Fuck.
I went to the office. He must have more money in here somewhere. There was a safe which I didn’t have the combination to, but maybe he’d have a little petty cash lying around.
Rounding the desk, I pulled open the drawers, one after the other. I wasn’t expecting him back until morning, and he’d probably notice we’d gone before he saw someone had gone through his desk.
I couldn’t even bring myself to feel bad for my father for the giant pile of shit I was about to drop him into. Torres was going to be furious with him for losing Catalina, but how was I supposed to give any sympathy to a man who’d sold a child as payment for the death of her mother?
I blamed myself, too. I should have stepped in sooner.
My fingers touched cool metal, and I pulled out a small lock-box. It was locked, but another quick search found the tiny key that fitted the lock. I flipped open the lid.
Bingo.
It wasn’t much—just a few hundred dollars—but it would help. At least I’d be able to buy us a couple of nights in a motel without leaving a trace for my father or Torres to find us. My car was also going to cause us a problem. Both my father and Torres had friends in high places, and I was sure they’d be able to pay a bribe to some cops to put a trace on the vehicle.
Pocketing the money, I went to my bedroom and packed the small bag I’d brought with me when my father had invited me to take over from him for the week. I wanted to get it into my car before tonight. The less I had to think about while we were making our escape, the better. I didn’t want anyone asking me where I was going if they saw me with the bag. But more than that, I didn’t want anyone to see me with Catalina. The moment I did anything to raise the suspicions of one of the other men, they’d contact my father, and it would be game over.
The hours passed, and I did my best to stay out of Catalina’s way. If I saw her, I knew I wouldn’t be able to resist asking her if she was all right, or if she’d packed. I was sure what we’d done and what we intended to do would be written like a neon sign in the air between us, and someone would see us and guess what we had planned.
I ate dinner alone in my room, waiting for the sun to go down. I’d take Catalina under the cover of darkness—we’d be less likely to be spotted that way.
Commotion outside caught my attention, and I rose to peer out of the window, my heart sinking. Was Torres back? That was the last thing I needed right now. Why hadn’t one of the men called to warn me before they’d opened the gates?
A car had pulled into the courtyard. My stomach clenched in dismay. I recognized that car.
My father was back early.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I plastered a smile on my face, trying to look as natural as possible, and went out to meet him.
“Father,” I said as he climbed from the car. “I thought you wouldn’t be back until tomorrow.”
“I finished my business and thought I’d return early.” He looked around. “How’s our birthday girl? I’ve brought her a gift.” He dangled a small gift bag in his hand.
“Oh, she’s inside somewhere. The other women made a fuss of her this morning, but she’s kept to herself since then.”
“I expect she’s nervous about tomorrow.”
“Yes, that would be understandable. Were you aware that Torres was here yesterday?”
He frowned. “No, I wasn’t. How did that work out?”
“It all went smoothly, in the end. He promised to return tomorrow, as you’d initially arranged.”
“And what did Catalina make of him?”
Jealousy twisted like a knife in my gut. “She seemed to like him well enough. I mean, obviously, there’s an age difference.”
He waved a dismissive hand. “Only fifteen years or so.”
“Closer to twenty,” I corrected, but then forced myself to clamp my mouth shut. I couldn’t show my father that it bothered me in any way.
But my father knew me too well and he gave me a curious look. “And how have things been going with the task I gave you to complete while I was gone.”
“Fine.” My tone was curt. “I ran her through a few things, like you said. I’m sure Torres will be more than happy with her.” I still felt as though he was watching me for my reaction, curious, as though he’d known that by forcing the two of us together, we’d realize we had feelings for each other. But no, he wouldn’t think that. He thought I worked in the same way he did, and that women were only good for what was between their legs. The idea of me falling for one of them—even one I’d grown up with—was probably ludicrous to him.
“Come with me and tell me all about everything that’s happened. It sounds as though I have a lot to catch up on.”
Night would be falling soon, and then I needed to get Catalina and me far away from here. I just hoped my father wasn’t going to get in the way.
With my stomach sinking, I followed him into the house.
Chapter Twenty-eight
Present Day
A GENTLE KNOCK CAME at my bedroom door, and I leaped to my feet, my heart pounding. Night had fallen, and I’d been pacing around my room, waiting for Angel to come. Everything felt heightened, my hearing sharpened, my eyesight picking up every detail. My blood seemed to rush through my veins, and though it was already getting late, I didn’t think there was any chance of sleep coming to me tonight.
I snatched up the small rucksack I’d packed with my few belongings. I didn’t need much—a couple of changes of clothes, some toiletries, and a couple of mementos from my childhood—and rushed to the door. I swung it open, eager and nervous to see Angel again.
The blood drained from my face, my forehead and palms prickling with cold sweat.
It wasn’t Angelo standing on the other side of the door, but his father.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
I’d been so focused on Angel coming to get me that I hadn’t given a single thought to it being someone else at the door.
The bag was clutched in my hand, but hidden from view by the door. I forced my fingers to release it and spoke loudly to cover the thump it made as it hit the floor.
“Master,” I blurted. “I wasn’t expecting to see you until tomorrow.”
He showed no sign that he’d heard the bag fall. “I know, but I realized I’d be missing your birthday if I stayed away that long.”
My cheeks tweaked in a tight smile. “My birthday doesn’t mean anything.”
“Nonsense.” He glanced over my shoulder, and my heart rate catapulted in my chest. Was he looking for someone? Angel, perhaps? Did he suspect we were planning to run away together? “May I come in?” he continued.
“Oh, yes, of course.”
It wasn’t as though he needed to ask. This was his home, after all. In another couple of hours, I hoped to never see this place again.
I opened the door farther and used my feet and legs to shield the bag behind me. As he walked in and was facing away from me, I kicked my foot back, using my heel to shove the bag under the dresser. It wasn’t perfect and still stuck out noticeably, but it was better than it just sitting on the floor, which was bound to draw questions.
Silas Cassidy turned to face me, a sad smile touching both his lips and eyes—eyes so similar to Angelo’s. I’d been so wrapped up in my own problems, I hadn’t even noticed he was holding something, but now my gaze flicked down to the small box.
He held the box out to me. “A present, for your birthday.”
“Thank you. I wasn’t expecting anything.”
“I wanted to get you something to keep. You’ve been like a daughter to me in many ways, Catalina, and I’m sad to see you go tomorrow.”
I struggled to keep my hand from trembling as I reached out to take the box. A wave of déjà vu swept over me. It had only been a matter of hours ago that I’d done exactly the same thing with Angelo and look where that had ended up. Of course, I had no intention of things going the same way with the master, and I doubted he would want that either.
“Well, open it,” he encouraged.
I undid the silky ribbon around the box and pulled open the lid. A delicate, silver chain bracelet sat nestled in the box. “It’s beautiful, thank you.”
“Let me put it on for you.”
Obediently, I put out my wrist to him, praying he wouldn’t notice me trembling. The room swirled around me in a sudden whirlpool of dizziness. Thank God he hadn’t bought me a necklace. The C pendent Angelo had bought me was still around my neck, hidden beneath the neckline of my long-sleeved t-shirt, and I didn’t think I’d have been able to cope if the master had questioned me about it.
Master took the bracelet from the box and carefully hooked the two ends together around my wrist.
“Thank you,” I said again, the cool metal against the sensitive skin of my inner wrist.
“You’re welcome. Now, how did things go this week with Angelo?”
I shrank under the intensity of his gaze, terrified he’d be able to read what had happened as though it was written across my face. “It went well,” I said, thankful I didn’t need to meet his gaze, ever subservient. “I feel better prepared for what is expected of me now.”
“That’s good. I have to admit that it’s been troubling me... you going to Elliot Torres, I mean. There are rumors about that man—rumors I wasn’t aware of when I initially sold you to him—and I’m concerned that you may be shocked by some of his... fetishes.”
I swallowed hard, doing my best not to imagine what sort of things Elliot Torres liked to do to young women. He’d seemed nice enough when we’d met, but that was in someone else’s house, and I hadn’t belonged to him properly at that point. Thank God I was leaving with Angel tonight. As long as we didn’t get caught.
“I’m sure I’ll be fine. I’ve grown up here, and I know how these things work.”
I wanted to convince him not to worry. I wanted him to leave me alone. What if Angel showed up now, only to find his father here? I felt physically sick with nerves.
“You’re a strong girl, Catalina.” He patted my hand. “You’ll make me proud, I know you will. And your mother would have been proud of the young woman you’ve become, too.”
A hard lump suddenly choked my throat, and I blinked back tears. For one crazy moment, I felt like telling him what I’d done, and what I planned on doing. I wasn’t making him proud—quite the opposite—and I was buffeted by winds of shame and guilt.
He must have noticed my glassy eyes, as he gave me another tight smile and squeezed my hand. “I’ll leave you to get some rest. You have a big day tomorrow.”
I ducked my head, unable to look at him. “Thank you, Master.”
“Good night, Catalina.”
He turned toward the door, and all I could see was the rucksack filled with the items I planned to take with me when I ran away with Angelo. For one horrifying moment, he paused, and I was certain he’d seen it.
He glanced back over his shoulder. “And happy birthday.”
I swallowed hard. “Thank you.”
He walked from the room, and I exhaled a shaky sigh. My legs went out from under me, and I sank down on the edge of my bed. My whole body shook violently, and I put my face in my hands and did my best not to cry.
“CATALINA! IT’S TIME!”
The hiss came from my bedroom window, and I sat up straight, my heart pounding. It was definitely Angel this time, and not his father. Was I really going to leave this place, and with Angel?
I couldn’t decide if I was elated or terrified.
I shouldered the small bag I’d packed, which I’d fished back out from under the dresser after the master had left. I wished I could go and say goodbye to Yolanda and the other women, but of course that was impossible.
I would be with Angel. Nothing else mattered.
Pulling open the window sash as quietly as possible, I climbed out and onto the ground beneath.
Angel’s serious, handsome face was shrouded in moonlight. He pulled me in quickly for a kiss and stroked my hair from my face. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, just nervous.” I wasn’t sure if I should tell him about my close encounter with his father. I didn’t want to worry him. There was already so much to worry about.
“There’s been a change of plan.”
My stomach dropped. Was he about to tell me that we weren’t leaving after all? Had his father guessed what we were doing and was putting a stop to our plans?
“What? Why?”
“My father came back early.”
I exhaled a shaky breath. Was that all? “I know. He came to see me. He wanted to give me my birthday present.” I held up my wrist where the silver bracelet lay against my skin. In a matter of one day, I’d gone from not owning a single piece of jewelry to owning two.
Angel nodded, as though he’d known his father had bought me a present. “I can’t risk taking my car now. He’ll notice straight away that it’s gone, and he’ll want to know exactly what I’m doing. The other men wouldn’t have asked questions if they’d seen me leaving, but he will. He’s not stupid. He’d know something was up, and he’d check your room and find you gone, too, and then he’d send everyone after us.”
“So, what are we going to do?” I whispered. I was shaking, more from fear and adrenaline than the cold. I hadn’t gotten over my shock of his father coming to my room properly yet, and the master’s warning about Torres had sent ice through my veins.
“We’re going to have to take a leaf out of Dani’s book and go over the wall.”
I widened my eyes at him. “We can’t do that! It’s topped with barbed wire.”
“If she did it, then we can, too. I found some rope we can use.” He reached out and squeezed my hand. “We need to do this, Catalina. There’s no other way.”
I held his hand tighter. “Okay.”
I trusted him. Whatever he told me to do, I would do it.
He pulled me away from my window, and together we hurried to the back of the property, beyond where I’d hung sheets on the line every morning for God knew how many years. I clutched my bag containing my world’s belongings to my shoulder and prayed no one would see us.
There was a pile of something on the ground beside the wall. As I got closer, I saw it was a coil of rope.
“Give me your bag,” he said. “Mine’s already on the other side.”
I handed him the bag, and he threw it over the wall. It landed on the other side with a thud. I guessed there was no going back now. If someone found the bags, they’d be able to guess what we’d been planning.
“I didn’t dare hook the rope up until we were here,” he explained. “I didn’t want one of my father’s men spotting it.”
“Are they on patrol?”
“Yeah, but they’re near the gates. We should be okay, just as long as no one spots us from the house.”
My stomach churned. If we were seen, there was a good chance we’d be shot.
Angel picked up the rope and hooked one end around his hand. “Ready?” he asked.
I nodded.
With a grunt, he threw the rope toward the top of the wall. It hit right near the top, but failed to hook around one of the spikes and slithered back to the ground.
“Shit.”
“It’s okay,” I said. “Try again.”
He did, repeating the process, and this time the rope snagged one of the spikes.
“Yes!” He turned to me. “Do you want to go first? I can give you a push up. Or else I can go first and pull you over?”
I eyed the sharp spikes on the top of the wall and the spirals of barbed wire between them. I didn’t much like the idea of being pulled over all that. “I’ll go first.”
Taking a deep breath to steady my nerves, I took hold of both sides of the rope. I imagined Dani going through this all alone, how frightened she must have been.
“I’ll give you a boost,” Angel said, lowering his joined hands for me to step into. I placed my foot into his linked fingers, scaled my hands a little farther up
the rope, and braced myself.
“One, two, three—”
He shoved me up, and I pulled myself up on the rope. When I was high enough, I took hold of the rope in one hand and lunged for one of the metal spikes protruding from the top of the wall.
“That’s it, Kitty. You’ve got it.”
I gave a grunt of exertion and grabbed another one, letting go of the rope completely. My shoulders and arms strained. Angel pushed from behind, hands on my legs. I dragged myself up farther. I didn’t want to impale myself on the spikes. I managed to get one leg up and then hauled my body the rest of the way. To get over, I was going to have to climb over the top of the spikes and wire.
“Keep going,” Angelo hissed up at me.
My balance was precarious like this. I glanced back down at him, his dark eyes peering up at me. The height felt far greater from up here, and the world turned in a slow circle of acrophobia. I clung tighter to one of the spikes and squeezed my eyes shut and swallowed hard, trying to hold my nerve.
“You need to hurry!”
Angelo’s voice from below got me moving again. I focused on getting over the other side. I couldn’t stand, so I hooked my leg over the top of the barbed wire and attempted to crawl.
Barbed wire bit at my clothes and skin as I edged across. Something tore and ripped, and pain shot up my arms and legs. But I managed to get to the other side, and suddenly the wire released its grip on me, and I was falling.
I slammed against the ground. All the air burst from my lungs, and for a moment I didn’t think I was going to be able to suck in another breath, but then the iron band around my chest loosened and I was able to breathe.
“Catalina?” Angel’s hissed whisper. “Kitty-cat.”
I sat up, cautiously checking for broken bones. I was bruised and cut up, but otherwise intact. “I’m okay.”
“I’m coming over.”
He was bigger and stronger than I was, and he didn’t need my help. He let out a couple of choice swearwords, but within a minute he towered over me on the top of the wall, and then jumped down to the other side. He landed on his feet beside me.
For Him: The Complete Series: A Dark Romance Page 16
