Page 110 of Blackout-

Inside my mouth, I swirl the blood around preparing to spit it in his face when he pulls a wild card on me. The guard hands him a phone and I watch Padrino smile at the screen. His gold teeth glisten as he runs his tongue over them.

“Such a pretty little thing,” he murmurs. “Look at those tits.”

The blood in my veins runs cold as my stomach rolls. He turns the screen to me and even with one eye and blurred vision I can make out Lacey’s beautiful face.

“No,” I grind out. “No, you stay the fuck away from her!”

“It’s too late for that, Chico,” Padrino says as I reach for the phone. He leans away, out of my reach and my eyes dart back to the phone. “That isn’t a picture, motherfucker. That’s a live fucking feed. Either you agree to my terms or I tell the man sitting in your bedroom, watching your wife sleep to wake her up with his dick in her mouth. I bet a sweet piece of ass like that gives good head. If you’re lucky, I’ll let you watch her swallow his come before he slices her throat.”

An animalistic sound tears through my throat and my scream echoes off the walls as I lift my torso from the concrete and lunge for him. He tosses the phone to the side and wraps his tattooed fingers around my throat, slamming me back against the ground.

“Don’t try me, Chico, I get off on watching another man’s woman on her death bed.”

“Don’t fucking touch her,” I grind out. My voice sounds weak even to my own ears and I feel wetness pool from my eye. Whether it’s blood or tears, I’m not sure. “I’ll do whatever you want just don’t touch her.”

He flashes another golden smile at me.

“I thought you’d see things my way,” he says as he holds out his palm. The guard drops a small black bag into his palm that looks a lot like a cosmetic case. Padrino pushes it against my chest as he leans over me. “Inside is the product you're going to move. Don’t disappoint me. Now, if you’ll excuse me. I’m going to go jerk off to your wife’s tits.”

He rises to his full height. A moment later, Padrino and his men leave the room. The guard closes the door and I release an anguished cry as I slam the back of my head against the concrete repeatedly, hoping to erase the grainy image of Lacey lying helpless in our bed from my memory.

My fingers close around the leather bag sitting on top of my chest and her name falls from my lips.

“I’m sorry,” I croak. “So, fucking sorry.”

Chapter Forty-Four

Lacey

A shrill screamwakes me from a deep sleep. I open my eyes and quickly sit up. The house is silent at first making me believe I imagined the sound. Then, Danny comes running into my bedroom with tears streaming down his face and I quickly realize something is off. Figuring he had a nightmare I quickly jump out of bed to console him.

“It’s okay, I’m right here,” I tell him, running a hand over his sandy brown hair. “It was just a dream.”

“No,” he croaks, pointing a finger towards the door. “Lacey, there’s blood everywhere.”

Narrowing my eyes in confusion, I peel my gaze away from him and glance towards the hallway.

“I went downstairs to get some water, and I saw it,” he cries. Unraveling my arms from him, I rise to my full height.

“Stay here,” I say softly but he tugs my hand back.

“No! Please don’t leave me alone,” he begs. My gaze drifts back to his and the fear reflected in his eyes causes me to panic. Subconsciously I know I need to hold it together for his sake and so, I draw in a deep breath. I wrap both arms around him and assure him everything will be okay. Even without knowing what he’s seen, the words feel like a lie on my tongue and I grab my cell phone from my nightstand. Taking hold of his hand again, I lead us cautiously out of my bedroom.

The house is eerily quiet and at first glance, nothing on the second floor seems out of place. I start for the stairs and midway I pause, spotting the blood. Hoarsely, I order Danny to close his eyes and help him descend the rest of the stairs. Ever the obedient child, Danny clutches my hand and squeezes his eyes shut as I take in the destruction.

It looks as if someone took a roller and painted my walls with blood. I take another step but quickly freeze, fearing whoever is responsible for this might still be in the house. My heart hammers violently against my chest as I fumble with the phone in my hand. Quickly, I pull up my father’s number and my trembling fingers hit send. That’s when I notice there’s a message written in Spanish with the blood on one of the walls in the living room. I look back at Danny as the phone rings, grateful he still has his eyes closed because tears start to stream down my cheeks as all the possibilities race rapidly through my mind.

Someone could’ve taken him.

They could’ve killed us both.

They might still be here.

At some point, my father must’ve answered the phone because suddenly his voice registers with me and I realize I rambled my thoughts out loud.

“Jesus fuck, calm down! I can’t understand a word you’re saying,” my father bellows.

“Someone broke into my house,” I sob frantically, clenching my jaw as I stare at the cryptic message on the wall.

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