with you and can take over. Then we’ll be back here, home, safe.” She takes in a shaky breath. I look into her eyes. “This is not goodbye.” I press my lips onto hers before she can respond. She doesn’t pull away. When she whimpers, I open her up just barely. I suck and caress and use all my restraint not to basically fuck her with my tongue. She tastes so good. She tastes likemy wife.Why wasn’t I kissing her every day? I stop myself when I hear Gailo tap the door. I press one last hard peck on her sweet mouth and then pull away.
“Time’s up.” Gailo says. I open the door and watch him lead her into the darkness. I said that kiss wasn’t goodbye but that’s sure as hell what it felt like. And now she’s out of my reach.Damnit!I run back to the bunker even though there’s nothing to see yet. I sprint there. Like a sap. A poor sap who already misses his wife.
Years are passing. Full decades dragging on in the few minutes before they finally get to Fausto’s estate. Gailo has his mask pulled up and gun drawn when he shoves Ellie out of the car. She stumbles out and looks scared, pitiful and broken. And she’s not even acting yet. The guards at the gate scramble and shout when they realize who she is. A security golf cart is there in an instant to take her up to the mansion.
She doesn’t talk, seeming dazed. She clutches her cell phone to her. I catch her flinch when the guard touches her arm though. My heart skips. Fucking Arlo. I hope he’s being mauled by his fellow inmates right now. Maybe shivved.
When the doors open and her aunt rushes out, Ellie collapses into her arms.
It kills me.
Because it seems real. Like she’s been barely hanging on these last few days and she’s relieved to be with her family. Like she’s home. There. With them. My finger hits the comm button so I can talk to her. That is not her fucking home.
“Don’t!” Robbie stops me. “Let her have a minute. So far, so good. Let’s just let her get settled.”
“I can’t remember the last time I was this uptight. You better be right about her, brother.” Zander says on the screen next to Robbie.
“You better be right about his vault.” I spit back.
“I’m always right.” He replies.
Gailo rushes in from the tunnel hall and flops down beside me. “This is crazy, man. She didn’t say a word the whole time.”
“Maybe she didn’t want to talk to the asshole who cut her throat open.” I grunt without looking at him.
Gailo punches my bicep. “Dude, how many times do I have to say I’m sorry!”
“Shh. Everyone.” Robbie says.
On one of the monitors, I watch Eleanna’s aunt, Fausto’s wife, hover around her. They seem close, but she’s never mentioned her before. But…I didn’t ask, did I? Maybe they’re very close.
“Everyone is on their way. Olga is fetching you some tea. What can I do for you,bebita?Tell me.” Her aunt says.
“I have a message from them. For Tío.” Eleanna finally speaks. Her voice is shaky and quiet. It takes everything in me not to just go. Fuck it all and just go help, hold her up, do the talking for her.
