Page 41 of Carnival Queen

“Where are you girls?” asked Nine.

“We’re across the street at a coffee shop. I don’t want to leave unless she’s okay,” said Lottie.

“Listen to me. Do not move. Are there lots of people there?”

“Yes, sir,” they said in unison.

“Sit tight. Our team is on the way, but do not move.”

“Should I call my dad?” asked Lottie. Gaspar looked at the others, frowning.

“No, honey. Don’t call your father.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Deanna could feel the burn of the knife slicing through her blouse into her skin. He’d started at her naval and slid the blade up, tearing the buttons from her shirt.

“You know, I thought I’d kill you, but you might make us a pretty penny,” said Douglass. “Nice tits, firm ass, pretty face. Well, it will be once it heals.”

Deanna shook her head, her eyes nearly swollen shut. Her mouth was bleeding, but what really pained her was her abdomen and ribs. One of the men gripped a handful of hair, jerking her head backward.

“Where are the files? Tell me, or so help me God, I’m going to fuck you in ways your nightmares couldn’t imagine.”

“I-I don’t have them,” she said again.

“You do!” screamed Jackson, punching her in the face again. When he raised his hand with the knife, he felt a stinging and then blood trickling down his hand. Douglass looked around the space, trying to find the direction of the bullet.

“She’s telling the truth,” said Gaspar. “I have the documents.”

“Me too,” said Nine, stepping around the float.

“Me three,” grinned Ghost. “We’ve all got them. What are you going to do about it?” There were a dozen weapons pointed at the two men, and they knew they were outnumbered.

“You have no idea who you’re fucking with,” said Jackson.

“Oh, we’ve got a good idea,” said Nine. He turned to Wilson and Angel, nodding for them to lift Deanna and get her out of there.

“She’s not going fucking anywhere!” yelled Douglass.

“You seem to be under the impression that we care what the fuck you want,” said Nine. “We don’t. She’s leaving. You, however, are staying.”

“You’re dead men. All of you,” snarled Jackson.

“Why? Because Leon will get upset.” The two men paled, not saying anything. “Or maybe your old pal Jamal is going to lose his temper. Is that it? You know what, it doesn’t matter. You touched that young woman, and I’m going to kill you.”

“We just want the documents.”

“Again, you’re under the impression that I give a fuck what you want,” said Gaspar. “None of us cares a single damn bit about you and what you want. You trafficked women into this country just because you could. It wasn’t even like you were hoping to do it full-time. It was a fucking side hustle for you.”

“You burned our clubs,” said Jackson, suddenly connecting the dots.

“Oh, fuck yeah, we did,” laughed Miller. “I burned those babies to the ground, and the girls are safe from you. Your bouncers are dead, your managers are dead, and soon you’ll be joining them.”

“Who the fuck are you? We have the right to know,” said Douglass.

“Well, you actually don’t have any rights,” said Gaspar, “but since I’m in a good mood, I’ll tell you. We represent Robicheaux Oil and Gas. We own that piece of land that you were going to build the oil tankers on. We, all of us, are preventing your little scheme, which is going to seriously piss off your bosses.”

“This is bigger than you think,” said Jackson, shaking his head. “It’s not just Jamal and Leon. It’s more.”

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