Chapter 11 #2
After his meltdown, that person would be more cautious, likely work with a smaller crew, people he could vet more easily, making it harder for Prey to both find him and get someone on the inside when they did.
That thought was enough to calm his racing heart and remind him that he had a plan, that in just a day or so Ally would be safe and sound.
Besides, it wasn't like he had any chance of killing the men here and getting Ally out. He was outnumbered and weaponless, it would be a suicide mission. Which would be one thing if it were just him, but Ally would either get killed in the chaos, or she’d be sold with no one to ensure that a rescue team was sent in after her.
“Told you the princess dress was worth using,” Henry continued, oblivious to how close Mateo had come to losing control and killing him.
“That was the first photo I uploaded, and it got her sold. Buyer wants her dressed in it for collection, threw in a couple of thousand more to have her in that specific outfit.”
“How soon until collection?” he asked, trying to make his voice come out neutral and not like his worst nightmare was about to come true.
“Turns out he was in the area,” Henry replied. “He’ll be here in less than thirty minutes, and he wants her in the dress, tiara, and heels included, with arousal gel applied. Wants her all needy and pleading when he gets here.”
If he could, Mateo would punch that smirk right off Henry’s face. Instead, he nodded. “I’ll have her reapply her makeup as well, then get her dressed and into a holding room.”
“Going to be sad to see this one go.” Henry’s leering gaze lingered over every inch of Ally’s naked body, and to her credit, his girl didn't flinch or cover herself, even though he could feel her growing panic, and that urge to slam a fist into Henry’s face grew stronger.
The second the door closed behind Henry, Ally grabbed him. “Don’t make me do this, please. Isn't there another way?”
If there was, he’d take it.
That’s what he’d been about to tell her before Henry interrupted them. That he’d realized justice wasn't big things, it was just doing the right thing. And the right thing would have been trying to get Ally out earlier, instead of being so afraid of everything that could have gone wrong.
It sounded odd because obviously his job was one great big gigantic risk, yet he didn't like taking risks. He was a cautious guy, he carefully looked through every potential outcome before he made decisions, and he took the safe route wherever possible, in all things other than his job.
Now Ally was paying the price for his fears.
“I’m sorry, little mouse, I can't do that,” he said, his voice breaking on the last word. It was too late to do anything now but follow through with the path he’d set them on.
“I don’t think I can do this,” Ally whimpered, tears trailing down her cheeks, messing up her makeup.
“You can, baby, I know you can.” Taking her elbow, Mateo guided her back to the bathroom.
Inside, she just stood there, staring blankly into space, clearly in shock as the horror of her situation sank in. Picking up a cloth, he ran it under the water, then began to wipe away the mascara trails. When he had her face clean, he gave her shoulders a gentle shake.
“Stay with me, little mouse,” he pleaded. “Just a little longer and you’ll be safe.”
“What if he hurts me?” she asked, those huge, tear-drenched eyes of hers staring up at him.
“I will get to my boss as soon as I can, before the day’s out. Most of the buyers are from overseas, so chances are you won't even be in the same country he comes from by then. Falcon will get a team together immediately and move in to rescue you.”
“But not you. You're not coming,” she said as though the idea pained her.
“I can't, baby. I have to finish what I started here.”
Before his very eyes, he could see her pull herself together.
Brushing away his hands from her shoulders, she stepped up to the vanity, quickly reapplied some makeup, and ran a brush through her long locks.
Then she walked back into the main room, stepped into the heels, pulled the skimpy X-rated dress back over her head, and secured the tiara in her hair.
After that, she spread her legs and waited.
Now he was the one who felt frozen in shock.
His girl was doing everything he needed her to do, including not making him have to ask her to spread her legs so he could apply the arousal gel that would ensure she was desperate for release by the time her buyer arrived.
No doubt the man would take great pleasure in watching her squirm as he transported her to her new home.
Or maybe he wanted her needy enough that she’d agree to let him touch her, possibly even have sex with her, just so she could get some relief.
Because there really wasn't any other choice, Mateo strode across the room to collect the gel.
Wanting to make things a little easier on her, he squirted only a small amount onto his fingers, then slipped his hand between her legs and applied it, skimming his fingers over her bud, and around her entrance, nudging the tip of his finger inside her.
Once he’d wiped his hands and put the gel away, he faced his sweet girl, his little mouse, the only woman he’d ever loved, and the first person to make him feel anything other than anger in two decades.
He wanted to say something, apologize again, offer more reassurances, but he couldn’t seem to make the words come out.
Instead, he just took her elbow and guided her across the room.
By the time they were back in the main corridor, he felt her squirm as the gel began to work, flooding her system with arousal.
Mateo walked her to the elevator, and they took it to the ground floor.
There were a number of rooms here where they placed women who had been sold and were awaiting pickup, and now he led her down to one of them.
Inside the mostly bare room, there was a single chair, a mattress on a metal frame attached to the floor, and a toilet and sink. That was it. Some women spent a day or two in here, but Ally would be in here for less than an hour.
She didn't fight him on going into the room, not that he suspected she would have, and he couldn’t help but caress her skin before releasing his hold on her.
This was it.
The last time he’d get to touch her.
See her.
Talk to her.
While he’d ensure that Falcon had the intel needed to go in and rescue her, he wouldn't—couldn’t—be a part of that. He’d taken on this job, determined to do his part to bring Azure toppling down, he couldn’t walk away from that for selfish reasons when Ally would be rescued either way.
Leaning in, he pressed a kiss to her forehead, then turned to walk out of the room.
“Please, Mateo, please. Can't you get me out of here before he comes? I don’t want to do this. I understand all the reasons it has to happen this way, but I just want to go home. Please. Please don’t make me do this,” she begged, and he didn't have to look at her to know she was crying.
But it was too late to do anything now.
All he could do was step through the door and close it behind him, blocking out her pleas for him to help her.
For twenty years, he’d held a grudge over his family walking away, leaving him begging and pleading for help. Now he was the one walking away, leaving his girl terrified and alone to face an ordeal she may not survive.
He’d become everything he hated.