by Laura Marie
“I received a phone call from a friend this morning…from John Falco. I…He…”
“What is it, son? What did John have to say? Talk to me,” Jerry stated, noting the difficulty his son was having.
“Elloisa may be alive,” Mathew replied, and Jerry felt the words as if he received a blow to his stomach. He cleared his throat but couldn’t find the words. Nothing came out of Jerry’s mouth. It just hung open. He wasn’t expecting news like this, yet he prayed for news just like this every day of his life. He felt the tears sting his eyes and his heart ached. It couldn’t be true. There had to be some sort of mistake, just like before, when Elloisa first disappeared.
Before his father could ask questions, Mathew explained everything to him but Jerry was in shock. The tears filled his eyes and his hands shook.
“Oh my God! Could it be true? Could my baby girl be alive?” he asked as he began pacing the room. “What is the next step? How do we get to her?”
Mathew took a deep breath. “I’m waiting on the call. We should hear something in the next couple of days. In the meantime, I don’t think we should let Mom know about this. Not until we’re sure it’s Elloisa.”
“Of course, Mathew. You’re right. We should keep silent until we’re sure. This could be some kind of a trap. I don’t want you or your brothers going anywhere on your own. What if Armando is up to something…” Jerry drifted off and the worry consumed his face.
“Dad, I don’t believe after more than a year of nothing from that man that this would be a trick. He won that fight by taking our Elloisa and by shooting me. My God, Elloisa probably thinks I’m dead, Dad. Armando might have told her that he killed all of us.”
“She won’t know what to do or how to escape. If she could have escaped, she would have done it over a year ago, don’t you think?” Jerry asked then stood by the window.
They locked gazes until he turned to look out the window. They had been waiting, hoping for this moment for so long.
“Maybe not, Dad. He had tricked her into believing that he loved her and that we had been criminals. He sat in this house and ate dinner with all of us. We hadn’t a clue who he really was, nor did Elloisa. We all know what kind of a monster Armando is. God only knows what he has done to…” Mathew stopped. Perhaps his son was thinking about the circumstances Elloisa had been facing all this time. Jerry had. He had gone over every horrific possibility over the past year. Elloisa was twenty-three years old, a gorgeous, young, innocent woman possessed by a manipulative slime ball. He shook his head trying to ignore the hypothetical images.
Over the last twelve months, he had been consumed with the fear that she was dead or that Armando hurt her in ways he fought his mind to deny. Recently, he felt defeated, yet he continued to pray.
“My God, Mathew….Oh my God,” was all Jerry said before he covered his face with his hands.
Chapter 4
It was late in the evening and Elloisa was scared. She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. She hoped it was just nerves, but every time she tried to go to sleep and brush off the feeling, it would return again, full force. It was only in the recent months that she trained herself to follow her gut instincts instead of just doing and believing what Armando told her to. She focused on her mission and what could happen. She even thought about her family. Tomorrow she would be back in the United States. She decided she wouldn’t head back home. There wouldn’t be anyone there. Not Daddy, not Mamma, or her three brothers. Armando had killed them all.
The tears streamed down her cheeks. She wondered if her aunt and uncle still lived in New York. That was her destination.
She would hide out somewhere upstate, far in the country, and try to put her life back together again. First, she needed a new identity. She would need some form of documentation like a driver’s license and a safe place to hold out while she organized her new life. The farther away from Mexico she could get, the better off she would be.
Leaving the United States for Europe would be too difficult. Gosh, the thoughts of trying to develop a covert operation were scary as hell. What the heck did she know about any of this? Right now she just wanted to be back on United States soil and clear of Armando.
Just thinking his name brought on intense emotional fear. A creaking sound grabbed her attention. She attempted to listen, only the sounds disappeared. She glanced at the clock. It was one o’clock in the morning. She should be sleeping. How could she sleep knowing her freedom was hours and mere miles away?
Elloisa’s thoughts were interrupted as she heard another noise outside her bedroom door.
Quickly, she pulled a robe over her cotton pajamas.
She heard a thump and jumped off the bed. She scanned the room with her eyes. Instantly, she was upset that she didn’t have some sort of weapon and that her room was the only one down a long cement corridor. But for Christ’s sake, she was in a convent. Who the hell would dare to attack her in a…
Thump.
The knob to her bedroom door was twisting open. She locked it, she was sure of it, she thought, as she tried to grab the wooden chair to push under the knob. It was too late. The door slowly opened.
It was dark in her room, and the only light shone from a reflection from the moonlight. The figure was big and round, not that much taller than she was.
“S e ñ o r i t a…”
He spoke slowly, his words drawn out. He was speaking Spanish, sounded drunk, and was obviously looking to claim Elloisa as his own tonight.
In an instant, his eyes were on her, her heart racing as he lunged towards her.
Elloisa held the chair in front of her as the man grabbed her from behind it.
She screamed, and he covered her mouth.
“Eres demasiado joven y demasiado hermosa para darle tu cuerpo y tu alma a Dios.”
He told her in Spanish that she was too young and too beautiful to give her body and soul to God. The sick bastard was out of his mind and she hadn’t gone through everything she just did to go out like this!
She kneed him in the groin, and he laughed at her. Elloisa jumped over the bed and he chased her. She froze as she heard the click. He had a gun.
His back was towards the doorway. There he stood, demanding she remove the robe. She’d rather die.
“¡Vete al diablo! Pendejo!” she yelled, and he slammed the gun against her cheek. Elloisa fell to the floor.
The man was pulling off her robe and smiling. His ugly yellow and brown teeth reeked of booze and nastiness. Drool pooled by the corners of his mouth still containing remnants of his last meal. Her stomach cringed, ready to hurl, but she grabbed his hands, stopping him from removing her robe further.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, another figure appeared.
It grabbed the attacker by the neck. One twist, a crack, and the lifeless body fell to the floor.
It was so fast, she wasn’t certain that it was real.
Elloisa was in shock. She crab-walked backwards, and her hands scraped against the concrete flooring. When she looked up and into the same dark brown eyes she had seen a day ago by the building in town, she froze in place.
Those eyes. There was something about those eyes. She panicked as she rapidly crawled across the floor and away from attacker number two.
Elloisa grabbed for the gun on the floor, and she jumped up, prepared to aim and fire, but she moved too quickly, causing her to fall back onto the bed.
Two clicks were heard and she felt the barrel of the gun against her neck simultaneously as she pressed her gun against the second attacker’s neck.
They both froze.
All she had to do was pull the trigger.
So did he.
But those eyes, those dark brown eyes warned her not to.
“¡Deja caer y todo va a salir bien!”
“I don’t think so, buddy. Why don’t you put down the gun and everything will be all right,” she whispered, using his words against him. He smirked at her. She barely saw the whiteness of his teeth.
“Who are you? What do you want from me?” she replied still holding the gun but not as steady now that this man had her body pinned down with his.
If it wasn’t for the gun, she would have been sure he could devour her right up.
Those eyes stared at her then it clicked.
He was at the lab facility before. He was one of Armando’s men. She had seen him before with Ramos.
He must have read her mind because he made his move, and in one quick motion, the gun was no longer in her possession.
He pulled her up from the bed, and she couldn’t help the grateful feeling. The bed was too intimate, too enticing for the second attacker to have his way with her.
Then he pinned her against the wall, holding the barrel of the gun at her neck.
* * * *
What a gorgeous woman. No wonder Armando obsessed over her. Her eyes were the color of light chocolate with specks of green. Her skin was soft and bronze in color, and she smelled amazing, feminine, intoxicating. He stiffened a moment, surprised at his body and mind’s instant attraction. He had a job to do, and it started now. He was a soldier and this was just another mission.
He was silent, and he heard Elloisa swallow hard. She was staring straight up at him. She was probably wondering how he found her and whether or not he would take her back to Sintorez. He spoke to her in Spanish, ensuring her that she was going to be okay. She had surprised him by getting the gun and holding it to his neck. They were running out of time, and the longer he wedged his body against hers, the more he wanted to make good use of the bed. Taking the scumbag’s prize possession would put him on the kill list. Doing her would put him at number one. He smirked at the thought.
Her body shook beneath him and the look of fear in her eyes touched him for some insane reason. Was she trying to trick him as she probably tricked Armando?
“Please…Please, whoever you are. Don’t take me back. I’ll pay you. No me tome de nuevo...te voy a pagar,” she whispered.
“Are you Elloisa Givani?” he asked as he slowly pushed open her robe with purpose. If she didn’t answer him, there was only one other way to verify her identity. At least there was one perk to this assignment.
* * * *
Elloisa pushed her hands against his chest, which was hard as a rock. He didn’t move a half an inch, but the barrel of the gun moved deeper into her throat. Her head was wedged tightly against the concrete wall behind her. The thought that this stranger saved her from one rapist only to rape her himself made her quiver beneath him. There was no way she could fight such a man. He was tall, trim, and muscular, and obviously intent on confirming her name.
“Are you Elloisa Givani?” he asked again. She just stared at him in anger until he pulled the elastic of her pants.
“If you won’t tell me, there’s only one other way to find out.”
She didn’t know what he was talking about. Before she could argue, he slowly began to pull the elastic of her pants down past her hipbone. He held her gaze, and she licked her lips then saw the flash of desire in his eyes. It was quick and something told her he was playing with her. He didn’t pull the elastic any lower than necessary. It was as if he knew she had the tattoo and was using it to identify her. He glanced down then leaned a bit closer to her. He tilted his head down so his lips were mere inches away from her skin.
He snapped the elastic back up and leaned his body harder against Elloisa’s.
“Now, Elloisa, I’m going to put the gun away and I don’t want you to be scared. I’m here to help you,” he whispered, holding her gaze for an awkward few seconds.
She felt his warm breath against her chin. She was mesmerized by the lines of muscle beneath the skin of his jaw and cheeks. He had a powerful, sexy look about him. But then again, so did Armando and look how he tricked me.
Then as if to eliminate her fear, he slowly lowered the gun.
As soon as it was safely behind his back, Elloisa bolted for the door.
The man merely reached one hand sideways to grab Elloisa. She came flying back, and he pinned her against the wall again. Her shoulder blades hit the wall and she gasped. His hands held both her wrists in front of her and his other hand held her throat.
Elloisa’s eyes widened in shock. “You’re not gonna hurt me, huh?” she slowly asked him. A man his size with his strength could easily break her in two with one hand.
His eyes held a look of annoyance and anger. She swallowed beneath his grasp. He looked her over with his eyes and zeroed in on her chest a moment before moving his gaze back up to her face. She quivered as she took each difficult breath, making her chest lift up towards him. Elloisa felt the sexual pull. What in God’s name is wrong with me?
“You didn’t listen to me. I’m here to help you. I know you are scared, but I don’t work for Armando. You’re leaving with me tonight, right now. I don’t have time for your non-compliant attitude. Now let’s move.”
His voice was commanding, just like the rest of him.
“But I can’t, I have Father…”
“No! Don’t worry about Father Zipotto. You have caused him enough trouble. Don’t you know what they do to people who cross men like Sintorez?”
He gripped her tighter, and she tightened her body in response and squinted, waiting for him to break her bones or bruise her flesh. He softened his hold and she gained some confidence.
“I know all too well.” She nearly spat at him.
He eyed her as if he didn’t believe her or trust her much himself. Yet, here he was asking her to trust him. Crazy!
“I’ll explain more once we’re across the border. I assume you purchased papers?”
Elloisa nodded.
“Get dressed and ready. No one expects you to still be here in the morning.”
He walked toward the doorway and turned his back towards her. It was obvious that he wasn’t leaving the room.
Elloisa quickly grabbed some clothes and turned her back on him.
* * * *
Gustavo’s gut was telling him to move quickly. This operation was a damn nightmare. He hated counting on other people, and he hated having his mission inconveniently altered. Never mind over a woman. Why was she so important?
Better yet, why was she trying so desperately to escape? He had followed her for days now and found himself impressed with her ability to remain undetected. She had obviously made a plan and ran with it. The problem was that Sintorez’s men now had the one guy who helped her in Monterrey. Carlos was probably already dead. They didn’t have time to waste. Ramos was on his way here.
He turned slightly to steal a glance. Elloisa was stepping into a pair of pants. She pulled the nightshirt over her head then tried quickly to replace it with a black T-shirt.
Oh yeah, she had the seductive body of a pin-up model. What man wouldn’t want to possess beauty like that? He turned back towards the door.
In his line of work, there was never any time for a relationship, dating, or even getting to know a woman even if he wanted to. He wasn’t getting any younger, but he was good at his job and the money was insane.
He had an uncomfortable feeling in his gut that he didn’t recognize and he didn’t like it one bit. Every time he looked at Elloisa, he felt it and it pissed him off.
“Hurry up!” he whispered his anger through clenched teeth. Then he heard her exasperated exhale.
Trouble. She was nothing but trouble.
* * * *
Elloisa grabbed her socks and boots then sat on the edge of the bed to put them on.
She didn’t want to trust this man. She didn’t want to be told what to do. She had her own plan. What the hell was wrong with it? She asked herself a bunch of questions then stood up from the bed.
The man was standing there watching her, staring with those brown eyes as if he was memorizing her body or could see through to her soul. What the frig? The thought warmed her. What the hell was wrong with her? How could she feel an attraction to a stranger, a man with a gun who had
yet to identify himself?
He gave her the once-over. “Put on a sweater. Do you have one?”
Even that look caused warmth in her belly.
She grabbed one from her bag then gathered the rest of her things. “Let’s go.” He took her by the elbow and led her into the entryway.
They walked through the darkness, and he kept her close to him.
Although she had no idea who this man was, something deep inside told her to believe that he would do her no harm. She inhaled. He was so close to her, she could smell him. The aroma of outdoors and a slightly woodsy scent swept through her nostrils. It reminded her of a campfire and the smell of freshly burned wood. He was strong, in great physical condition from what she could tell when his chest wedged against her own. Solid muscle, an athlete or an ‘indigno de confianza.’ But if he was as untrustworthy as the locals called them, then why was he here? Perhaps Father Zipotto needed to initiate the backup plan after all. Elloisa wondered why the priest hadn’t come himself to tell her. Then again, perhaps the first attacker had caused the priest harm. Many thoughts went through her mind, but they all led back to finding out who this man leading her to the desert was.
* * * *
“You know my name, so what’s yours and who are you?”
They continued to walk through the darkness. The stranger wore his hat down low over his eyes. He was mysterious but also not one to mess with. He had used little of his strength to restrain her earlier. He had killed her attacker in a half a second. That kind of training, physical condition, and skill came with training and practice. She stopped and stood still.
She grabbed his arm to stop him, and he abruptly looked down at her.
She faltered a moment as the massive six-foot-plus frame loomed over her. The dark black military outfit was intimidating as hell. Clearing her throat, she gathered her temper and gall.
