Tijuana Nights (The Nights Series Book 1)

by Leigh K. Hunt

  Just before I thought things couldn’t get worse, I felt the cold steel of a gun press against the nape of my neck. “Lovely to see you again, McKenna Carmichael,” I heard Carmen say from behind me.

  My blood ran cold.

  21

  Having a dusty and grimy canvas bag shoved over one’s head is not a pleasant experience. I didn’t even want to know how many heads that bag had been on. The woman driving the car was throwing it about a bit, and since I couldn’t see where we were going, it made me feel ill from the motion. Well, a combination of that and the terrifying situation I found myself in.

  The vehicle turned onto a gravel driveway. I could hear stones beneath the wheels, and I felt the ruts and potholes shudder through the car. A few moments later the engine turned off, and almost immediately I was pulled, stumbling from the car, and shoved roughly forward.

  We paused, and the sound of a garage door rattled. I was shoved forward through a doorway, and found myself walking on wooden flooring. Handcuffs were clipped to one of my wrists, around something metal, and then attached to my other wrist. One of them whipped the bag off my head, and the blinding light of the room caused me to blink rapidly. I was facing a wall of mirrors, and looking down; I found I had been cuffed to a metal dance rail, running the length of the mirrored wall. This was a dance studio.

  “Retrieve her phone, and anything else that’s there,” Carmen ordered Paz, while watching me with a cold stare. This was it. I knew that this was the end. I shook my head. I should have paid attention to the car as it pulled up. But really, I had only seen River’s one once, and was hardly familiar with it. Besides, it was damn dark outside – and all black trucks look the same at night. I just couldn’t believe my stupidity.

  The woman patted me down, quickly finding the gold iPhone in my back pocket. I gave it a forlorn glance as she admired it, turning it over in her hand. I was rather attached to that phone. And not just because it was gold… but because Chase had given it to me. Not to mention, it tracked my location back to Gabe. I pursed my lips, watching Carmen snatch the phone, and take the SIM card out. She pulled a cigar cutter out of her pocket, and cut the SIM in half with a snap. There went my chance of Gabe ever tracking me.

  I was on my own.

  Paz was still turning the iPhone over in her hand. Deep down I had a feeling I was never going to see it again. I turned away from them, glancing at the rest of the room in the reflection of the mirror. An enormous fish tank lined the opposite wall, filled with watery vegetation, and what looked to be swarms of ugly fish. They reminded me of wasps or bees; something about them felt dangerous.

  I heard a snort of amusement behind me, and I found Carmen watching me as I analysed the fish tank. “I see you have noticed Paz’s… babies.” She leered at me. “She brings them up from the south. I think the piranhas remind her of home. Beautiful but deadly.”

  My mouth went dry. I was being held hostage in a room with a tank full of piranhas? My heart rate leapt as I thought about that tank breaking. I had never seen a piranha before but I had heard plenty about them. I knew that they could strip a cow’s body of flesh in about three seconds, and I guessed a human body in half that time.

  Carmen was watching me with sadistic curiosity as I processed that information. I refused to look at her, keeping my eyes on the tank. “What do you want with me?”

  She put her hands on her hips, her dark eyes glittered. “First of all, I want you to meet my dear husband.” She spat the ‘husband’ out viciously, and I cringed. “Then… You and I are going to play a little game.” She stepped closer to me, and trailed a long fingernail up my jeans, over my shirt, my breast, and up to my neck, where she dug her fingernail into the knife wound Alvarez had kindly given me, causing me to flinch backwards and into the mirror.

  I swallowed. “What sort of game?”

  Her hand dropped away. “One where you will be my patient, and I will be the doctor. I’m going to monitor your resistance to a variety of poisons.” She smiled, and clapped her hands like a delighted toddler. “But first things first. Javier.” She turned away, and snapped her fingers at Paz to get her attention away from my phone. “Ring Javier for me. We require his presence.”

  I hardly listened. My mind was still trained on the fact she wanted to experiment on me. I felt woozy, and desperately needed a drink of water, as if that could rebalance me. The world was starting to spin. The lighting was too harsh, the wooden floors were too loud with Carmen pacing them, and even just acknowledging the piranha fish tank was giving me the shakes.

  I looked down at the handcuffs. They were so tight that they cut into my wrists every time I put any pressure on them. I watched Carmen and Paz walk through another door at the end of the room, talking quietly between themselves. They closed the door, and I found myself alone. The first time I had been alone since I was having a shower, after I almost got shot to hell in the cocaine export warehouse.

  I looked at myself in the mirror. I was a complete mess. There was blood all over my clothing, my hair looked like I had been dragged through a thorn bush backwards, and I looked tired, like I’d had a hell of a bad day. And while it had been one of the longest and most intense days of my life, if felt like it had flashed right before my eyes. I shivered. I had almost died multiple times today… and now I was cuffed in a dance studio by an insane bitch who wanted to experiment on me.

  Analysing the metal dance rail, I tried to see if there was any way I could possibly escape. I walked the length of the rail before a rail mount stopped me. I couldn’t even attempt to unscrew it or anything, because of the cuffs restricting me.

  A part of me was starting to accept the fact that I was fucked. Stuck under the same roof with a crazy, murderous woman and her evil sidekick, a place where no one knew where I was. This was not the sort of day I had expected. I had been hoping to kick my feet up with a drink in hand after being in the cocaine export warehouse. That was the plan. Then when River’s house was blown to shit, I was hoping we would get on that plane out of here back home to England. I had hoped that I could eventually take my relationship with Chase to the next level. But now, finally, I was resigned to knowing that my life was drawing to a rapid close.

  I slumped down to the wooden floor, with my hands hanging above my head. I watched the piranhas swimming calmly in the tank across the room. There was something about the movement that lulled me into a semi-relaxed state as my eyes fixated on it. I caught myself wondering who the hell would ever have an enclosed tank of piranhas in their house.

  I never had fish when I was growing up. Mary Hope, my childhood friend, had a big tank of them when we were young. Huge, colourful tropical fish, all named after people in our class. I recall begging my parents for one, but after countless arguments, they decided that it would probably end up being them who looked after the fish and cleaned out the tank. Instead, they got me a cat. She was black as midnight, with a white crescent moon under her neck. I named her Mitzy. She was the only friend I had when my parents died. I took her to Elsie’s with me, and had her until she died at the age of eighteen.

  Tears pricked my eyes. She was a good cat. A really good friend. And I treasured her friendship and companionship even more when Mum and Dad died, as it reminded me of their patience, their common sense, and their good foresight to get me a real companion to play with – instead of just a bunch of fish that only swam around.

  I could still hear Paz and Carmen talking behind the closed door. It sounded muffled, and the only reason I knew Carmen was upset was because of the pitched tone of her voice.

  I had to wonder exactly what she was upset about though. Hadn’t she got what she wanted? She could finally wipe me off the face of this earth once and for all – and even do the job herself, instead of paying the finder’s fee she had out on my head. What the hell was she waiting for? I was sitting right there. I wanted to yell and scream at her through the door and really rile her up. Why make it as easy as possible for her, when she was going to kill me
anyway? I might as well fuck her right off in the process, so that she knew I wasn’t going down without a fight.

  Stones crunched under tyres in the driveway. I heard a car-door slam, and held my breath, waiting to hear the garage door lift. I wasn’t disappointed when moments later I heard the rattle. Blowing out a resigned sigh, I readjusted myself. I strongly doubted that this was my rescue party, if I even had one. There was always a slither of hope there though.

  Javier walked calmly into the room, and his eyes instantly cut to mine. They assessed me from head to toe before he took a step toward me. I felt like a sitting duck, ready for slaughter. Was I scared? Yeah. A little bit. But I also knew that my death was inevitable. Right now, it was only a matter of time.

  “Rachel.” He exhaled my name once he reached me. Hearing him use my alias made me freeze. His finger traced my cuffed hands. “What has she done to you?”

  I shook my head, too afraid to speak. Too afraid that I would lose my composure, and turn into an emotional, blubbering mess.

  He shook his head sadly, and once again turned his brown eyes to mine. “Jealous wives never like girlfriends.”

  “Is that what I was?” My voice came out raspy, and almost pleading.

  Javier smiled. “I would like to think so. You can imagine my disappointment though, when I found out it was your team killing off my men, and my business.” His eyes hardened, and he stood up abruptly. My blood ran cold. I had seen that look in his eye the night Carmen just about shot me. “Now, I must go and deal with my wife.”

  I swallowed, watching him walk away towards the door, the heels of his designer leather shoes clicking against the polished wooden floors. Despite the clicking, I could still hear Carmen’s muffled voice ebb and flow. I doubted that Javier’s presence was going to calm her down much.

  I slumped against the mirror once again and waited. Javier had left the door open as he spoke calmly, trying to find out exactly what Carmen was up to. Carmen stormed past him, and out towards me. “Look at her!” she shouted at him. “How could you love her, over me?”

  “I never loved her, Carmen.” Javier responded as if placating a child. “You should have killed her back at the warehouse instead of bringing her here. What were you hoping to achieve?”

  I clenched my jaw, and tried to glare at Carmen. But movement behind Javier caught my attention. More to the point, the glint of something metallic. I opened my mouth to warn him, but no words came out as Paz slipped the needle into the side of Javier’s neck, quickly and silently pumping the contents into his blood stream. Carmen watched with satisfaction as her husband slumped to the ground at her feet.

  Her smile was cold when she looked back at me. Javier’s eyes were open and watchful. I felt bile rise to my throat. “He can see and hear everything,” Carmen said with quiet delight. “But this particular snake poison paralyses almost every muscle in his body.” She looked up at Paz with a nod. “Lovely work.”

  Between them, they dragged Javier over to me, and Paz produced another pair of handcuffs from her back pocket, cuffing Javier into the same position as me.

  “You’re sick,” I muttered.

  Carmen’s head snapped towards me, her eyes leering. “You think I’m sick? He’s the one who cheated on me…with you. Of all people, he chose an ugly gringa.” She shook her head, causing her mass of loose curls to sway about. She might consider me ugly because of my colouring or race, but I was just as smart and intelligent as she was.

  “I think the question you should be asking is ‘what do I have that you don’t?’” I gave her a cold smile. “There must be something that he liked about me. Do you know what it was?”

  I could see Paz visibly freeze as Carmen glared at me. “I have everything he needs.” She paused, and glanced down at her husband, her eyes calculating. “He has told me for years that I am the only woman for him.” She spat on the floor next to him. “He is a filthy liar.”

  “Don’t think for a moment that I have been the only other woman Javier has had.”

  She gave me a conniving smile. “Oh, I don’t. But the rest are all dead.” She crouched down in front of me, lifting my chin so that I looked straight into her eyes. “It is you who has eluded me. And only because of your slutty ways, with your little toy boys who have protected you.” She started laughing. “You thought I didn’t know? I know all about you, McKenna. I have eyes everywhere.”

  “Not everywhere,” I countered. “You have absolutely no idea what I am capable of.”

  She stood, placing her hands on her hips as she towered over me and Javier with her glare. “You? You are weak. You had no idea what you were getting mixed up in when you came to my homeland. You still have no idea.”

  I knew that I needed to keep her talking…that I needed to piss her off. Piss her off enough to do something irrational and stupid. “Still. Your husband wanted me. So what is it, Carmen, that I have, that you don’t?” I stared up at the ex-beauty queen, willing her to come up with something that would surprise me.

  “I have everything. He told me a thousand times. That is why I am his wife, and not just his mistress.”

  “No,” I said, building my confidence. “Your husband liked being with me because he appreciates intelligent company. You see, Carmen – I’m smart. Far smarter than you. Your husband likes women with brains. That is why he chose me. Brains over beauty.” I knew it wasn’t the smartest thing I could have said, nor was it true, but I wanted to piss her off, and I knew that dismissing her gorgeous looks was one way to do it.

  Sharp pain lanced through me from her slap, throwing my head back into the mirror. Everything turned a stark white. Glaring hot remnants of her touch were left on my cheek as my vision cleared, but I didn’t bother to try and rub it.

  “You have no idea what you’re talking about. I have the brains, and I have the beauty. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have been able to do all this.” She gestured to both me and Javier. “You see, my father was a great man, and one of the reasons why this operation has run as smoothly as it has. Now that he is dead, my legacy is dead.” She stared down at me, her dark eyes boring into mine.

  “So you’re having father/daughter issues, then? That’s what all this is about?”

  Carmen laughed. “No, no, my dear. I’m pleased my father is gone. He basically sold me off to this prick.” She threw a nod towards Javier. “All because of business. My father was one of the biggest suppliers of cocaine in Mexico. I was a business deal! But now that my father is dead, my brother has set up new connections with the Santa Muerte, and they have invited me in.”

  She put her hands on her hips, looking momentarily pleased with herself, but then her features twisted into something dark again as she looked back at me. “You have almost destroyed that agreement. You were meant to die, and your friends were supposed to wipe out this cartel, and therefore prove that I am a leader, deserving of a high position in the Santa Muerte.”

  My mouth was dry. It was hard to keep up with the ramblings of a crazy woman, but I was getting the distinct impression that this whole operation was a set up. My team had been set up. I had the overwhelming desire to rip my cuffs off, and smash her head into the mirror behind me. This whole situation was her fucking ambitious fault. She was the reason we had almost died multiple times is this bloody country. All because she wanted to switch allegiances. “I know you think this is a smart move,” I said through gritted teeth. “But they will kill you as soon as you go over to their side.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong. I have the brains. I have always been the brains behind this entire operation. They need me.” She turned to Javier, and toed his leg with her foot. “You will see,” she said, more to him than to me. She turned on her heel, and stormed down past the glowing fish tank, and into the room beyond. She was shouting expletives at Paz. I had the distinct impression that her night was not going as planned.

  22

  Paz walked into the room, closing the door silently behind her. Her phone was pressed to
her ear, as she spoke in hurried Spanish to the recipient. I watched her with curiosity. Even with the scarring on her face, she was still a stunning looking woman. I could tell she was irritated with Carmen, but she had been suppressing it well. Now that she was in a different room from Carmen, I could see it written all over her.

  I looked at Javier. He was the core reason why I’d come to Mexico. Now he was in the same state as me. Well – I hadn’t been drugged yet, but we were both cuffed to a rail. A part of me was wondering why the hell Carmen hadn’t injected any of that stuff into me yet. Now that I knew her master plan, I knew that I was more than a liability.

  Javier’s eyes met mine, and I suppressed a shiver. Carmen’s words came back to me, informing me that he could see and hear everything. I wondered what on earth he would do if he ever got free from this mess we were caught up in. Would he kill her? I would kill her. Or would he respect her even more now? Who knew what really made these Cartel guys tick.

  Paz had stopped talking on the phone, and now stood in front of the enormous fish tank. She turned slowly and looked at me. “You killed my lover, you know?”

  Bewilderment infused me. “What? Who did I kill?”

  “Filipo. He was my lover. I saw you that day on the roof with your boyfriend,” she sneered at me. “Carmen doesn’t know it was you. But I saw you with my own eyes.” She took a few steps in my direction, her hands on her hips. “He was my payday. He was going to get me out of here,” she hissed. “But you screwed that up. Now he is dead, and I will probably be next.”

  “Why are you working for Carmen then?”

  Paz shrugged. “Because I know which side my bread is buttered. She may actually take me to the Santa Muerte Cartel with her.”

  I shook my head with disbelief. “You can’t be serious? Look what happened to her husband.” I looked over at Javier. “She has no loyalty to him and she was married to him.”