Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Chelsea
"You know that asshat?" Storm growled softly.
"I remember him from Flirts," I whispered. "He used to stand at the back of the crowds and watch."
"That was all he did?" Atlas asked.
We all knew why he was asking that. If it was anything more, chances were he was about to shoot off Carlos' cock.
"That was all," I agreed. "We should get out of here."
I hated leaving Ramsey here to face these people alone. As far as I could tell, most of them moved around the front when he appeared.
I wasn't na?ve enough to think all of them had.
"Let's go," Storm looked back towards Ramsey with the same expression of regret. Gun in one hand, he gestured for us to move ahead of him.
"Keep your eyes peeled for bad guys," Atlas said.
Any belief that we were working with them would be out the window the moment Ramsey refused to hand me over to Carlos Jones. We'd immediately become the enemy. They wouldn't hesitate to kill us, even me.
"How do we know if they're a bad guy?" Max asked tentatively.
"Because they aim at us," Atlas told him. "Don't hesitate. They won't."
"Shit," Max said under his breath. He held his gun in both hands, aimed toward the ground. Just like they did in action movies when they had no real idea how to hold one.
I would have told him to raise it, but a nervous person with a gun at the same level as my face was a bad idea. Better he keep it down low for now.
We headed into the deepest shadows and trotted towards the trees, moving as silently as we could.
Gravel and sticks scrunched under our shoes, making me wince and hope like hell they didn't sound as loud as I was perceiving.
To me, they sounded like landmines exploding with every step.
Noise so loud it would be heard in Dusk Bay.
I held my breath until wide trunks and the heavy canopy created a deeper darkness around us. Enveloping us and helping us to disappear.
"No one seems to be coming for us," Frost said, sounding unconvinced.
"No, they don't." I frowned. Either they hadn't seen us, or Jones was so confident the guys would give me to him, that he hadn't bothered to ensure we were fully surrounded.
Something about this was off. There was no way in hell it was this easy.
"I'm going to circle back around the front," Atlas said. "If they try anything with Ramsey…"
"I'm coming with you," I said. The hair on the back of my neck started to stand up. Fear was slowly getting the better of me. I wanted to be anywhere but here.
Not to mention I wouldn't be able to live with myself if anything happened to Ramsey because of me.
"Me too," Frost said.
"And me," Jay whispered. He seemed to have calmed down now.
I guessed in the face of things, his anger at Atlas had lessened. That whole conversation seemed like nothing important now. Barely a blip on the radar.
"We're all going." Storm slipped ahead through the trees, leaving the rest of us to catch up.
Not an easy task, given it was pitch black, and fallen trunks and twigs made trip hazards here and there. The only saving grace was that the leaves were wet underfoot, squelching softly rather than crunching and snapping.
A hand slipped into mine, and I was pulled close to Dallas' side.
"It won't let anything happen to you," he said near my ear. His words were confident, but he sounded as anxious as I felt.
"I won't let anything happen to you either," I whispered back. Not if I could help it.
Could I help it? That was the question. Would it be easier to give myself to Jones than risk all of these guys? What could he do to me that I hadn't already done? If he wanted me to dance for him, then for him to fuck me, hadn't I done that for years?
It was always my choice before, but it was also my choice to make sure these incredible men got out of here alive.
Before I could act on that, the air was split with Jones' growl of irritation.
"You'd die for a piece of pussy?" he demanded.
Ramsey's voice was louder now, continuing to distract the cartel leader as best as he could. "If you thought Chelsea Miller was just a piece of pussy, you wouldn't be here."
Doctor, I mentally corrected him. Although, I supposed that side of me didn't much matter anymore. Not if I could never practice medicine again. Still, I earned that title and I'd continue to own it.
"You're right," Jones said smoothly. "She's more than a piece of pussy. She's my piece of pussy. That much should be clear by now."
"How would it be clear?" Ramsey asked. "Have your people been the ones taking pot shots at her?"
"Not at her," Jones growled. "The first time, the gunshot was meant to be a distraction. She was supposed to be grabbed and brought to me."
I swallowed hard. Ramsey guessed at the possibility, but not who was ultimately behind it.
"And the second time?" Ramsey asked. "Was Milly supposed to kill Sierra as a distraction as well?"
Carlos actually growled in response. "That had nothing to do with me.
If I find out who hired that little bitch, I'm going to have them sold to some particularly vicious people I know.
It was probably one of the Brantley assholes.
Look for a pair of twins, they're usually involved in shit like that. I should have them sold too."
I smirked to myself. It was unlikely he or any of his people would get close enough to Hunter and Parker Brantley to traffic them anywhere.
I also didn't buy that they had anything to do with Milly killing Sierra.
It was the kind of thing they did, yes, but my gut feeling told me it wasn't them. Who was it? I wasn't sure.
Honestly, I could guess all day and not pin down exactly who it was and why.
"We can agree on that then," Ramsey said. "We didn't appreciate anyone waving a gun around Chelsea either." His tone got darker, clearly referencing the fact that Jones had a bunch of armed men here outside the cottage. He sounded ready to shoot them all himself.
"I don't give a fuck what you didn't appreciate," Jones snapped. "You have thirty seconds to give her to me or I'll put a bullet in your brain."
My grip on my gun tightened. If I was to surrender myself to him, would he let Ramsey live?
Men like him often gave no fucks about keeping their word.
You know what they say, there's no honour amongst thieves.
Especially a lowlife like Carlos Jones. I'd sooner dance naked in the middle of Smashers Stadium than trust a thing he said.
He could bundle me into the back of a car and kill all of them anyway.
"No," Dallas whispered. "I know what you're thinking and I'm not letting you do it."
"We can't let him kill Ramsey," I insisted.
"You're not going with that asshole." He was just as insistent.
"I'm not sure there's any other way." I shook my head. "All of you need to get out of here alive. The team needs you."
"Fuck the team," he grunted. "I need you. I don't want to fucking live without you. If they take you, I better be dead first."
"Dallas…" What could I say to that? "I love you. You would be okay without me. I promise." It would hurt a little at first, but he'd move on eventually. He had a lot of love to give. He'd find someone else to give it to. I hated the idea, but it was better than thinking of him dead or lonely.
"I'd die either way," he said. "I'd shrivel up and die like a fish out of the ocean. I'd probably smell like one too.”
I doubted that, but I understood where he was coming from. I'd probably want to shrivel up too if anything happened to these guys.
"Twenty seconds," Jones called out. He turned around slowly, as if he knew we were there, but not exactly where.
"I have to," I said. I had no choice. I wasn't going to let anyone sacrifice themselves for me. I wouldn't.
I tried to pull away from Dallas, but he grabbed my wrist and held on hard.
His grip would leave bruises, but I couldn't bring myself to try to push him off.
If I did, he might lose his shit. I felt desperation and fear coming off him in waves.
He was absolutely certain he couldn't exist without me in his life, beside him as much as possible.
Fucking me every chance he had. Lying in bed at night, his cock deep inside me as we slept.
"Chelsea." He sounded devastated I'd even consider walking away from him.
"Ten seconds." Jones stopped to face Ramsey again.
My heart raced. This was what I feared when I was lying in the back of the car as the guys drove me here. That someone like him had taken me and I'd never see them again.
This way, I got to decide for myself. I'd make the sacrifice if I had to.
"I don't know where she is." Ramsey raised and lowered his spare hand, letting it slap against his jeans clad thigh.
"That's unfortunate for you," Carlos said. "I'm at the end of my patience."
"I'm not having the time of my life either," Ramsey said.
"Fortunately, we were able to keep you talking long enough to have everyone in place.
You and all the lackeys you brought with you are surrounded.
I'll give you one chance to get the hell out of here, or you'll be the one with a bullet in your brain. "
"He means us," Frost whispered excitedly.
"Yeah, he does." Storm sounded less excited. "I guess we better not let him down."
Still holding my wrist tightly, Dallas drew me along with him, following the others as we stepped out of the trees.