Page 74 of Betraying Bexley

Pain bloomed in his chest. He had to get away from there. He headed back to the elevator and took it back to the floor where the gym was. Instead of going for the pool, he pushed open the door where the workout equipment was kept. He’d seen the bags the first time he’d gone down there and decided maybe knocking the hell out of them would burn off the inadequate feeling coursing through him or at least ease the rage burning a path along his veins.

He grabbed a pair of gloves then went to it, beating and banging the bag, desperate for some relief. With each swing, he saw Bex's face. Heard her laugh. His punches became stronger, harder. The more he saw Bex's face, the more he hated Raul Iniguez with a passion. When the time came, he'd kill the bastard. He'd do it slowly and methodically. For every injury the asshole inflicted on Bex, Alé would cause two for Raul. He wouldn't stop until the man drew his last breath. He hit the bag again then bent at the waist, sweating and out of breath. It felt good to let out some of the aggression and fear cloying at him. What it didn't do was bring them, Bex.

Alé stood back up and began to hit the bag again when his phone rang. He ripped the glove from his hand before yanking it from his pocket. The unknown number flashed on his screen and without hesitation, he slid his finger across the screen. "Hello?"

“A-Alé?”Bex!

“Mami? Where are you? Are you okay? I’ll come get you. I promise. Tell me where you are?” He hurried from the gym. He had to get to his team. He had Bex. She called. She was okay, though she sounded a bit weak.

“Mr. Alé?” a man said, surprising Alé.

“Yes.” He stopped. “Who is this and what have you done to my Bex?”

The man cleared his throat. “I’m sorry. Forgive me. I should have started this conversation. Bex showed up here about fifteen minutes ago. She’s been in and out of consciousness. We’ve been trying to care for her, but she said she needed you.”

Alé ran for the elevator. “If you lose me, call me back. I have to get to my team.” He silently hurried the elevator to C&C. He had to get with everyone. He had to tell them he found Bex. When he stepped onto the floor, he pulled the phone from his ear then whistled, drawing everyone’s attention then pointed to his phone. When they were together, he continued his conversation with the man. “Where are you?”

The man rattled off the address then promised to care for Bex. They had a decent drive ahead of them and there was no way any of them were leaving without Asher knowing they’d found Bex or where they’d have to pick her up. When Alé hung up the phone, he looked to Callahan then Mateo. How did they do this? Did they interrupt an interview? Did they call Duncan?

“Well?” Jacolbi said, rubbing his hands together. “Looks like we get to go on another field trip.”

“No,” AJ said. “I think Alé and Bronx have this one. Thomas can go with them.”

Alé’s attention snapped to hers. “You sure?”

AJ grinned. “Yep. I think you’re both more than capable of bringing her home. Something tells me, you’ll also need the alone time with her.”

Alé glanced at Bronx. “Well, you heard her. You ready to bring Bex home?”

Bronx grinned. “As I’ll ever be. Let’s go get our girl.”

Everything hurt.

Bex cracked her eyes open and froze. The room was empty besides the chair behind her and to her left. A man she’d never seen before sat with his head bent and his form lax. She tried to stand, but found she’d been tied down and her leg was across the room from her.Where am I?She winced as a skull-splitting pain hammered at her head.What happened?She closed her eyes, trying to remember how she got there and where she’d been beforehand.

Alé had told her the truth after he’d had sex with her, twice. Her father ran the Nieto Cartel which meant the books she’d been keeping were for him. Her stomach dropped. It also meant she broke the law. No matter what happened next, she was a bona fide criminal. And, since she was sitting in some empty building with some guy she didn’t know, Alé had also been correct when he said her father was looking for her and would come back. How stupid could she have been believing her father disappeared and didn’t care anymore?

How stupid of her to run.

She bit her bottom lip and hissed. The metallic hint of blood coated her tongue, something she was slowly getting used to. She tried to take stock of her injuries while putting together what happened.The car rolled.Guilt swamped her. She destroyed Alé’s car. Bex pushed it aside. Dwelling on the Impala right then would do nothing to help her. Later she’d apologize. She continued with her assessment. Bex’s arm hurt, but she suspected it would. Her limb was a bit scratched up and her ribs hurt every time she breathed, but nothing major. She snorted to herself. Being desensitized to pain fucked with a person’s brain. For all she knew, she had several internal injuries and was dying.

The man behind her groaned and she flinched when his fingers brushed hers.

Bex turned to look over her shoulder at him and the pain in her head returned.Concussion. She had those a time or two as well. Her vision swam and the room tilted. She closed her eyes, waiting for everything to stop spinning. Her stomach lurched and she forced herself to breathe through it, not wanting to puke, but she knew at some point it would happen. When he groaned again and opened his eyes, he cut his gaze to her.

“You’re a kid.” His voice was rough from lack of use.

She nodded.

“You look like him.” He gave a humorless chuckle.

“B-B-Bexley.”

The guy jerked, snatching at her left hand. “You’re like the others.”

He wasn’t making any sense. The others?Raul used them for sexual pleasure. They were used and abused and killed...The words floated through her mind. Her father used people who were disabled as sex slaves. “N-No.” She twisted her hands behind her back, trying to loosen the zip ties holding her hands in place.

“Easy, girl. I’m not going to hurt you.” He softened his tone, but she knew better. None of her father’s men were good people. “My name is Enzo. I worked for your father.”

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