Page 154 of Stains of Desire
It's Karina, Santiago's sister. Gustave showed me her picture, and it's her.
I expect to see multiple men guarding her, but there is only one SUV and one thug watching over her from the porch.
My finger itches to pull my trigger and shoot him, but I don't want to traumatize Millie. So I watch them play in the snow until the man yells at them to come inside.
The air becomes frigid, but I wait for my opportunity. It finally comes.
The man steps outside. He goes to the SUV and pulls something out then lights up a cigar.
Bye-bye, scumbag.
I shoot him in the head with my silencer, and he drops to the ground, his body crunching in the snow.
I go over to him and take his keys out of his pocket and go into the house.
Millie is crying. "I want my mummy!"
"I am your mummy. Now go to sleep," Karina snaps.
"No! My real mummy," Millie screams.
My stomach flips, and I remind myself Karina is a woman, and I don't kill women.
She's mentally unstable.
She's Santiago's blood. Of course she is.
She's still a woman.
But she's not going to just walk away from this.
"Sleep. No more crying." Karina shuts the door and begins walking down the hall.
I step behind her, put my hand over her mouth, and restrain her.
She flails in my arms, trying to get free, and muffled screams come out of her mouth.
"Stop moving," I bark but try to stay quiet so Millie isn't scared.
She freezes.
I move her over to the chair, make her sit, and put tape over her mouth. I secure her hands, feet, and body to the chair.
Tears stream down her face, and I say to her, "She was never yours. You are not her mother. If you ever come near her again, you will be the first woman I kill."
I go back down the hall and take a deep breath. Millie is still crying. I don't want to scare her. I've rescued children before, but everything about this situation is different.
Gustave gave me serum so Millie will sleep peacefully during our travels, but I don't want her memory of me to be a scary one.
After thinking it over, I decided to turn the bedroom light on. I pull out her blanket and flip the switch.
Millie turns her head, and her eyes grow in fear. I realize I have my night goggles on and take them off.
"Hey, Millie. Your mummy sent me. And I wanted you to have your blanket back."
Her lips quiver, but she stares at the blanket.
I approach her slowly. "My name is Axel. This is yours, right?" I hand her the blanket.
