Chapter 21
MARTINA
“What are you two doing here?” I ask Marisol and Maxie.
“Looking for you.” Marisol looks over her shoulder. “I can’t believe you came here alone.”
“Don’t you know this is the worst part of Tijuana?” Maxie adds. “More murders here than anywhere else in Mexico.”
“How did you know where to find me?” I ask.
“We went to see Chantel,” Marisol said. “I saw Eduardo with her that first night. Of course, at the time, I didn’t know he was your brother, but after Diesel told us, we figured she might know where he lived.”
“Apparently, she’s been here to visit him.” Maxie laughs around her words. “But that’s a story for another time.”
“And she helped you, knowing it was for me?” I clearly remember Chantel’s bitchy attitude.
“After some persuasion.” Maxie grins. “I can be very convincing.”
“You guys are too much. And I appreciate you worrying about me, but . . .”
I pull my passport out of my pocket. “I got my passport, so I can leave Tijuana.”
Their faces still. “You’re leaving?”
I hadn’t expected to run into them. I thought my getaway could be clean and stress-free. I also hadn’t planned on their disappointed faces or the tugging sensation in my chest.
“It’s for the best,” I say without conviction.
“For who?” Marisol asks.
“You have your big fight this weekend,” Maxie says. “You can’t leave.”
“I have to.”
“Because of Diesel?” Maxie asks.
“He’s only part of it.” I wave my hand toward Eduardo’s building.
“I can’t stick around and be involved in my brother’s messes anymore.
He’s too close to Benito, and I can’t take the chance of him finding me.
This city is smaller than you think, and I’m starting to realize everyone knows everyone else. ”
“True,” Marisol admits. “But you’re a Harlot now, and we take care of our own.”
“I would never want to put you or any of the other Harlots in danger because of me.”
“We have the backing of Smoke and the Bastards, so they’ll also make sure Benito doesn’t get near you.”
“I don’t think so.” I draw in a deep breath. “Smoke made it very clear this morning how he felt about me, and about me with Diesel.” I look at Marisol. “He can be very intimidating.”
“I know all about it, and it was just a misunderstanding.”
“No, I actually heard Diesel this morning in his apartment talking to Smoke. He doesn’t feel the way I do, and that’s fine, but I can’t stay around and watch him every day in the gym, even if Benito wasn’t a threat.”
“So, you’re just giving up?” Marisol shoots a look at Maxie. “I guess she isn’t as tough as you thought.”
“I’m not giving up; I’m just . . .” A group of guys jostle into us.
“It’s impossible to talk here.” Maxie points across the street. “We parked our bikes in the private lot. Let’s head back to The Tropics and get this all straightened out.”
“Diesel and the rest of them are probably still arguing about the best way to find you.” Maxie rolls her eyes.
“I can’t wait to see their faces when we walk in with you.”
“Wait, what?” I grab Maxie’s arm. “Diesel was trying to find me?”
“That’s what we were trying to tell you before you got all ‘independent and I don’t need anybody.’”
“Well, I don’t,” I grin, “but I might make an exception for Diesel.”
“Ohhhh, girl, you are so screwed.”
I follow them across the street and into the lot where they have two beautiful Harleys under the watchful eye of the parking attendant.
“These are amazing.” I run my hand over the shiny chrome. Similar to Diesel’s but lower to the ground and more streamlined. “Street-Glides, right?”
“I’m impressed.”
“I’ve been doing some reading up on different bikes.”
Maxie waves her hand over the shiny machine. “Stick around, and we’ll teach you to ride.”
I remember how I enjoyed the ride with Diesel, and I have to say, the thought of having my own bike is tempting and thrilling.
Maxie drapes her arm over my shoulder. “For now, just come back with us and get things straight with Diesel. Then, if you still feel the need to leave, I’ll take you to the border.”
I nod even though I’m sure how things will turn out with Diesel, but I have to admire their confidence.
DIESEL
My head lolls to the side, and I try desperately to focus. I blink a few times through the throbbing in my head, shifting in the chair I’m propped up in with my wrists bound behind my back. My vision clears, and I scan the seedy room. One way in, one way out.
My shoulder holster is on a table across the room. Unarmed and helpless. A feeling I’m not used to and don’t fuckin’ like.
Eduardo is pushing a squawking female out the door, and now it’s just me, Eduardo and Benito.
“What the fuck?” I mumble through dry lips.
Benito saunters toward me, making sure I see the gun stuck in his waistband. “I see you’re not so tough now.”
“You are such a sorry piece of shit,” I sneer at Eduardo standing side by side with Benito. “I don’t know which one of you is dumber. You for thinking you can get over on the Bastards.” I jerk my head at Benito. “Or you for working with this deadbeat asshole.”
Benito nods to Eduardo, who steps forward and backhands me.
My face stings, but I smile through the pain. “Shit, you hit like a little girl. I’ve been slapped harder by the bitches in my bed.”
Eduardo’s face clouds over, then he balls his fist and connects a solid shot to my jaw. My head rattles for a few seconds, then I glare up at him. “Still can’t believe you sold out your own sister.”
“Enough.” Benito pushes Eduardo to the side.
“What’s your end game?” I struggle against the duct tape holding my wrists and ankles. “What do you expect to gain?”
“I don’t like being disrespected.” Benito moves closer. “I also don’t like being lied to.”
“I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”
“You stole something that was mine.”
“You’re fuckin’ crazy. We didn’t have anything to do with you until you came to us with the casino deal.”
“That bitch Martina was mine,” Benito hisses. “You had no right to take her from me.”
“First of all, asshole, you can’t own people.”
Benito nods to Eduardo. “It was the deal we made, then that bitch ran off and found shelter with your club.”
“We didn’t know her connection to you until last night, but even if we did, we’re not in the business of slave trade.”
“Big talk from an outlaw biker.”
“You realize you’re not gonna get away with this shit. My club will come for me, and then you’re gonna wish you never started this shit.”
“There’s no need for violence.” Benito’s softens his tone. “I’ll be happy to make a trade. Exchange you for Martina.”
“No fuckin’ way.”
“Maybe that’s not a decision you have the power to make. Maybe I should see what Smoke has to say. See just how valuable his Enforcer is to him.”
I huff out a harsh laugh. “It has nothing to do with my value. The Bastards don’t deal in flesh trade.”
“High and mighty talk for someone strapped to a chair.” Benito steps closer and pulls the gun out of his waistband. “By the time I’m done with you, you’ll be willing to sell your mother for a ticket out of here.”
He raises the gun and cold-cocks me with the butt. My ears ring, then sparks of light flash in front of my eyes. I fight to stay conscious, and through the fog, I hear Benito laughing.
MARTINA
We get back to The Tropics, and I promise Maxie and Marisol I’ll talk to Diesel and hear him out, but I’ve already made up my mind.
Even if what they said is true, and Diesel was just placating Smoke, what does that say about him or about us?
If he couldn’t stand up for us to his president, then what chance did we have for a future?
I didn’t have the strength to deal with any more deception in my life.
From now on, I would only accept the truth, which includes no more lying to myself about others.
I tried for too long to save Eduardo from himself, and no matter what my feelings are for Diesel, I won’t fool myself into believing he feels the same way.
By tonight, I plan on being back in California, actively putting the last six months behind me.
It would be hard leaving Maxie and Marisol, but I have no other choice.
I’d never forget Diesel, or the emotions he unearthed, but I have to put him in my past too.
I’d even leave Eduardo behind if it meant survival. The cost is too high.
We enter The Tropics through the back door, then Marisol knocks on Smoke’s office door, and we enter. I’m not looking forward to confronting Smoke again, but closure with Diesel, although right, would be painful.
Smoke, Blood and Bolt shift their gaze to stare at us.
“Where’s Diesel?” we all ask in unison.
“We thought he was here with you guys,” Marisol says.
“He went out looking for you.” Blood jerks his chin in my direction.
“Where did he go?” I ask all three men.
“My guess is he was gonna start with your brother,” Smoke adds.
“I was just with my brother a half hour ago, and I didn’t see Diesel.” My heart pumps hard against my ribs. “You haven’t heard from him?”
“He left here forty minutes ago saying he was gonna find you and bring you back,” Blood says. “Then he jetted outta here.”
“We must’ve just missed each other,” Maxie says. “The streets are so crowded, we could’ve walked right past him.”
“He said that?” I’m not truly believing Blood’s words.
“Yup, then he flew outta here like the whole damn place was on fire.”
They all start to talk at once until Smoke puts up his hand, then pulls his buzzing phone out of his pocket. He swipes at the screen. “Yeah?”
Silence as he listens to whoever’s on the other end, then, “You’re fuckin’ dead.”
My eyes widen as Smoke swipes away the call, then turns to Blood. “Benito’s got Diesel. At your brother’s place.” He flicks his hand at me. “Says he’s keeping him till he gets you back.”
I swallow hard. When given the choice, I know exactly who Smoke will save.
“Well, he can forget it,” Maxie says. “There’s no way we’re giving our girl up to that bastard.”
My chest swells with her words, but I’m not relaxing until I hear from Smoke.
“No shit!” Smoke roars. “We gotta figure out another way.”
Marisol grabs Smoke’s arm. “I have an idea.”
“Yeah?” Smoke narrows his eyes.
“We’ll go. Martina knows where Eduardo’s apartment is, and Maxie and I can go in as a diversion. Benito doesn’t know either one of us.”
“What the fuck? Like I would let either one of you go anywhere near that bastard?” Smoke bellows.
“Let us?” Maxie and Marisol say in unison. “I know you just didn’t say that.”
“Bad choice of words,” Smoke concedes. “Just let me put something together first.” He jerks his head at Bolt. “Go get Manny and Ricky. Emergency church meeting. Now.”
“So, you’re just dismissing us.”
“We’re gonna do what we do best. Save one of our own.”
“Even if we might have a better plan?” Marisol challenges.
“If your better plan involves you going to Zona Norte alone and facing off against Benito, yeah.” Smoke points to me. “You realize them grabbing Diesel is a trap to flush you out, right?”
“We know what we’re doing,” Maxie says.
“And we both know men like Benito,” Marisol adds.
“Forget it.” Smoke glares at Bolt. “What the hell are you waiting for? Go get the others.”
Bolt rushes out of the office in search of Manny and Ricky, while Blood and Smoke argue over the best way to handle the situation. Then they barrel past us and head to the room in the back of the club where they hold church.
Marisol shakes her head. “While they’re in there arguing, we’re losing precious time.”
“So, what’s this plan of yours?” Maxie asks.
Marisol nods to the door. “We follow her out into the lot and form a tight circle. “Your brother doesn’t know who we are, right?” She motions her hand between her and Maxie.
“No, why?”
“Because we’re gonna pay him a visit.”
“I don’t know. I’m not siding with Smoke, but that call came from Benito, and neither one of you know what he’s capable of doing.”
I can’t let them put themselves in that kind of danger.
“There’s something you both need to know.” I suck in a deep breath because admitting my brother sold me like damaged goods isn’t easy.
Maxie and Marisol exchange a look.
“Hon, you’re making me nervous, so just spit it out,” Maxie says.
“The reason I’m even in Tijuana is because of Eduardo.”
“Can your life story wait?” Maxie flips out her phone and scans the screen. “We’re wasting time.”
“My brother has addiction problems. Drugs, alcohol, gambling. You name it, he’s into it. As you can image, it never ends well.”
“I just don’t see how—”
“Six months ago, I was living in Oceanside, California, with my mother. We’d spent most of our time bailing Eduardo out of one mistake after another.
Then one night, he called saying if I didn’t show up at a bar in Imperial Beach with money, these guys would kill him.
When I showed up at the bar, it was all a lie.
The guys he owed didn’t want money—they wanted me. ”
“The cartel?” Marisol asks.
I nod. “They bundled me into a van and took me to Rosarito, where they held me captive. I made weekly drug exchanges over the border in the States with another member of the cartel.”
“Ohhhh, hon.” Marisol wraps her arms around me. “We had no idea.”
“I finally managed to escape, but Benito doesn’t like to lose.” I lower my head. “I’ve seen firsthand what happens to people who disobey him. They disappear, never to be seen again.”
“Those fucking bastards,” Maxie grits out.
“That’s why I can’t involve either of you, and as much as I want to help Diesel, I don’t believe you or the Royal Bastards are any match for Benito and the power of the cartel.”
Saying those words makes me realize I’m responsible for Diesel’s abduction, and regardless of how he feels about me, I have to save him.
I remembered how openly he spoke about his failed marriages, and the respect he had for his mother.
All those things make him real, and just thinking of him in trouble knots my stomach.
“This isn’t your fight.”
“It is now that you’re a Harlot.”
These women have supported me when I had nothing, and here they are again, willing to put themselves in danger, but they don’t deserve to be drawn into my mess.
“Being held prisoner like that, it’s easy to see how you were brainwashed into thinking you were helpless,” Maxie says. “But we’re used to fighting back and winning.”
“I’m from a long line of cartel bosses, and Maxie survived being kidnapped, then held prisoner too.” Marisol takes my hand in hers. “We know what we’re dealing with, and we also know how to beat them.”
“Fear wrecks your confidence and plays with your mind,” Maxie adds.
Marisol nods to the bikes. “Now, let’s get this done before it’s too late.”
“But . . . Benito is ruthless, and very hard to fool.”
“He’s a man, isn't he?” Maxie sneers. “And like any man, he has a weak spot.”
They throw their legs over the saddle of their bikes, then Maxie nods to me, and I do the same behind her.
She throttles the bike and yells over the engine, “We’ve got you.”