Chapter 24

Fear threatens to choke me. It leaves a vile taste in my mouth, and I swear at any moment I might throw up. Knowing Bruiser will come for me is the only thing keeping me from doing just that.

Sitting across from the man who is now my captor freaks me out. He has a jagged scar that runs along his cheek and forks off to under his ear and along his jawline. His eyes are dark, and he seems so at ease, like he doesn't think anything could or would happen to him.

God, I hope Bruiser is able to get away from the clubhouse and come find me.

"You must have questions as to why this is happening to you," Johnathan states, stretching his arms along the back of his seat.

"If I did, would you actually answer them?" I ask snarky like. It's probably not the best idea, but if Bruiser doesn't get to me in time, it could be too late.

Johnathan laughs and leans toward me. "I like you," he says, pointing a finger and wagging it. "From the first time I saw you, I knew I'd like you. Too bad to give you up. I have someone of great importance who wanted to buy you upon seeing your picture. Hence, the bounty that was put out on you. I must apologize, though, for your brother. Unfortunately, that was your mother's doing. She claimed it was the only way to make your father pay for his wrongdoings."

"My father's wrongdoings? What, having a mistress? Please, I'm willing to bet she was spreading her legs to anyone who'd give it to her."

"You're right indeed about her," Johnathan confirms and leans back in his seat. "I personally refused to sample her wares, but I know of others who claim she's quite loose, though does wonders with her mouth."

"This I don't need to know," I mutter, crossing my arms and looking out the window at the passing dark scenery.

"You are definitely not like her."

I glance back at Johnathan as he chuckles. "She's not my biological mother, so how would I be anything like her?"

"This is true. Because she was more interested in her own needs and selfish about every little thing regarding her life, I will inform you that she's where we're going. According to her, she wants to ensure you get what you, as she puts it, deserve."

"Oh goodie, so I get to see Mother Dearest before you hand me over to, what, some sex slaver or something?" I sneer.

"He's not exactly in the business." He grins, showing me his bright pearly whites. I'm willing to bet he gets his teeth bleached. "Who you're going to is a man who runs one of the top cartels I've ever come across. Just think of it this way, you'll get to spend your nights in the beautiful continent of South America. He controls nearly all of Venezuela, and I believe he's got a few homes on various islands. I'm not sure exactly which one he'll take you to."

"And what might his name be?" It's all I can do to keep myself calm. I don't want to think of being sold off. Or given to a man who is a head honcho to some cartel. Or being held captive on some island off the shores of some other country.

"Gabriel Quintero," he answers and straightens himself in his seat. "It was his men who killed your brother to get you out of hiding. He has no problem ordering such a thing. If not for a debt of my own, I wouldn't have agreed to give you to him. However, there's no way I could pass up more money on top of a cleared debt."

I scoff at his nonchalant attitude about the way he's handling all of this. I mean, seriously, he's acting as if it were an everyday occurrence for him.

"Great! So, I get to be given to a man to pay off another debt, who in turn also took me as a payment. Tell me, did you at least get top dollar?" There's no keeping the sarcasm at bay.

"Of course," he grins, nodding, "I wouldn't take anything less."

"Well, good for you." Rolling my eyes, I want nothing more than to make this car wreck and keep them from getting wherever it is they're going to meet this Gabriel Quintero.

The remainder of the car ride is done in silence, and when we turn onto a battered road, I wonder exactly where we're meeting this guy.

"I'm not a stupid man," Johnathan suddenly states darkly. "I knew they would follow, even with men watching. They'd give us enough time to get a head start, but not that much of one. They wouldn't want to take the chance of being too late."

"Where are we going?" I ask.

"I informed the woman I traded you for that we were heading to the airport to give you to your owner," he answers. They'll probably head to one of the smaller airports. But we're heading to Grove End Landing Strip. It's secluded and only used by private plane owners who are willing to pay for the secrecy. They also know how to keep their mouths shut for a fee."

"Right," I mutter.

This guy is seriously underestimating Bruiser and the rest of the club. He doesn't know Savage and Gunner were out watching. They're close, probably closer than my man is. But still, I know Bruiser is coming. I can feel it in my stomach.

Suddenly, the car jerks and swerves. The driver loses control of the vehicle, and we go off the road, rolling over the edge and down a ravine. The sound of metal crunching screams in my ears. As many accidents I've been to, I've never been in one, not even a fender bender.

Finally, the car comes to a stop, landing upside down. I blink and do my best to assess my injuries. The seatbelt kept me from bouncing around the inside of the car, but the pain in my body is enough to tell me I'm hurt. I reach up to wipe my face, bringing my hand back to find it coated in blood. Okay, so a head injury for sure. Heads bleed, so no big deal.

I blink a couple more times and glance around to find Johnathan's body lying in a funky position. From the looks of it, his neck is broken. Too easy of a way to die in my opinion.

Outside the ringing in my ears, I can hear yelling and what sounds like gunfire. What the hell?

I shake away the thought and struggle to unbuckle without hurting myself further.I barely complete this task when I hear Bruiser's voice and more gunfire. Or maybe I'm just imagining it's him so the gunfire doesn't freak me out as much as it already is. Slowly, I cross the small space to Johnathan's body, pressing two fingers to his pulse, confirming what I already know. He's dead.

Lovely. Just freaky lovely.

I glance around, fear threatening to make me throw up. I don't do well feeling queasy. I don't like throwing up . . . ever. I need fresh air. That's what I need. It could help clear my head. Make me less woozy. Seeing the back glass is shattered, I crawl toward it and edge out to the murky sodden ground. How is it that I'm even alive right now?

Regardless, I am, and I need to get out of this ravine before something else can happen to me.

"Ouch," I hiss, cutting my leg on a shard of glass. "I swear Bruiser is going to kick my ass when he finds me. He told me not to get hurt, and here I am," muttering to myself, I scramble to my feet.

I stumble slightly and move closer to a fallen tree to brace myself.

"Okay, Gwyneth, you've got to think. There's no way Bruiser knows I'm down here," I snap and glance upward. I'm going to have to climb up there.

Another gunshot causes me to jolt and a scream to leave my lips. This isn't good.

Wrapping one arm around my ribs, I push away from the tree with my other.

"Bruiser, she's down the ravine, brother. We're trying to get to her, but the fuckers hiding in the trees are keeping us from getting to her," I hear Savage yelling.

"Bruiser," I scream louder than I screamed before.

"Gwyneth," he shouts back. "Hang on, Princess, we're coming for you."

"Like I have anywhere else to go. I don't even know how to get to him," I grumble to myself.

I take a step forward only to slip and fall. My side hits a sharp rock, and I roll forward, unable to contain the pain radiating from everything. I can't even focus on the smell surrounding me. All I keep hearing is the sounds of gunfire and shouting. If this is it for me, at least I know I'm not going out as some cartel leader's sex slave.

I'm sure I should get up, keep moving, try to get to Bruiser, but there's no way I can keep going. It's all I can do to stay conscious. I hate to admit the best thing for me to do right now is wait until the man who holds my heart gets to me. He's on his way, and hopefully he'll be here soon. I haven't heard any more shots fired.

The sound of feet shuffling and rushing through the terrain echoes around me.

"Princess," Bruiser calls out, coming closer.

"Here," I shout, pushing myself up, only to fall back, scrapping myself up even more.

"Hang tight, baby, I'm almost there," he yells, his voice growing closer and closer.

"Gunner reported a jet just took off. Gwyneth's mother was dead on the pavement," Dagger states, and I'm sure he's talking to Bruiser, giving him an update.

In the dark, their forms come into view, and there's no hiding my sigh of relief.

"Jesus, Princess," Bruiser snarls, coming to my side and squatting beside me. "You're one lucky ass woman, you know that?"

"I don't feel so lucky," I grumble and wince.

"I want to know who the hell was on that jet," Hammer snarls, eyes locked on me while Dagger moves to my other side.

"From what I know, it was Gabriel Quintero," I answer for him. "That's what Johnathan had just told me before we ended up going off the road. He's dead, by the way."

"Someone fucked up," Savage remarks. "There was a set of spikes on the road. The driver ran over them. I think whoever put this plan into action wasn't expecting the driver to lose full control. This was a hit. I'm willing to bet it was to get Gwyneth without any money exchanging hands."

"Makes sense," Bruiser agrees.

"Well, I don't care about any of that right now. I just want to get the hell out of here."

"We're gonna get you out, baby," Bruiser says, scooping me into his arms. "Then we're taking you to the hospital."

"No, if Angie, Grady, and Ross are still at the clubhouse, they can patch me up." There's no way in hell I'm going to the hospital.

"Honor can help," Savage adds, agreeing with me before Bruiser can protest.

"Fine, but if they suggest you need further shit than they can handle, your ass is going to the hospital," my man growls, tightening his arms around me.

"That works for me. Just take me back to the clubhouse and away from here. I don't want to have to think about how close I came to being some drug lord's sex slave." Leaning into Bruiser's chest, I allow myself to pass out, not realizing the sizzle in the air coming off the men around me.