Page 56 of She's Mine

We paused for a moment to press our lips together, but neither of us got carried away in the kiss; knowing our immediate priority was escaping the cellar.

We soon came to the source of the dripping water, and discovered some of the floorboards had rotted away, and rainwater was leaking down into the cellar. The opening was only small, but David managed to use the bolt cutters to clear away more and more of the debris.

Finally, we’d made an opening big enough for us both to squeeze through.

David lifted me up and helped me into the opening. “You go first and hide out of view. I’ll climb up on the cabinet or something. My car isn’t far from here, so we should be able to escape.”

“Okay,” I agreed, wearily, as David lifted me in his arms, and helped me scramble through the rotted wood.

It was dark outside when I emerged from the hole, which was probably a good thing, as not only did my eyes not have to adjust to the change in lighting, but the shadows would give ussomecover as we escaped.

I heard David moving over the tool cabinet I’d crashed into earlier, and then my heart dropped, as I heard the cellar door opening.

“Where are you?” Joseph called out.

My heart hammered as David scrambled out of the hole, and as his foot left the cabinet, it sent it ricocheting off the wall.

“There’s no escape,” Joseph called out, as he advanced on the corner of the cabin where the rotted wood was.

David just about climbed out when a shot was fired from the hole below. And of course, the sound of the gun caused other members of the Bloodline to come rushing over.

“Don’t let them escape,” Joseph demanded, as he struggled to clamber out of the hole David, and I had just climbed through.

In no time at all, we were surrounded by cartel members, and then Joseph got to his feet. He stood facing me and David, his pistol pointed right at my head.

“Don’t shoot her, she’s pregnant!” David called out, diving in front of me, as a bullet flew through the air.

The bullet implanted itself in David’s leg, and he crumpled to the ground at my feet.

I was alone facing the Bloodline.

“Everyone else, stand down. Go back to your posts. I’lldealwith her,” Joseph snarled.

A few of the gang members hesitated, but after another sharp glare from Joseph, they all slowly walked away.

“Was he telling the truth? Are you really pregnant?” Joseph asked, lowering his weapon.

“I am.” My whole body shook, not only from being out in the cold night air, but from adrenaline and fear. I wasn’t sure if David was conscious or not, and I had no idea if I was about to be murdered by my own brother. “That’s what I was doing in Blue Jay the day you found me. I’d snuck out to buy a pregnancy test.”

“And he’s the father?” Joseph jerked his head in David’s direction.

“He is,” I said, meeting my brother’s gaze. Our eyes locked, and for the first time since he’d taken me from that café in Blue Jay, I properly saw my brother. The boy I loved and remembered. “We love each other. Please, Joey. Let me go. I’m your family.”

Joseph spat on the ground. “Tomas is the only family I need.”

He raised his pistol again and pointed itrightat my heart. I closed my eyes, braced for the worst.

25

CHARLES

“What do you mean, they’re missing?” I bellowed.

Sitting opposite me in his office, Jeffrey flinched. “That’s not all I have to tell you, Charles. Joseph is alive.”

I understood the words Jeffrey said, but at that present moment, they didn’t make any sense to me.

I stared at him blankly, failing to comprehend the importance of the revelation.

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