26. River
Chapter Twenty-Six
RIVER
We stopped moving, but I can't stop shivering despite being in a tight space. I'm trying not to take big breaths to avoid the metallic stench in the trunk. I also don't know how much oxygen is available. The trunk files open, and the flood of lights momentarily blind me. I raise my hand out of instinct to shield my eyes but flinch in pain when Mario hits me again.
“Don't raise your hand again, bitch, or I'll kill you and take my chances with the baby surviving without you."
The rings of light clear in time for me to see Surly deck Mario in the jaw. Some of his blood and spit lands on my forearm. I wipe it on my soiled clothes with a frown.
“I told you about abusing my merchandise, idiot. Next time, I'll keep both of them.” Surly grabs my arm and pulls me out of the trunk. “Come on, sweetness. You can service me until you have that baby.”
I jerk my face away, and he grabs my jaws hard, squeezing until I tear up. “Don't test me. I can make these few months hell for you.” I try to hold my breath because he stinks. “You're not better than me! Stop shivering like I disgust you.”
He does, but that's not why I'm shivering. He's likely too stupid to realize that. His green eyes shine with hatred and insecurities. I now think he really believes that I'm Andrea's woman.
“You kidnapped her and had her in the trunk with her dead friend. She's covered in his blood, and she's pregnant. She's not shivering in disgust. She's in shock.”
I'm confused and saddened by the voice I hear. Angelo . He’s Luciano’s cousin, but he never creeped me out like his cousin. I thought he was one of the good ones. When I’m around Andrea and his men, I’ve always gotten the feeling that he was more loyal to Andrea than Luciano. I guess I was wrong.
“Why did you call him?” Surly snarls his question at Luciano.
Luciano glares at Surly as Angelo approaches me. “Because he used to be a doctor. Every crew needs a doctor.”
His tone suggests that he thinks Surly is stupid, but I think they all are. Angelo studies me with his gray-green eyes, and there is something comforting about it although he’s on the wrong team right now. I feel like they won’t hurt me when he’s around.
“She needs some water and a blanket. Any more stress and you are going to lose her and the baby.” He looks between Surly and Mario, telling them to move with his eyes. Mario moves to get the items as Surly stares like he doesn’t trust him. “Lu, get her something less bloody to wear.”
Angelo grabs my arm and leads me to a chair and continues to examine me. His tattoos peek out from under his black t-shirt sleeves and his short brown hair still manages to touch his forehead as he checks me.
Tears cloud my vision, and I’m unable to stop the sobs. “How could you be like them?”
I don’t know if he understands me though my hiccups because he continues to check me out without answering. It could be the clinical approach, but I don't feel the need to scratch off my skin in the places he touches me.
“You have some bruising and minor swelling but no major injuries.”
Angelo gives my hand a reassuring squeeze before Surly comes and pushes him away.
“You’ve seen enough,” he growls, but Angelo doesn’t scare easily.
He doesn’t move away like Surly’s goons. Instead, Angelo stands to his full six-three and looks him in the eyes.
“I don’t work for you. Don’t ever fucking touch me again unless you want me to rip off your fucking hand and shove it down your throat.”
Surly balks but tries to look like he’s still in control of the situation. Although Angelo has betrayed us by helping, I’d still be happy to watch him beat Surly’s ass.
“Watch your fucking mouth,” Surly says without conviction, then turns and walks away to pick on someone he can control. “Mario, where the fuck are you with the water and blanket? Luciano, move your ass!”
Angelo remains near me, although we’re alone, and checks his watch like he has somewhere to be. I don’t want him to leave me with them.
“Please don’t be like them. Let me go,” I whisper through my tears.
He looks down at me with sad eyes, telling me everything I need to know. He feels bad about what he’s doing but isn’t going to change the outcome. Luciano returns with a shirt and throws it at me. Angelo pulls Luciano into a big hug like he doesn’t see him often.
“What are you doing?” Luciano asks when Angelo releases him. Angelo squeezes his cousin’s shoulders.
“I’ve always wanted to protect you. Keep you away from harm. This makes that impossible. I put my life on the line to get you fired instead of killed and then you do this?” Angelo tears up a little. “I’d hope you’d fix your addictions but now you can’t.”
Luciano starts crying. “I can. I can get better. We’re not much different.”
Angelo shakes his head. “There is no time. We are different. This was a suicide mission. I knew that and you didn’t.”
“It’s not. We have a solid plan,” Luciano insists.
“Andrea’s resources are greater than Surly's. You’re not making it out of the country. They won’t forgive this.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Surly threatens with another one of his ineffective growls. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Angelo sighs. “I do, because I brought River her Teddy.”
Surly’s eyebrows furrow in confusion, but Luciano turns and sprints in the opposite direction, just to run right into Theodore. All the love and relief I feel is so overwhelming I fear I might faint. I never thought I’d be a damsel in distress, but here I am.
Theodore looks at me, but I know his mind is somewhere else. He’s got Luciano locked into place by his throat and Andrea has that sick smile that tells me he enjoys this part. His gun is aimed at Surly as his threat practically comes out in a coo.
“Don’t make me kill you now and ruin all of my fun.”
Teddy nods at Angelo, and he scoops me up like I’m a bride and carries me out of the place, aptly stepping over dead bodies that I don’t dare study. An SUV guarded by Andrea’s men wait for me. I look over his shoulder in time to see Mario bolt out the door, intent on running for his life.
“Mario is running,” I inform him.
Angelo stops and looks over his shoulder. “Can you walk from here, mama?”
I nod tight. “Go get him.”
I usually would not take part in encouraging such violence, but that coward has hit me too many times since I’ve been abducted. Once I’m on my feet. Some of the other men rush forward to escort me, but I stand there and watch as Angelo’s agile body breaks into a smooth run. He pulls his gun and stops just short of Mario to take aim. One shot rings out and Mario crumbles, holding his ankle, sharpshooter . Angelo punches the screaming man to knock him out, as Mario’s body crumples on the concrete, his head banging the surface. It’s all very surreal. A man I once trusted and thought I loved was only there to bait me into trafficking.
If Teddy weren’t the amazing man I’ve come to love, I’d severely question my taste in men. Mario preyed on my loneliness. He didn’t give a shit about me or my family, just the next payout. I shudder at the thought of him succeeding. He would have raised my son to be just as lecherous as him, or worse. He probably would have tried to kill or abandon him once he found out he wasn’t his. I run my hand over my belly as I watch.
As much as I want to feel sorry for them, I can’t. Not right now. The guys close the door of the car just as I see Angelo drag Mario’s unconscious body back into the building, leaving a crimson trail of his blood behind.
I’m not stupid. I know who Andrea is and who Teddy was, just like I know he’s shielding me from what he’s doing. Knowing and seeing are two things, and that’s where he wants to keep it. I’m fine with it. My day has been terrifying enough; I don’t need to witness the reality of what I know. Surly’s crew isn’t making it out alive.
I start shivering again. I can’t believe I was kidnapped. If Teddy and Andrea weren’t the men they are, I would have been sold and abused the rest of my life. I doubt a regular person would have found me so fast.
I tear up again, letting the complete range of fear and sadness flow through me. All the worst-case scenarios attack since I have some comfort in knowing it’s over. Gunshots still explode in the distance. Lying on my side, I curl into a fetal position where I plan to stay until it’s over.