Fourth Fight

by Mary Abshire

He lightly chuckled. “I had two demons to destroy and neither wanted to tell me where you were.”

  “They’re gone?” she sniffled.

  He nodded.

  “What the fuck’s wrong with your back?” Troy asked as he steered along the dark road. Pops from the compound grew distant as they drove further away from it. “Fuck, you stink.”

  She handed Andrew her gun. The wedding rings he’d bought for her were gone. The bastards had taken them from her. Face tight and lips together, she twisted to face the front and then cradled her swollen hand close to her body. It didn’t take a genius to figure out she was hurting. Being the strong-willed fighter that she was, she tried to hide her misery.

  “They broke your fucking fingers?” Troy shouted.

  “We’ll get you to a doctor and have them fixed,” Andrew said, trying to douse Troy’s negative attitude.

  “Bones will heal, but the scars will remain with me forever,” she said before she swallowed hard.

  Fear sliced deep into Andrew’s heart. “Did he—”

  “No. No,” she said before he could finish his question. She wiped her cheeks.

  Relief flowed through him like a rushing river. He would’ve have cared and loved her no matter what, but knowing she hadn’t endured such horror brought him a sense of peace.

  Andrew stared with joy at his battered and bruised woman. He loved her with all his heart and soul. Nothing could change how he felt about her. Whatever scars she had, he’d help her deal with them. Whatever she wanted, he’d give it to her. From now on, he would keep her close to his side. And he’d chain her to the bed if she ever tried to pull a crazy stunt again.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  “Thank you again, Leo,” Andrew said, shaking the bald man’s hand. “Thank everyone for me.”

  “I’ll make sure your Jeep gets back to San Diego. Matt will let you know where to get it,” Leo said.

  “We appreciate it,” Andrew said.

  Emily stepped closer to the big guy. “I can’t thank you enough for your help.” She held her injured hand up since it hadn’t stopped pulsing with pain. “I’m so glad no one got hurt.”

  “What you did was brave and foolish, but I think you know that. I don’t know the extent of your injuries, but you have two friends who really care about you. Let them take over for a while,” Leo said.

  “I plan on it. Thank you again,” she said.

  “Take care of her,” Leo said to Andrew before he stepped off the boat and onto the dock.

  “I will,” Andrew said. “Be careful heading to the border.”

  Leo untied the ropes. He waved to the men standing at the highest level of the boat. Although she’d only spoken a few words to the man, he seemed like a good person and friend. He and his men had risked their lives to save her and the others. Leo and his crew were a rare breed. She wished she could know them better.

  While Andrew pulled the line in, Emily gazed at the window on the main level of the boat. The girls sat inside talking while a tall soldier with light-brown hair gave them snacks and bottles of water. Troy sat across from them, working on a laptop propped open on his knees. Two other levels were above them with Matt and two of his soldier friends at the top. The engine came alive with a low throttle. Seconds later, the boat swayed gently.

  “Do you want to go inside?” Andrew put his hand on the lower part of her hip.

  She couldn’t be happier to see him. The minute she’d seen him rush out of the truck, she wanted to collapse in his arms. His wide eyes had reflected his surprise at her appearance. But he didn’t hesitate to embrace her. She so very much loved him.

  She turned to face the shore. “Not yet.”

  The vessel had moved away from the dock where Leo stood. The sound of the engine grew louder right before the boat jerked. She tipped to the side from the sudden shift and Andrew caught her by holding her hips.

  “Got you,” he said. The overgrowth on his face had to come from a couple of days without shaving. He looked quite sexy with the light mustache and beard.

  “Thanks.” Since she’d told him about the whipping, he’d made every effort not to touch her back.

  The wind kicked up and tossed her messy locks in front of her eyes. She tried to tuck the strands behind her ear, but they ended up flying back in front of her face. Her frustration grew fast, but the air felt so good she wanted to stay out a little longer. Plus the scent of the ocean was much better than the filth and odor clinging to her body.

  “Matt said there were a couple rooms with small beds and some bathrooms. You can clean up if you’d like. I’ll help you,” he said.

  “There’s nothing more I’d rather do, but I don’t have any clothes to replace this shirt.”

  “I’ll give you mine. It’s cleaner.”

  While she believed him, she also feared removing her shirt might open more wounds. Her best option was to wait until they made it to a hotel. Someone could get her some clothes and stitch her up. Although he had medical skills, she didn’t want him to be the one to treat her back. Without a doubt, the scene would be ugly. Until her injuries healed some, she’d avoid baring her backside to him.

  “I’ll wait,” she said, cradling her swollen hand. “Besides, the girls might want to clean up. They should go first.”

  The lights from the shore became dimmer as the ship ventured further out to sea. She’d never been so happy to leave that town. And once they made it back to San Diego, it would be a long time before she would step on a boat.

  Andrew lifted her elbow gently. “We need to put some ice on your fingers. And your eye.”

  “I know, but I don’t want to go inside just yet. It feels good out here.”

  “How long ago did he break them?”

  “I think two days.”

  During the drive to the boat, she’d told him and Troy everything that occurred during her captivity. Neither of them had asked many questions or had said much.

  Andrew ran a hand over his head. He seemed to do it whenever something troubled him. “They need to be set soon. I can do it, but…” He shook his head.

  “Yeah, I’m not looking forward to having them broke again to be put back in place.”

  He moved in front of her and wrapped his arms around her neck. She leaned into him as much as she could without putting too much pressure on her fingers. The feel of him no matter how small soothed her soul.

  “I love you so much, Em.” He kissed her forehead. “Don’t ever leave me again. It nearly killed me to watch you go. I’m surprised I don’t have all white hair by now.”

  The last line brought a smile to her face. “Trust me, I’m not going anywhere.”

  He threaded his fingers into her locks, or rather tangled in them. Holding her head, he said, “No more running off. You promised you wouldn’t, but you did, and I almost lost you. I can’t bear to go through this again.” His sad eyes and strong tone revealed his displeasure with her.

  A touch of regret weighed upon her for having broken her promise. “I’m sorry. I thought I could help them.”

  “I know you care about saving lives, but you can’t do it on your own.”

  She lowered her head, but he brought it back up.

  “Please promise me we work together and you won’t go off again. Say it and live by it,” he pleaded.

  Her heart wept for anguish she’d put him through. He loved her so much and had proven he would do anything to save her. If she ever caused him heartache again then he deserved to be with a woman who wouldn’t bring him so much angst. She had his love and devotion. Did she want to throw it away? Did she want him to leave her? He wasn’t asking for much from her. All she had to do was refuse to take chances on her own. The trade-off seemed more than fair.

  She stared into his eyes. “You’re right. I fucked up. Big time. I don’t want to lose you. If I do, it will be my biggest mistake ever and I’d hate myself. No more regrets. No more running off without you. Just don’t give up on me, please.”

&nb
sp; He covered her mouth and kissed her as if were their first time. Warmth and longing spread through her. She wanted him so much, to feel his hands and lips on her. Lucky for her, he seemed willing to give her everything she desired.

  “There you are,” Matt said.

  Andrew slowly ended his feverish kiss.

  “I hate to interrupt, but we need to have a talk about the ladies,” Matt said. “Whoa, what’s on your leg?”

  Andrew took a step back and stared at her legs.

  “Not hers,” Matt said. “Yours.” He pointed to Andrew.

  A dark fluid had streaked down past his shorts and had dried. Emily followed the trail up to his pants where a dark splotch covered a good portion of his thigh.

  “I think a bullet grazed me,” Andrew said, staring down. “I seem to recall it happened when we were getting into the truck.”

  “You probably need stitches,” Matt said.

  Andrew straightened. “I can do it myself, but Emily needs medical care immediately.”

  Matt’s gaze jumped from her hand to her face. “Did Don do that?”

  “Yeah, and he used a real whip on my back too. I need a lot of stitches, antibiotics, and bandages,” she said.

  “I can stitch you up if I have supplies,” Andrew said.

  She put her good hand in the center of his chest. “I’d prefer someone else do it.”

  Andrew’s brows tightened together as if her were contemplating the reason for decision.

  “I know a doctor who can help, but he’ll have to fly into San Diego,” Matt said.

  “Can you contact him and have him meet us at a hotel?” she asked.

  “Yeah, I can work on that, but first we need to talk about them.” Matt pointed his thumb in the direction of the women.

  Andrew crossed his arms. “What about them?”

  “I have an idea to keep the heat off you two,” Matt said.

  “What do you mean exactly?” Emily asked.

  “I haven’t had a chance to tell her about anything,” Andrew said before he looked at her. “He’s holding evidence against Sherri and Don about their involvement. If word gets out about us, he’ll turn over all the evidence to the police.”

  Hearing Don’s name made her cringe inwardly. She loathed the man so much she wished for his death, a long and torturous one.

  “So they agreed not to mention a word of our existence and if they do, then you turn them in the cops?” she asked for clarification.

  “Yes. And just so you know, the police reported Christopher and Annie’s death a few hours ago. It’s all over the news,” Matt said.

  Emily’s eyes widened. “Really?”

  “Murder, suicide,” Andrew said. “Matt created a note on Christopher’s computer.”

  “Sherri and Don won’t talk, but those gals are going to return to their families and they will share what happened,” Matt said.

  Emily shifted her gaze to the women inside. They’d gone through a horrible ordeal. The memories would stay with them forever. They’d need to talk to their loved ones, a trusted friend, or a professional.

  “They don’t know anything about Andrew,” Matt said, gathering her attention. “But they know you.”

  She inhaled a deep breath. If word got out about her involvement, she would be sent back to Chicago to face murder charges for Libby’s death. “What’s your idea?”

  “Here’s a story that might work… Backstage, Annie chose the five of you to party with. You attended the show like they did. She told the five of you to meet her on a boat and she’d join you. She never showed up. The boat went to Mexico, etc. etc. You managed to reach out to a friend to get help escaping.”

  “That’s not far from the truth,” Emily said. “They have to lie about me being part of Annie’s security. Even if they agree, how does this story keep me out of the limelight?”

  “Did you tell them anything personal about yourself?” Matt asked.

  Emily lowered her gaze as she recalled her time with them. “I mentioned a favorite food.”

  “Nothing about where you grew up or anything?” Matt asked

  “No, nothing like that.”

  “Good. Then they can change your name too,” Matt said.

  Andrew raised his hand partially up. “So, a woman named Nancy went to a party with them after the concert. They met Annie backstage and she asked them to join her on a boat party. Is that right?”

  Matt gave a single nod. “And Nancy had blonde hair like most of them. Her friends were average Joes,” Matt said.

  “What motivation do they have to lie?” she asked. “They’re going to want to tell the truth. Police will want to know every detail from them.”

  “Their motivation is your appeal for their help to remain out of the media.” He pointed at her. “You saved their lives. They owe you a favor.”

  Emily continued to hold her hurt hand close to her body. “I don’t know. That is one tall tale to give police.”

  “You could mention to them if they gave the truth you would go to jail since you picked them out for Annie,” Matt said. “But I really think if you ask them to fib a little, they will do it since you saved them.”

  Emily sighed heavily as she looked through the window at the ladies. Convincing them would be difficult, especially since she was the reason they got on the boat. Yes, Annie put her up to the job and she didn’t know what would happen on the boat or where they would end up. But Emily could’ve refused Annie or told the girls not to get on the van. Judge and jury would convict her, and then send her to face murder charges for Libby’s death. As much as she hated to ask for them to lie, she saw no other option.

  “I will talk to them, but I don’t think your idea will work,” she said. “I need a plan B.”

  “Can Troy change your identity again?” Andrew asked.

  “Probably, but it will take a little time since he doesn’t have resources here to help him.” She turned around to look at Troy. He was standing near the door with his arms crossed, watching them. “I’ll talk to the girls first and see what happens.”

  “Do you want us to come with you?” Andrew asked.

  “No, if I can’t convince them, I doubt any man here can. It’s better if they don’t interact with you so they can’t describe you to the cops.”

  “I’ll have Tony put them in a cab for a hospital. They can contact their families from there,” Matt said.

  “I’ll talk to them now. I’m sure they’d like to clean up or lay down soon,” she said before she turned to head for the door.

  Troy strolled outside. With a look of concern on his face, he approached her. “We need to talk and this can’t wait.”

  Andrew came to her side. “Is something wrong?”

  Emily noticed Matt had disappeared.

  “There’s a shit storm in the media about Christopher and Annabelle Butler’s deaths,” Troy said. “Once those ladies get to land, they are going to add fuel to the fire.” He focused his gaze on Emily. “If you think they will keep you out of any of it, then you are wrong. They are in there talking about you like you’re a hero.”

  “I’m going to talk to them and see if they will say my name is Nancy and I was just as much a victim as them. I’ll try to persuade them not to give many details about me to the cops or the media,” she said.

  Troy put his hands on his hips. “You’re dealing with young women who like to talk. It’s in their blood. And they recently were traumatized in the worst way. You saved them from a life of slavery. Do you really think they can keep their mouths shut about you?”

  “It doesn’t hurt to ask,” she said. “But if I can’t get them to do it, can you get me a new identity?”

  “Who do you think you’re fucking talking to?”

  She gave him a crooked grin. “The best friend ever.”

  “Don’t ever forget that.” Troy gave Andrew a brief smug look. “I’ll see what I can come up with when we get back.”

  “Thank you.” Emily stepped around him.
“Wish me luck.” She headed for the door.

  “You and I need to talk,” Troy said to Andrew.

  Hearing his words, she stopped to face the two men. Andrew’s fists were balled at his sides as if he were waiting for Troy to make a move.

  “Are you guys going to behave?” she asked.

  Troy lowered his arms. “We’re going to talk. That’s all.” He kept his gaze locked on Andrew.

  “I don’t have the strength to break up a fight or go diving into the ocean for one of you, so as a huge favor to me, please play nice,” she said.

  Troy twisted to face her. “I promise I won’t hurt or kill him.”

  She almost dropped her jaw. He disliked Andrew ever since what happened in New York. It seemed strange he’d made such a vow not to harm Andrew. Something had to be up Troy’s sleeve.

  “Don’t worry, everything will be fine,” Andrew said in a calm tone.

  Her gut instinct warned her otherwise, but Troy had made a promise. He’d never gone back on one before. Nodding, she continued to the door.

  Unease stirred within her. She’d escaped sex traffickers, but her troubles were far from over.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Andrew sat in the center of the back seat in Matt’s maroon sedan, staring out the lowered window next to Emily. Matt walked into the hotel’s main entrance to check them in. Dark clouds hid the early morning sun and the smell of rain carried in the wind. Holding her injured hand close to her chest, Emily sat stiff with a pinched expression on her face. Dark circles under her eyes proved she hadn’t slept well on the boat. Troy sat on Andrew’s left, frowning. Tony sat in the passenger seat with his attention focused on the phone in his hands. The tall man needed the extra room in the front for his legs.

  “I think the ladies will do their best not to give many details about you,” Andrew said to Emily.

  “Yeah, I hope so. They said they wouldn’t.” When she blinked, her lids looked like they wanted to stay closed.

  The way the four women had hugged her and had said their farewells led him believe they would stick to the story Emily shared with them. According to Emily, all the ladies had agreed they owed it to her to honor her request since she’d saved them. Nobody would’ve found them if it weren’t for efforts. They’d given their word, but the true test would come over time.