Chapter 19 Isabella
I pace the room, the soles of my boots pressing into the thick carpet with each step. My heart’s a drumbeat in my ears, loud against the silence that envelops Vapor’s house. Ice’s absence hangs heavily in the air, stirring the anxiety nesting in the pit of my stomach. I think of him out there somewhere, running toward the very demons I’ve spent my life running from. He’s so much stronger and braver than I am. I just hope he’s able to save all the women and children tonight.
As I stop by the window, I gaze out into the humid night, searching for any sign of Ice. He’s been gone for several hours. I don’t know how much longer it will take, but I want him back. I won’t be able to breathe until I see him again.
A violent crash shatters the silence—glass breaking, followed by shouting. Then, a gunshot. My heart leaps into my throat. The serene facade of Vapor’s stronghold, our temporary shelter, is breached in an instant. Danger has found its way to his doorstep, and now they’re inside.
A bitter taste floods my mouth, the sour taste of betrayal and fear, sharp as acid. Not for myself, but for the lives intertwined with mine. For Blue and Babet, and for the prospects left behind to guard the house.
Adrenaline surges through me, hot and immediate. I’m moving before I even register the action, my survival instinct kicking in. My pulse races, every beat a countdown to confrontation. Juan’s men must have found us.
Tiptoeing toward the dresser, I pull the top drawer out. My fingers close around the cool metal of the pistol Ice left for me. It’s a small comfort, but it steadies my shaking hands. This isn’t the first attack I’ve faced. A few years ago, men infiltrated Juan’s compound, and I had to shoot them to survive. I’m sure this won’t be the last time I’m forced to defend myself, because fate is cruel. But one thing is certain, I won’t go down without a fight.
My breath hitches as I crack the door open. Gazing out through the narrow slit, I check the upstairs hallway. It’s empty.
Creeping toward the landing, I steal a glance over the railing. Shadows and shapes disappear into the hallway below. Shouts ricochet off the walls. The heavy thud of boots pounds like a war drum, heralding the sinister surge of Juan’s men as they swarm the house.
“Isabella!” The voices come muffled, from far away. It sounds like one of the prospects, but I can’t be sure, so I don’t respond.
My mind whirs, calculating, strategizing. I haven’t been into many of the rooms within the house, but I know where the exits are. Still, I can’t leave without the other women. I need to find Blue and Babet. Unless they managed to run away, they must be hiding somewhere in the house. Babet, with her punk-grandma moxie, will know what to do after we escape. Blue, who seems like she’d be calm under pressure, will lead us to safety.
Sneaking downstairs, I evade Juan’s men and slip into a room, heart hammering. After silently closing the door behind me, I turn to find myself in a playroom filled with toys and bookcases. As far as I can tell, there’s no one here. But just to be sure, I check behind a cabinet full of toys. On the other side of the room, the closet door creaks open. I nearly jump out of my skin.
“Blue? Babet?” I whisper, backing toward the entrance in case I need to flee.
“Isa, in here!” Blue’s hushed voice is a beacon in the storm.
“Where’s Babet?” I ask a second before the closet opens to reveal both women. “Oh, thank God.”
“We need to get out of here,” Babet mutters.
“How?”
“We tried to open the window, but it won’t budge. The wood’s too swollen or something.” Blue scowls.
The pounding of footsteps upstairs snaps our heads upward.
“We can get out through the back door in the kitchen,” I say.
“And what if there are more outside?” Blue whispers, eyes darting toward the door.
“Where are the prospects?”
“Dead, I think.” Babet’s eyes fill with unshed tears. “They tried to protect us, but they were outnumbered.”
“How the hell did they find me?”
“No clue.” Blue strides toward the door. She twists the knob inch by inch before peeking out. “We’ll figure it out later. It’s clear. Let’s go.”
The corridor seems to stretch and stretch as we hurry toward the kitchen. We move fast, but time is a fickle ally, slipping through our grasp when we need it most. We must reach the exit before it’s too late, before the cartel goons find us and cut off our chance at freedom.
The kitchen looms ahead, the familiar scent of spices now tainted with the metallic tang of fear. We slide past the overturned chairs, the remnants of our last meal still strewn across the floor—a grim reminder of how quickly life can spiral into anarchy.
“Hurry,” Blue breathes, green eyes fierce beneath the crown of red. Her hand reaches back, gripping mine for an instant before we break for the exit.
Babet follows, her muumuu a colorful blur, an unexpected warrior queen in flowery fabric. Our footsteps are muffled, but they still sound too loud. We move with precision.
As soon as we reach the kitchen door, I peer through the window to check outside. “Stay down,” I hiss as I spot a dozen or more cartel members hiding in the bushes and behind trees. There are too many to shoot. Ice told me I’d only have twelve rounds in the gun. That’s not enough rounds get them all. The minute I fire, they’ll shoot back. It won’t work.
There’s no time for fear, only action. I signal to Blue and Babet that we need to retreat. They give me a sharp nod. We’re in this together, bound by the unspoken vow to protect each other against the darkness that threatens to engulf us all.
We pivot on instinct, a trio of shadows darting through the dimly lit corridor. Blue’s flowing dress whispers against the walls. Babet’s eyes, sharp as ever, scan for danger.
“Through here!” I command, leading them into Vapor’s office. “Bones closed the window right before we started the meeting, so I know it’s a way out.”
The exit is close, the promise of escape and the fresh air of freedom just beyond reach. My heart hammers, hope surging—but it’s snatched away when I look through the windowpanes. Miguel’s men swarm outside like vultures circling their prey, weapons glinting in the dim light from the porch. They block our path, a wall of malice between us and salvation.
“Damn it,” I mutter, pulse spiking.
“Options?” Babet’s voice is steady, a rock amid the storm. But I can see the tightness in her jaw, the age lines that speak of too many battles, too much loss.
“Think, Isa. Think. There’s always a way out.” But doubt creeps in. We’re running out of time, and I know it.
“If we’re surrounded, we’re fucked,” Babet mutters.
“Do you have a crawlspace under the house?” I ask, directing my attention to Blue. She will know every nook and cranny of this place.
“Yes! In the library. There’s a door to it under the rug.” Blue’s quick-witted, even with danger snapping at our heels.
Each second we hesitate is a second lost, an inch closer to capture, or worse. We need a miracle, and this might be it.
“It’s our only chance,” I say. “We’ll have to hide under the house until they give up and leave.”
Babet nods in agreement. “It’s the only place we haven’t tried.”
We dart through the house like phantoms. Babet’s breath comes in ragged gasps beside me, but her eyes are steel—sharp and unyielding. We’re so close to slipping free when I hear bootsteps pounding toward us.
“Go! Go!” I urge them.
I spin, gun raised, and fire. The shot slams into his chest, and he stumbles back, gasping. I take down one, then another, each bullet finding its mark. I keep count of how many bullets I have left, but I’m running out fast. Cartel thugs spill from upstairs like a flood. I hold them back while Babet and Blue hide in the crawlspace.
Three bullets left.
Two.
One.
After firing the last shot, I throw the empty gun at the men and break for the door to the library. I make it two steps before a heavy hand grabs my shoulder, spinning me around. I come face to face with one of Juan’s top goons. His sneer is as ugly as his intentions.
“Got you, puta .”
“Let me go,” I snarl, trying to free myself from his rough grip.
Fueled by raw fear, I jerk my head forward hard, connecting with his jaw. He stumbles against the wall, but more men are closing in. They’re oppressive and relentless, exactly like my brother.
One man swings his fist toward my face. I duck while simultaneously kicking my foot out to trip another man. But they keep coming, and I’m cornered. Still, I won’t cower. I’ll fight with the ferocity of a woman protecting her own, because that’s who I am. If nothing else comes from this, at least I’m buying Babet and Blue enough time to hide.
A blow lands hard against my side, and pain explodes across my skin. With each hit I take, my resolve hardens. I will not yield to their force. If they want me, they’re going to have to kill me.
Grit and sweat mix on my skin as another punch lands, the force almost knocking the breath from me. My fists are a blur, but it’s like fighting demons. They multiply, each one more determined than the last. Hands grab at me, fierce and unyielding. I twist, turn, and lash out with all the fire that burns in my bloodline.
“?No me toques, cabrones! ” My voice is a jagged blade, slicing through the chaos, but it’s not enough. Not this time.
The world tilts as I’m thrown to the ground, my arms wrenched behind my back. The bite of plastic zip ties cuts into my wrists, a cruel reminder of my new reality. Captured. Bound. But not broken.
“Get off me!” I snarl, but my words are muffled against the floor.
Panic claws at my chest, yet beneath it all lies a cold, hard resolve. I’ll protect my new sisters no matter what. We may not be blood, but I’d kill for them. I have killed for them and I’m more than ready to do it again.
They drag me up and out. The humid night air strikes my face like a slap. I catch glimpses of Vapor’s house retreating into the darkness. My brother is going to try to use me to get to Ice. I know it in my bones. But I swear they’ll have to kill me before I let them turn me against him.
The drive is a blur of streetlights and darkness. Time stretches and contracts until we arrive at a dock surrounded by scummy water and black-trunked trees. They hoist me into a boat and start the engine. Mosquitos buzz around my face, but I can’t bat them away. They feast on my exposed flesh, while frogs croak along the banks of the river.
Eventually, we arrive at a crumbling warehouse. Rusted metal panels sag under the weight of creeping vines, their jagged edges peeling away like dead skin, while filthy windows obscure whatever’s inside. The air reeks of mildew and stagnant water, and though the building is silent, I can’t shake the feeling that the ghosts of Juan’s past inhabit it.
They yank me out of the boat before shoving me into the building. One man cuts the zip ties then shoves me into a sturdy wooden chair. He re-secures my hands behind me, then ties my feet to the bottom of the chair with more zip ties, making it impossible to move. Satisfied with his work, he grins at me. As he leaves, the door groans shut behind him like a tomb sealing.
The air is thick, laced with the scent of sweat and fear. It clings to my throat, a tangible dread that tries to smother me. Dim bulbs cast sickly pools of yellow light across the bloodstained concrete floor. The walls are a patchwork of flaking paint and grime, splattered with crimson dots of blood. Although I’ve never been here before, I know exactly where I am—Juan’s torture room.
I lift my chin, defiance my shield. This place, this warehouse of horrors, will not claim me. Whatever comes next, I am ready. Somehow, I’ll find a way to warn Ice and save him from Juan’s trap before it snaps shut around us both.
The door swings open, crashing into the wall. Juan emerges from the shadows, his gaze sharp, predatory. Rage radiates from every pore in his skin. He stands before me, his presence towering and malevolent against the backdrop of flickering shadows.
“Isabella.” He spits my name like it’s poison on his tongue. “You think you can betray your own blood?” His voice is a low snarl, veins bulging at his temples, fury rolling off him in waves.
I steady my breath, keeping my voice even though it threatens to tremble. “You mistake survival for betrayal.”
His hand snaps forward—a whip of flesh and bone. Pain detonates across my cheek, sharp and blinding, but I don’t give him the satisfaction of flinching. I can’t let him see fear—fear is a weapon he’ll wield with expert precision.
“Where’s Ice?” His question slices through the heavy atmosphere, each word dripping with venom. “He should have come to the cutting warehouse after he took the kids from the other place, but he didn’t.”
“Go to hell.” The words come out as a growl, my defiance an ember that refuses to be snuffed out. But inside, I’m worried. Going to the place where I worked was never part of the plan. Bones, Fang and Tank were supposed to oversee that mission. Ice was with Vapor and Diablo. At least, he was supposed to be with them. What the hell happened?
“Wrong answer, hermanita .” He leans close, his breath foul as he outlines his twisted demand. He pulls a phone from his pocket and grips it hard enough to turn his knuckles white. “Lure him here. You’re going to be the bait that brings down the MC.”
A labyrinth of scenarios races through my mind, each path more treacherous than the last. I can picture Ice, with his piercing silver-blue eyes and razor-sharp wit, walking into the snare set just for him. My heart clenches. I cannot—I will not—be the one to lead him to slaughter.
Juan paces, circling me like a vulture. “Think, Isabella. Your life for his. It’s a simple trade.”
My hands clench into fists, the bindings biting into my wrists. I’m cornered, a wild animal with no escape. I’m completely out of options. So many lives hang in the balance, but I won’t lead Ice to this place. Juan can torture me all he wants. I’ll never break. I’ll never lead the man I love to the monster who wants to kill him.
“Never.” My voice is steel wrapped in velvet, my resolve as unyielding as the ties that bind me. “I won’t do it.”
Juan’s eyes narrow, dangerous and calculating. “Then you’ll both pay the price.”
I brace myself for the wrath to come, but within me, a flame of rebellion burns fierce and bright. No matter what, I will protect Ice. I’ll find a way to warn him. Because love demands loyalty, nothing less.
Juan’s demand hangs heavy in the air, the stench of malice and deceit thick as swamp fog. He leans in closer, his breath a toxic whisper against my face. But as much as I wish I wasn’t, I’m a Vasquez. We don’t run from fear. It isn’t an option.
“I don’t care,” I spit out. “You think you can break me? Think again.”
He recoils, his eyes two black holes boring into mine. The threat in them is real and immediate, but love has forged my will into a steel blade. Eventually, my brother will understand that loyalty to Ice means everything to me. I’m ready to die for him.
“Isabella,” Juan says, voice dripping with venom. “You’ll regret this.”
“Regret is for the weak.” I stare him down, my heart pounding against my ribs like a drum of war. “And that’s one thing I’m not.”
His phone pings. After glancing at the message, a slow, wicked smile spreads across his face. “Sit tight. I have business to attend to.”
“What business?” I demand.
He sneers, turning to leave me alone in the dusky gloom of the warehouse. His footsteps echo as he walks out into the night. As the sound fades, silence claws at me. I don’t know what that message was about, but I pray Ice will stay safe.
I struggle against the ties to no avail. With my arms still bound behind my back, my mind whirls through endless scenarios for how this will all play out. Ice is out there, unaware of the web of treachery waiting to ensnare him. I just hope he realizes what’s happening before it’s too late. He deserves better than whatever fate Juan has carved out for him.