Page 69 of Betraying Bexley

"There's only one way to do this, mami. Bexley, your father is the head of the Nieto Cartel. Not only did he run one of the biggest drug rings, but he also owned a club that catered to men and women with disabilities. They were sold off to wealthy people to use and abuse as they saw fit."

Her stomach pitched. She knew about the women. Knew about the club, but to hear someone else say the truth, made her sick She covered her mouth as bile bit at the back of her throat. Tears stung the corner of her eyes. She’d always know her father was a bad person; she just didn’t realize to what extent. Alé rubbed her back. “N-No.” She didn’t know why she said the single word, she should have said it made sense. All of the horrible things he’d done to her, including taking her mother away, now she understood, sort of.

“W-Why are y-you here?” She couldn’t look at Alé not yet. The knot tightened and she gasped in pain.

He tipped her chin up, forcing her to look at him. His gaze was determined. All of the love and sweetness she’d seen in his features was gone, replaced by a man she didn’t know. “I’m here, along with my team, to find your father. We believe he’s coming back to Virginia Beach to kidnap you, or worse, kill you.”

No. No way. Her father left. He left her to starve. She didn’t have a home any longer. Didn’t have food or clothes. She was sleeping in the bathroom of the school, which she knew given enough time, someone would find out about. She scrambled off of the bed and backed away from Alé. He used her like everyone else had.

“I-I’m a pawn.” She stared at the man she’d freely given her body to and gagged. “Y-you used me.”

"No!" He stood, holding his hands out in placation. "I'd never use you, Bexley. I'm here to protect you. I'm here to make sure Raul Iniguez can't take you."

“F-Fuck y-you.” She pulled open the door. “Y-you used me!” She ran or ran the best she could considering. She had to get out of there.

The elevator door opened, and a woman stepped out. Behind Bex, she could hear Alé give chase and she only hoped she could make it to the elevator before the doors closed. She let out a sigh of relief when she slipped into it right as the doors finished closing and hit the button for the parking level. She didn't know where she thought she would go but she had to get out of there. She'd opened herself up to all of them, only to be used by all of them. She let out a harsh sob, wrapping her arms around herself. When the car binged, she got out and found Alé's purple Impala waiting for her.

“Hey stop!” One of the men from the base tried to catch up to her, but she couldn’t be there. “You can’t leave.”

The hell. “F-Fuck o-off.”

She hurried to it and opened the door, surprised he left the keys in the ignition. Bex had never driven before, but it couldn't be too hard. Instead of using her right leg, she positioned herself so she could use her left. She started the vehicle and put it into reverse, backing out of the space a lot quicker than she intended. The tires squealed, echoing off the wall surrounding her. She glanced in the rearview mirror as the doors to the elevator opened and Asher, Callahan, Alé AJ, and Scotty appeared. She didn't stop, she couldn't. Bex stepped on the gas, driving up the ramp leading out of the base.

The light of day greeted her as she crested the exit. She couldn’t breathe. Anxiety gripped her gut. She had to get away. She had to hide. None of them could be trusted. None. Of. Them. It made sense now how Alé knew Mr. Aquino and Noah. When she and Alé arrived at the base something was off, but she pushed it aside for a guy who paid attention to her, just like Jannica had the year before. Bex swiped at her tears as she accelerated toward the open highway. She didn’t know how far she’d get before she’d have to ditch the vehicle, but maybe it would be far enough she could hide and never be found by anyone.

Bex remembered to turn left out of the base and started down the empty country road, heading back to the freeway. Of course, she understood they—Asher and his men, wouldn’t allow her to get very far without following her, so when she saw the vehicle appear, she thought it was Asher or Noah. She pressed on the gas and sped up. The Impala was a beast. The speedometer climbed. Sixty, seventy, and pegged out at eighty. She’d been so focused on what was in front of her, she didn’t see the vehicle coming up on her left until it was too late. The car hit her in the back quarter panel, sending her spinning. Bex screamed. The Impala lurched then bounced. The wheel jerked to the left then back to the right before she felt the car lift. She screamed again, grabbing onto the wheel as the vehicle rolled over, sending the contents of the car along with her tumbling. It all happened in such slow motion, she swore she saw each coin from his drink holder fly in front of her face along with Alé’s rosary beads and black bandana. The sound of crunching metal along with what felt like each of her bones, caused her stomach to pitch in disgust. Then she hit the embankment. When the can came to a stop, the front end was embedded in limestone and trees.

Though she might have stopped, her head continued to spin. A loud buzzing filled her ears and her vision narrowed to pinpoints. Before she passed out, she saw a familiar face, and terror filled her.

Oh no, what have I done?

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