Page 50 of Always Mine

“It’s hard waiting,” Caleb said.

“Torture.”

“Annie’s pretty resilient, Diego. I wouldn’t give up on her.”

“I’m not. I just don’t want her to suffer because of me.”

“Don’t buy trouble. We don’t know what’s happening to her.”

* * *

The scream echoed off the walls, high, shrill and prolonged. Denzi laughed as she cut Annie’s leg. Annie moaned and yelled out again at the four new cuts. So far she had twelve. She fought against the hopelessness and the vagueness which came with each one. Denzi had been smoking and snorting the entire time she was here, and Annie couldn’t believe she hadn’t passed out yet.

Denzi wiped Annie’s blood on her arms. Then she stood. Wavered and…fell to the ground. It was time to act. Annie struggled to clear her head.

The last time she went to the bathroom in the disgusting pot across the room, Denzi hadn’t tied up her legs. Only her arms were fastened. She’d also managed to keep the rope loose on her right hand with a trick the kids had been sharing with each other. Now she was glad she watched. She’d been working it looser every time Denzi turned her back. Annie had to escape.

But then Denzi roused. “I got a treat comin’ for you girl. Some guys from another gang are stoppin’ over to have a turn withyou. I told ‘em not to be so rough they’d kill you, but you know guys.”

The notion terrified her. And gave her strength. When Denzi passed out again, Annie worked her hand free, drawing more blood that she couldn’t afford to lose. She sat up gingerly. The world spun and her stomach pitched. She took some deep breaths until she was clear-headed. Slowly, she stood. Okay, this was okay. She dragged herself to the door, snicked the lock, when she heard behind her, “Not so fast, cunt.”

In burst…oh, God, it was a whole group of men. Annie was as good as dead!

But it wasn’t the gang. Jackson Kane entered first and said to the others, “Don’t shoot her.” He raced to Denzi before she could get a round off and disarmed her. “It’s okay, Denzi. It’s me. Jackson Kane.”

“Why…why didn’t you get me out?”

That’s all Annie heard before Will Kirkland led her out. When she wavered again, he picked her up and said, “We got you, Annie. You’re safe now.”

The world went black.

* * *

Diego held Annie’s hand in the hospital while she slept. He could barely tolerate her pale face and the bandages up and down her arms and legs. Fuck, what had that monster done to her? “I’m so sorry,querida. So, so sorry.”

She didn’t answer, of course, but he talked to her anyway. “When Denzi had you, I was so angry because I couldn’t come after you.Te amo, Annie.” He took her hand again. “I’m never gonna let you go.”

“She might have something to say about that.”

Diego stood and turned to face her father in the doorway. Anger twisted the man’s usually pleasant features. “You got herinto this, you bastard. If it wasn’t for your task force taking down the Cobras, she never would have been in the hospital.”

“You’re right, Frank.”

He came toward Diego. “First you break her heart and leave her. She went away because of you for three years. We lost her forthree years. But as soon as you hooked up with her again, she gets hurt. God damned you, Rodriguez, why can’t you just leave my little girl alone?”

Having no answer to that, he just watched the man.

“Get out of here.”

“No, sir, I won’t. I’m staying with her.”

“Her family will take care of her.”

Diego raised his chin. “No.”

The door opened and Will Kirkland walked in. “What’s going on here?”

“Her father’s trying to kick me out, which I’d do too if our places were reversed. But I’m not leaving Annie.”

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