"The no-good shit-stain won't hear me," Carmen snapped before stomping to the front window that overlooked the street below. Staring out the dirt-streaked glass, she sneered, her jaw ticking. "One of his lackeys jacked up a dope delivery, so he's outside handling him." She glanced over her shoulder, meeting my gaze. "Guess you won't be the only one getting a bullet tonight."
I flinched, and her face fell.
"Sorry, Chiquita. That was a rotten thing to say." Stomping back across the room, she dropped to her bony knees beside me and gently cupped my face. "Who did he send you to tonight?" she asked, tracing her shaking finger over each lavender-colored bruise that bloomed against my porcelain skin. "Which pendejo did this?"
"Ellington," Jade spat, answering for me. "That psycho is the entire reason Dominic flew into crazy mode and almost killed her."
Carmen's jaw ticked. "Explain."
Jade opened her mouth to speak, but I beat her to the punch. "He kissed me," I mumbled, the pain in my shoulder growing. "The man broke the rules and kissed me. Dominic saw him and—"
"To hell with Dominic!" Incensed, Carmen dropped her hands. "I am sick and tired of him and his rules! I've met a lot of idiotas in my life, but he is the stupidest puta madre I have ever met! He claims you as his own, acts like he's obsessed, but then sells your body to other men repeatedly, yet later almost kills you over a kiss?"
Hearing my sins laid bare was too much for my heart to handle, and for the second time that night, I broke. "It's my fault," I cried. "Everything…all of this …it's all my fault."
Jade's brows rose nearly to her hairline. "How?"
At her question, I thought back to the day Dominic found me outside the Toluca City bus station, alone and scared to death. Thanks to being kicked out of my shitty childhood home—thanks for that, Mom—I was homeless, half-starved, and desperate for a place to sleep.
I'd been the perfect prey.
When Dom, who was a seasoned predator, approached me, I never stood a chance.
I hiccupped, my stomach churning with disgust as I recalled the effortless way I'd believed the many lies that had fallen from his cunning lips, beautifully disguised as everything my heart had always craved, but never experienced.
Acceptance.
Love.
Safety.
I'd been so stupid.
So. Damn. Stupid!
"Answer her," Carmen demanded, freeing me from the fog of misery possessing my mind. "How is any of this your fault?
"Because I believed him..."
It was the only explanation they needed.
Jade nibbled on her bottom lip, her pain mirroring my own. "I believed him too," she whispered, confessing a truth I already knew. "We all did, in some way or another."
A heavy silence filled the air.
Then, "You know what? This shit is ending tonight. El diablo has stolen enough from us already." Carmen's eyes locked on my tattoo, anguish flashing in her irises. "You especially, Chiquita."
Painful memories stirred at her words.
Wrist burning, I held it to my chest.
Don't think about it...
Not now.
"And I will not stand here and let him steal another precious thing." Carmen took one of my hands in hers, followed by one of Jade's and held them tight. "There isn't a thing in this twisted world that I wouldn't do for either of you. You know that, don't you?"
"I do," I whispered, truthfully.
Jade nodded, silently agreeing.
"Good." She sighed in relief and then pulled in a deep breath. Chin wobbling, she glanced up at the ceiling. I had no idea what was going on, but something wasn't right.
I felt it deep in my gut.
Righting her head, she looked from me to Jade. "I need both of you to make me a promise. One that you have to keep, no matter what."
My brow furrowed. "What kind of promise?"
A lone tear rolled down her cheek. "I need you to promise me that once you're free of Dominic, that you'll go back to school and get your diploma. Maybe even go to college."
Free of Dominic?
That would never happen.
He'd kill us all first, me especially.
It was an oath he'd made clear from day one.
Point blank, there was no escape.
"It may not seem like it now," she continued, "but at sixteen, you two still have your entire lives ahead of you."
Right then, that feeling in my gut, the one that screamed 'this isn't right' intensified. Carmen looked resigned to the crap deal we'd all been handed, the fight she normally possessed noticeably missing in action.
I didn't like it.
Not one single bit.
"So do you," I replied, wanting to see her eyes glowing with the fire to survive once more.
Shaking her head, she released our hands, a second tear falling. "I'm thirty-four years old, Chiquita. I may have once been Miss Colombia with the world at my feet, but that girl is long gone. The only thing that remains of her is a street whore with a penchant for shooting poison into her veins." Standing, she tapped her chest twice. "Trust me, there's nothing left in here but a couple dozen broken dreams and enough self-hatred to take down a million-man army. Not a bit of which is worth saving."
Her words weren't true.
At all.
Like Jade, Carmen was worth more than words could ever say. Drug-addicted prostitute or not, she was one of the most loving souls I'd ever met. Protective and loyal to a fault, she was everything beautiful in a world filled with a whole lot of ugly.
"Carmen—" I started.
"Save it, Chiquita," she interrupted. "Now, back to what I was saying." She paused and ran her fingers through her long, tawny hair. "Once you're both clear of this shit-hole and everything that comes with it, I want the two of you to get your culos back in school and make some friends." A genuine smile, one filled with warmth, brightened her face. "Maybe even fall in love with a boy your own age."
Fall in love with a boy my own age?
Not likely.
If by some miracle I ever escaped Dominic, I'd never go within twenty feet of anything that possessed a penis again. All men did was cause pain. Besides, how could someone ever love me? Whether it was my choice or not, I was nothing but a whore. As painful as it was to admit, girls like me weren't meant to be loved by boys worth loving back.
Period.
"I can't do any of that without you." Jade's panicked voice broke through the silence that had fallen over us like a velvet curtain, cracking my heart. I hated when she was scared, which was most of the time. "Without either of you."
"You will do it, little one," Carmen replied as she crossed the room, each of her steps quicker than the last. "Because I want you to." Stopping next to a busted dresser, she opened the top drawer and pulled out a wad of hundred-dollar bills, all of them Dominic's. "Idiota just leaves money laying around," she mumbled. "Thinks no one has the cojones to steal from him. Hijo de perra is wrong."
Eyeing the nearly closed door, she headed back our way. "Take this," she said, slapping the money into Jade's hand. "Once the coast is clear, I want you to take Ashley and run to the shelter over on Sycamore Street as fast as you can. Take the back alleys and use the shadows as cover. And no matter what happens, you do not slow down, you do not stop, and you do not look back. Got it?"
"The battered women's shelter?"
"Yes, the battered women's shelter," she replied, answering Jade's question. "You'll be safe there. They'll give you food, clothes, and help you find somewhere permanent to stay. The people who work there are good. Don't be afraid to trust them. I wouldn't send you there if I had any doubts about them—"
The sound of someone climbing the rickety wood stairs down the hall reached our ears.
Jade and I froze.
Carmen though? She didn't.
Finding her fight once more, she whipped open her coat and pulled a rusty switchblade from the top of her thigh high. "Remember what I said," she said, flicking it open. "
You do not look back. Not for any reason. And if for some reason push comes to shove, you fight." My panic skyrocketed as she slipped out of her worn red heels, exposing her stocking covered feet. "You always fight."
Turning, she crept forward.
Next to the door, she crouched low and glanced back at us, an emotion I couldn't decipher flashing in her eyes. "I should've saved you chicas a long time ago." Hand in the air, she blew Jade and I both a kiss. "I love you both"—she covered her heart with her free hand—"with every broken piece of me. Never forget that."
I jerked upright, ignoring the searing pain that stole my breath. "Carmen!" I cried out, louder than I intended. "Don't do this!"
My words didn't dissuade her.
Her decision was made.
"It's the only way, Chiquita."
"No, it's not! Just listen—"
My voice disappeared, dissipating like vapor as the door burst open a second time, and Dominic's large frame stepped into the room, an insidious aura surrounding him. Eyes narrowed, he glared at Jade. "What the fuck are you doing up here? I told you—"
A battle cry ripped through the air as Carmen leaped up and lunged forward, taking Dominic by surprise. Hands gripping the knife tight, she swung it with all her might, sinking it deep into his side. Blood instantly wept from the wound, staining his fitted white t-shirt crimson.
Eyes blazing with fire, he threw a single punch, one which met Carmen's jaw with a bone-jarring crunch. Momentarily dazed, she stumbled back, losing hold of the knife. "You crazy fuckin' bitch!"
Murderous intent bled into his eyes as he ripped the blade free of his flesh and stared at it, his chest rising and falling in rapid succession. Enraged, he jerked his head up and took a single step toward Carmen.
Chin raised, she showed no fear. Arms extended, she wiggled her fingers, beckoning him to move closer. "Come on, papi," she urged, shifting her one-hundred-pound weight between her feet. "You want to rip my throat out? Then come on and do it!"
Dominic didn't need to be told twice.
Wearing a twisted smile, he hurtled forward, eating up the space between them. In the space of a heartbeat, he had one of his hands wrapped in her hair, while the other held her own blade against her lithe throat.
Jade jumped up. "Carmen!"
Knowing she was about to charge—and likely get killed—I climbed to my knees, then to my feet, ignoring the way my head spun, and grabbed her arm, holding her in place.
"Dominic, don't!" I screamed, praying that his infatuation with me would somehow sway him.
I should've known better.
"She's gotta die, Tesoro!"
Carmen glared up at him, her smiling face still absent of fear. "You first, pendejo."
In one quick move, she grasped the revolver tucked in the front of his waistband and ripped it free. Leaping back, she raised it high, pointing the barrel at his chest.
"I will not let you hurt my girls!" she screamed, victory dancing in her eyes. "Not another damn time!" Losing the remaining grip she had on her emotions, she blinked, one fresh tear after another cascading down her face. "For almost two years, I have watched you cause them pain, Ashley especially, and I am fucking done! Do you hear me? I am done! I may be a worthless whore, but I'm about to send el diablo back to where he belongs." She widened her stance, steadying her aim. "See you in hell, Dominic."
She pulled the trigger, and I braced for the bang that would swiftly follow.
But it never came.
Instead, a clicking sound did.
Confused, Carmen looked at the gun, her eyes wide. Fully expecting it to fire, she pulled the trigger once more.
A second click followed.
"You stupid fuckin' cunt." Dominic chuckled, his face devoid of amusement. "The chamber is empty. The last round is buried in the sidewalk out front." His rage-filled eyes cut to me, but I said nothing as Jade clutched my trembling hand, lacing our fingers together.
Ripping off his shirt, he held it against his muscular side, staunching the flow of blood. Attention focused back on Carmen, along with the useless gun she still held, he sneered.
Bloodied switchblade clutched in his free hand, he twisted his neck, cracking it. "That mistake you just made, bitch? It'll be your last."
Dropping the shirt, he moved quickly.
Unprepared, Carmen never stood a chance.
Using the blade she'd stuck in him minutes before, he stabbed her in the side, then in the belly.
Repeatedly.
Instinct took over, and without thinking, I rushed forward and slammed my small body into his large one, not caring if he killed me too. The hit was hard, my aim perfect, but he didn't budge.
Losing my balance, I stumbled and screamed. Loud. "Dominic, stop!" I clawed his arms and wrists from where I kneeled, too dizzy from the impact to find my footing again. "I mean it, stop!"
He didn't stop.
Hit after hit, he continued to plunge the knife into Carmen's flesh until her legs finally gave way. Pale-faced, she dropped to her knees, her heart slowing with each beat.
Arms opened wide, I caught her as she fell, her fur coat soaked through with blood. Chin resting on my injured shoulder, I held her against me, hugging her broken body tight. "I f-failed," she whispered, her voice losing strength. "Failed my ch-chicas..."
"You didn't fail," I replied, wanting to ease her mind in what I knew were her last moments. "But Carmen, you have to hang on." My mind whirled, my chaotic brain trying to figure out a way to get her help.
She absolutely could not die.
Without her, Jade and I wouldn't make it.
"Carmen, p-please," I cried as I squeezed her tight, my voice breaking. "Don't leave m-me. You can't ever leave u-us."
When she wheezed, her chest rattling against me, but said nothing in response, I knew there was no saving her.
Turning my head, I buried my face in her caramel-colored hair and kissed her for what I knew would be the last time. "I love y-you, Car. With every broken piece of m-me."
Her reply came in the form of a raspy exhale.
It was her final one.
I bellowed, my heart cracking into millions of irreparable pieces as her body went limp in my arms.
Ten feet away, Jade bent at the waist and screamed, the pain she felt pouring out of her in waves. Over and over she yelled, her agony tearing me to pieces as sob after sob racked my own body, causing my petite frame to jerk uncontrollably.
She's gone.
El Diablo killed her, and now she's gone.
Forever.
Consumed with grief, the world around me fell away.
Blinded by pain, I missed the moment Dominic hobbled to the other side of the room, a sick expression on his face and kneeled down, pulling a second gun out from beneath the mattress where he violated my body each and every night.
But I sure as hell took notice when he started to hobble toward Jade, his blood-soaked hand holding the loaded weapon tight.
"You stealin' from me, sweetcheeks?" Eyes widening, her cries fell silent, yet no answer came, which further enraged the homicidal psycho headed her way. "Fuckin' answer me when I speak to you!"
Terrified, she dropped the roll of cash Carmen had given her minutes before. My broken heart sunk as it floated to the hardwood, fluttering in different directions.
Dominic's jaw ticked. "No need to speak. I've got my goddamn answer."
Collapsing against the wall behind her, Jade held up her hands, palms out, her frantic eyes bouncing between the monster looming over her and me. "Ashley," she cried, her voice so laced with fear it was nearly unrecognizable. "Please..."
Having no other choice, I gently laid Carmen's lifeless body down and stumbled to my feet. Determined not to let her be harmed, I rushed to her, moving my battered body as fast as I could.
By the time I reached her, Dominic had already raised his hand, the gun he held aimed at her chest, ready to fire.
Wedging myself between her and the gun, I shielded her body with m
y own, protecting her as best as I could.
Just like before, I didn't care if I died.
What I did care about was making sure that Jade kept breathing.
I'd already lost Carmen.
I refused to lose her too.
"Get out of the way, Tesoro."
Shaking my head, I stood tall, refusing to back down. I may have been terrified of Dominic, but I would not back down, the consequences for my defiance be damned. "I won't let you hurt her!"
Jade clutched my dress and buried her face between my shoulder blades.
The sight of Carmen's corpse, combined with her terror-fueled tears streaming down my back caused every protective instinct I possessed to rise, flaring to life. "You are not taking her from me!"
El diablo's dark eyes hardened. "Watch me."
Unimaginable pain ricocheted through my head when he brought the butt of the gun down on my left temple in a brutal strike. Blinding light flashed before my eyes, and I stumbled, losing my balance. Unable to right myself, my hip slammed onto the hardwood. I yelled out in pain, failing to bite back the sound.
Jade's muted voice screamed my name.
Dominic's deep timbre followed.
I looked up, finding them both.
My mind was foggy, my vision wavering, but I could still read the scene playing out before me, my heart pounding in time with each of Jade's screams for help.
Knowing I needed to save her, I attempted to regain my bearings as Dominic stepped closer to her.
No, no, no!
Rolling to my belly, I tried to push to my hands, but I slipped, falling on my face. My nose cracked against the floor, but I paid the blood pouring down my lips and chin no mind. The only thing that mattered was reaching her.
Come on, I told myself. Get up!
My body failed me as I worked to stand once more. The ground felt as though it were moving, making getting to my feet impossible. I raised my head, my hazy vision focusing on the girl who'd helped hold me together ever since the day el diablo stole the only good thing that ever came from me, truly shattering my entire world. Eyes locked with hers, I extended my arm, my fingers reaching for her. "Jade…"
Shoulders shaking, her face fell.
Acceptance flashed in her eyes as she pulled in a deep breath and lifted her trembling hand, blowing me one final kiss, just as Carmen had done. "I love you, Ash," she said, her voice cracking. "With every broken piece of me."
Every Kiss You Steal: A Redeeming Love Novel (Book 7) Page 2
