Page 25 of Creature's Vengeance
He scoffed. “One more day. Be ready to leave tomorrow.”
Before I could answer, he hung up.
I was tempted to throw my phone across the room, but that wouldn’t help—nothing would. A part of me wanted to skip town and get the hell out of here before Mateo realized I had left. Would he come after me? I didn’t know.
There wasn’t much about Mateo’s life I understood. I had suspicions he ran a lucrative drug business, but no proof. His friendship with Angel Mackenzie, the nephew of cartel boss Salazar Guerrero, meant he had dangerous connections.
After Bells disappeared, I did my homework and spent days surfing the internet to find everything I could about Mateo Ruiz. He liked money, fast cars, and women. He also threw outlandish parties and rubbed shoulders with the rich.
That was how Bells met Mateo, and we ended up at the party held at The Venetian. Money opened doors, and so did her famous parents. Ironic that all the money in the world couldn’t locate their daughter now.
I met several men during the parties I attended, but two stood out as possible kidnappers. One was Luis Diego, who had a reputation for being a skilled liaison. He connected buyers and sellers for unique merchandise, which, according to what I found online, meant people. He’d been accused of human trafficking but not convicted. His associate and multi-casino owner, Roderick Paul, also made recent news in several missing persons cases.
That was why this was so confusing. No one came forward for a ransom. Bells’ parents never received any communication. Her last update on social media showed a video of us dancing at The Venetian and showing off our drinks. Mateo, Angel, and their associates were smart enough not to be located in the background. There was no proof we had ever met them that night.
I stared at my phone, scared to trust anyone else, but needed help. I’d gotten in over my head. I tried to find out information on my own, but it backfired. Mateo almost killed me for it.
With a shaky sigh, I picked up the paper with Creature’s information, added it to my contacts, and dialed his number.
“Firecracker,” he greeted me after the line rang twice. “You okay?”
“I need your help.” My voice wavered and I knew he could hear the tears I held back.
“I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
“HEY, BLAIR.” CREATUREstood in my doorway, pushing open the door. “You feelin’ okay?”
I shrugged. “That’s not an easy answer. Why don’t you come in and shut the door?”
He frowned as he entered, sliding the door shut with his boot. “I’m not getting a good vibe right now, Firecracker.”
“That’s because I’m in trouble, Creature.”
He strode forward with determination and approached my bed, leaning down as his palms rested on the mattress. “Does this have to do with the motherfucker who hurt you?”
“Yes.”
He nodded, pushing off the mattress to grab a chair and shoving it close before he sat. “Tell me everything.”
And I did. I told him about Mateo, the party, and my best friend. How Bells told me she wanted to stay after I got tired, and I left her, returning to the room we booked for the night so we could crash at the hotel and not have to worry about an Uber. The Venetian was the fanciest place I ever spent the night. I thought it was incredible until I woke up and realized she never returned to the room.
“It’s all my fault,” I concluded. “I should have insisted that she come back to the hotel room with me. She would be safe right now.” My lower lip quivered as I fought the sting of tears.
Creature’s hand rested over mine. “You can’t blame yourself. The choices other people make aren’t your fault.”
“But she’s gone.”
“Yes. I’m sorry for that, Blair. I know it fucking sucks.”
“I’ve been so stupid,” I admitted.
He squeezed my hand. “Tell me what else happened. How did you end up outside Toxic Tonic? Who hurt you?”
“Mateo Ruiz. He’s the one who threw the party at The Venetian the night Bells disappeared.” I dropped my gaze from his discerning green eyes, tracing the pattern on my blanket. “I wanted to find out what happened to my best friend. She disappeared, and the cops weren’t doing shit about it. She was on the news a couple of times, but then her story faded. Everyone forgot about her.”
“But not you,” he replied quietly.
“No. I found a flyer that advertised Mateo’s next party.”
