Chapter 5 #2
I whirled, my heart hammering against my chest. Pure, blind terror gripped me as they closed the distance.
A rush of adrenaline spiked, my vision fuzzy as I tried to find somewhere safe. Every other business was closed, fewer people on the street.
Seconds later, a hand grabbed my arm and I steeled myself for a hard blow while spinning. I issued a hard kick, able to free my arm when he was pitched backward. The other two were quick in their actions, surrounding me even as I managed to throw a hard punch at a second guy.
That wasn’t stopping them. The element of surprise I’d had with Navarro’s men wasn’t with me. They closed in and even with a few additional strategic kicks, I couldn’t make any headway.
A scream erupted from my lips as they snarled, laughing at me as if I was nothing but a fool.
That’s what I considered myself at that moment. A stupid girl who thought she could take on some ruthless cartel leader.
“Take her,” one of the men told the others. They grabbed both arms, dragging me toward the street. “ Nos la follaremos antes de entregársela .”
His horrible words in Spanish? ‘We’ll fuck her before handing her off.’ Confirmed. They’d been tasked with abduction.
I struggled but knew there was no chance I’d free myself. Yet I kicked one in the nuts, fighting until my other arm was freed.
Lunging forward, I almost tripped. There was a sense of doom as the men came for me again, their rage evident.
Only they didn’t grab me.
Just as I slammed against a parked car, I felt another presence.
“ Te metiste con la mujer equivocada ,” came the dark and dangerous voice.
You messed with the wrong woman.
Shocked, I realized Navarro was standing in front of me. Protecting me. Wait. How had this happened? The shock remained and I was schooled in my fighting skills when he punched the shit out of the three men. His skills were impressive, his strength like nothing I’d ever witnessed before.
They continued to fight him, throwing punch after punch, but they were no match. The man was masterful, beautiful yet deadly and very enjoyable to watch. A single crack represented a nose crushed. Another sharper thud was an indication of a skull fracture.
And the snap of an arm needed no explanation.
With all three down on the concrete, he took a second to glance in my direction.
In the bright moonlight, his eyes were more luminous than before, piercing in a way that captured my breath.
He stood at his full height, studying me intently.
When he advanced, I couldn’t move, utterly paralyzed from terror.
“Are you okay, my halcón seductor ?”
“I’m fine. Why are you here?”
“Because I sensed you were in danger.” Navarro reached out, but the moment he touched my face, I jerked back. “I’m not going to hurt you, Fallon. If I’d wanted to do so, I wouldn’t have allowed you to walk out the door.”
“You sent those men to abduct me.” I took a step away, chilled to the bone.
“Take a look at them, Fallon. A good look. They are not my men. They are gang members, brutal bastards who have no sense of humanity. There could be a dozen reasons why they selected you, but none of them would have a good outcome.”
After closing my eyes briefly, I glanced down at the three of them, finally looking away as I thought about the threats one had said. Turning away, I pressed my hand against my face.
He inched closer but didn’t attempt to touch me.
We both heard a sound and he grinned before turning around. This time he had his weapon in his hand.
Without hesitation, he fired off three shots in between the eyes of the men. I gasped, shrinking back against the vehicle as if a lifeline.
He’d just killed three men in the middle of a crowded street as if it was just a typical night for him.
“I’m sorry, my little princess. I need to tell you something.” He crouched down to my level, fiddling with my long hair.
“What is it, Papa? Why are you crying?” With one hand, I reached out, running my finger through a fallen tear.
Sniffing, he looked away briefly. “I’m sorry, baby girl, but your mother has gone to live with the angels.”
The vision was sudden, stark and cold. I was shaking, even more so when he spit on them then offered his last condolences. I shoved them aside, still strangled from fear.
“ Ella es mía .”
She’s mine.
The shock of the entire event wore heavily on me, but when I heard the screeching tires of a quickly approaching vehicle, I broke free from the ugly spell and took off running again.
“Not so fast,” Navarro growled as he caught me easily, wrapping one arm around my waist and dragging me toward the approaching vehicle. The SUV was jerked to a stop and a door flung open.
“Let me go.” I struggled in his hold, another memory bringing another wave of panic. “Please. Just let me go.”
Images flashed.
Vibrant yet fuzzy.
This time something else. A face. His face.
My heart stopped beating as the reality of my world shattered the precious hold I’d had on something that had never been real.
A long time ago in a life I could barely remember, he’d offered kindness, telling a young girl she was special and that he’d take care of her. He’d saved her, taking her to safety and ensuring she was well taken care of. That was a long time ago and way before he’d turned into a monster.
Right before he’d murdered my mother.
He’d returned to my life to finish what he’d started. For all I knew, my father was already dead and it was only a matter of time before I was next.
That was then.
This was now.
With my body still shaking, I jerked away from him, determined to escape his clutches.
“I don’t think so. You’ve been enough trouble for one night. You’re coming with me.” He shoved me inside the awaiting SUV and I was certain I heard him growl.
As soon as the door was slammed shut, he snarled at the driver, “Get us out of here.”
With my mind still in panic mode, I threw both hands against him. He caught both easily, wrapping his long fingers around my wrists. “Just let me go, Navarro!”
With lights of various businesses flashing by at lightning speed, shadows floated across his face, but I was able to capture the possessive look in his eyes.
“That’s not going to happen. Not only did you attempt to kill me, but for some reason, you’re high on someone’s radar.
That places me in the same position and I don’t like or appreciate having a target placed on my back, Fallon.
You and I are going to have a long discussion about what the fuck is really going on. ”
“To hell with you. I’m not telling you a single thing.
” He was so holier than thou, playing the part of pretending he didn’t know me.
Did he really think that was going to work with me?
Was it possible he hadn’t authorized the threat and kidnapping like I’d been led to believe?
I clenched my fists, struggling to remember every detail since returning home from the gallery showing.
I could tell by Navarro’s eyes that he was uncertain who I was, but there’d been a glint of recognition. Whatever was going on, I’d use his uncertain memory to my benefit. How? I had no clue, but I was smarter than he was.
The third goon was sitting in the seat just in front of us. His dark chuckle brought out the vixen in me. I struggled even harder, able to rip my arms from Navarro’s hold, managing to reach the door handle. It was locked. Out of frustration, I beat on the window.
“As you can see, you’re not going anywhere.”
Finally feeling defeated, I closed my eyes.
The connection we shared continued to be intense.
I had no clue why I was drawn to the man or why some crazy part of my brain was fractured from the thought he hadn’t been responsible for Brooke’s disappearance.
I’d been led to believe otherwise, but had the source been reliable?
Or had my father wanted me to believe a lie?
At this point, everything I’d been through, all the information I’d discovered didn’t make any sense.
Why save my life if Navarro had taken hers?
Nothing made any logical sense. I’d been a woman who based her entire life on truths. Yet his reaction continued to trouble me.
Maybe he was innocent of the horrible deed, but the facts remained.
Navarro was a killer through and through. Nothing would change that.
When he reached out, I recoiled, but there was nowhere to go.
This time, the way he placed his hands on me was much gentler. Did he think he was going to fool me? He wanted me dead. He’d warned me and I’d refused to listen.
When I refused to look at him, he forced my head to turn. Now his fingers dug into my chin. “Look at me, Fallon. Look directly in my eyes.”
While I longed to ignore the fact he was speaking, there was no chance I was escaping the man or his tyranny. I opened my eyes, keeping a hard, cold glare. “What?”
He smiled hearing my hiss. “The sooner you understand and accept you’re going nowhere, the better off you’ll be. As of right now, you’re going to be my guest until we can figure this out.”
“We? There is no we. And you mean I’ll be your prisoner.”
“Call it what you will. The fact remains. You’re going nowhere.”
“You can’t take me with you. I won’t allow that to happen,” I shouted as if repeating myself would make a difference.
Navarro grinned in a way that sent chills down my body.
When he pressed his hand between my legs, I shuddered but didn’t try to stop him.
What was the point? Very slowly he removed the knife, turning it several times in the passing light.
I bristled as he touched the dried blood on his neck before sliding the weapon into his pocket.
“I can do anything I want, Fallon, because as of right now, you belong to me.”