by Chiah Wilder
Paco grabbed her hair and pulled it hard, making her cry out. He slammed the tablet into her face. “I told you I don’t like repeating myself.”
“Okay… okay,” she sniveled. “The sixth one down on the page. The one that says, ‘Ready to play… are you? Looking for the girl next door?’ That’s his ad. And the next two under it.”
Paco looked at the ad and saw the woman’s age listed at twenty-three. He looked at her pictures and shook his head. “She’s not more than fifteen or sixteen,” he gritted, showing the screen to Chains and Army. They grumbled in agreement.
“That’s fucked,” Sniper said as he came over to take a look. “You want us to take care of these two?”
“No! Please. I helped you out. You promised.”
“I didn’t promise shit!” Paco yelled as he walked toward the stairs.
“Show some mercy. Please,” she sobbed.
Paco turned around and in four long strides he was back in front of her. Again, he yanked her head back by her hair and leaned over real close. “I’ll show you the same fucking mercy you showed Chelsea. She was your blood for fuck’s sake! How the hell do you do that to your family? She loved and trusted you. You’re nothing but a selfish, cold-hearted cunt.” He kicked the chair out from under her and she toppled onto the concrete floor, the metal legs crashing down on her.
“Gut them like the pigs they are,” he said as he left the room. Army followed after him as Paco ascended the stairs.
“You want me to go with you when you snuff out this fucker?”
“Yeah. I want to make sure he gets what’s coming to him. I’ll give him a call and tell him we want two girls for us. Let’s buy a burner phone and get this shit over with.”
On the way back from the store, Army opened up the box and took out the phone. “Is Chelsea coming back with us?”
Paco gripped the steering wheel, his gaze fixed on the road. “No.”
“Really? I thought you guys had something going there.”
“Her life was interrupted. She needs to find out who she is.”
“She seemed like she had her head on straight. Are you sure you’re not going to regret this?”
I already do. “I’m doing this for her. Did you get the phone to work?”
“Yeah.”
“Then call the asshole and make the arrangements for tonight. Tell him we want three hours with the women at a motel.”
“Here we go,” Army said, tapping in the number then bringing the phone to his ear.
The Ambassador Motel sat off the freeway and was one of several motels that lined the frontage road. Paco and Army had arrived a few hours before and sat across the street waiting for Erik to show up with the two girls. They didn’t want to take any chances with the security cameras, so they parked the car by the curb. At nine thirty, a yellow mustang rolled into the lot and parked in front of the third building. A stocky man of medium height got out of the car then pulled two women out. One of them looked like she was resisting him, and Paco saw him backhand her before pulling her hair and dragging her to the metal stairs. The three of them disappeared into one of the rooms. It was torture for Paco to sit and wait in the car before confronting Erik, but he knew if he let his emotions get the better of him, costly mistakes could very well be made.
A little before ten o’clock, he and Army got out of the car, pulled their hoodies down low over their faces, crossed the street, and walked upstairs. They knocked on the door, and a deep voice told them to come in.
When they entered the room, the same stocky man they’d seen earlier stood near the dresser, a black briefcase in his hand. A blonde girl of about fifteen, dressed in skimpy lingerie, sat in one of the chairs next to the window while another blonde of about the same age, wearing a skirt that showed the underside of her butt cheeks and a too small top, sat on the bed. Both girls had their eyes cast downward.
He glanced quickly at their gloved hands then took a step back. “Gentlemen. This is Sasha”—he pointed to the teen in the chair, then directed their attention to the girl on the bed—“and this is Gemini.” He snapped open the briefcase and took out a ledger. “You want three hours of … anything goes … with the two women. That’ll cost you three hundred sixty dollars. Credit card?”
“Cash,” Paco said.
A broad smile spread over his face. “Even better.” As he took out a receipt book, Paco pictured a terrified Chelsea cowering in the corner as the dirtbag in front of her beat her. Rage seared his nerves, and he clenched his fists and took a couple of steps toward him.
“Have the chicks take a shower,” Army said.
Erik looked up, surprise etched on his face. “They’re clean. I made sure they took one before they came.”
“If they don’t do it, the deal’s off.” Army crossed his arms and his biceps bulged.
Erik shook his head. “You’re the customers. If you want them to take a shower, they can.” He turned to them. “Get in the shower. Now.” Fear laced the girls’ eyes as they hurried into the bathroom, never once looking at Paco or Army. “Once you pay, I’ll leave you alone with your dates.”
“Only a pussy forces a girl to have sex for money,” Army said.
Erik closed the briefcase and his hand began to slip inside his leather jacket. Paco jumped forward and grabbed his hand, bending it back until the sex trafficker cried out. “Don’t even think it, fucker. Go ahead and hit me, or do you just like hitting women?”
“Are you guys cops?”
“You’re gonna wish we were.” Paco slammed his fist full force into his face. Erik cried out. “That’s for the two women in the bathroom.” Paco jerked his head toward the TV and Army switched it on, turning the volume up. Paco bent Erik’s head down then brought his knee up, smashing Erik’s face.
The man groaned. “Do you want money? Take it.”
“I want retribution for what you did to Chelsea and all the other women, you sick motherfucker.” Another punch, that time to the belly.
“I don’t even know a Chelsea. This is a misunderstanding,” he sputtered.
“Misty, you asshole. You fucking stole her dignity! You forced her to do things she did not want to do—fucked up things that she was scared, ashamed, and appalled to be doing. You made her live in hell twenty-four seven. You fucking raped her!”
Army and Paco jumped on him like animals attacking prey. Paco hit his head into the wall so hard the cheap paintings shook. They pulverized him, leaving him in a heap on the beige carpet in his own blood and excrement.
Paco went over to the bathroom door and knocked softly. There was no answer. He knocked again. “Open up. We’re not gonna hurt you,” he said. Once again, he pulled the hoodie low over his head, shadowing his face. Army had done the same and walked over to switch off all the lights but one dim lamp.
The door slowly opened, and the two girls glanced over to Erik’s body then back to him. “Please don’t hurt us. He forced us to be here. We just want to go home.” Sasha’s voice hitched.
Paco handed them two hundred dollars each. “Go call your families and get out of here.” The women opened the closet, grabbed their jackets, and dashed out of the room. “Let’s get the fuck outta here.”
Paco and Army left the room and crossed the street to their waiting SUV. They drove in silence until they reached the Twisted Warrior’s clubhouse. Chains, Sniper, and Jacko were waiting out front. Chains slipped into the back seat, and Sniper and Jacko came over to the driver’s side.
Paco bumped fists with them. “Thanks for your help. Whenever you’re in Alina, you’ve got a place to crash. If you have trouble with all this, let me know.”
“There won’t be any trouble. Everything’s been taken care of. Have a safe ride back, and we’ll see you at Sturgis this summer.”
“Fuck, yeah,” Chains said.
“Can’t wait for August to get here,” Army added.
“It’s time to get home. See you at Sturgis,” Paco said, putting the car in Drive.
; As he left the city limits, emptiness filled him but he pushed it down. Chelsea’s captivating eyes invaded his mind, her soft laughter filled his ears, her quiet strength pulled at his heart, and he almost turned around. But he didn’t.
He merged onto the highway and headed back to Alina, leaving his heart in Findlay.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
When they entered the Night Rebels’ clubhouse, Lucy rushed over and gave Paco a big hug. The look in her eyes showed just how glad she was that Chelsea wasn’t among the trio. Paco gently pushed her away, went up to the bar and downed the shot of whiskey Rusty had waiting for him.
Lucy stood next to him, her gaze on his. “Your friend didn’t come back with you?”
Paco motioned for another shot. “No.”
“I guess it makes sense that she’d want to stay in her home town and be with her family.”
“Yeah.” He threw back the second shot then picked up his bag.
“You’re not disappearing so soon, are you? I thought we could talk, or I can give you a nice massage. I bet your shoulders and back are sore from the long drive.”
Smiling weakly, he shook his head. “I’m good. Army’s always in the mood for a massage. I’m beat.” He ignored Lucy’s crestfallen face and trudged up the stairs to his room.
The whole ride back, Chelsea filled his mind, and he kept wrestling with his decision to leave without her. He went over to the window and opened the blinds and stared at the bluish-tinted mountains in the distance. All of a sudden, he was back in the train car with Chelsea, winding through the snowy canyon. That was an awesome day. Then the images of the two of them riding his Harley, dining at Flanigan’s, talking in his room—along with a myriad of other snippets of time they shared together, filled his mind. All the time we spent together was awesome. Fuck, babe. I miss you.
Turning away from the window, he went over to the dresser and opened the bottom drawer. Moving aside some clothing, he pulled out the padded envelope that held past memories. He’d been surprised when Chelsea had told him that she read the letters Cassie had sent him so many years before. He dumped the contents of the envelope on the desk and sifted through them. Photographs of his mother with him and Kendra made his insides tighten; he was transported back in time to when his mother was alive and life had seemed perfect. “You didn’t deserve what the fucker did to you, Mom,” he muttered under his breath. For as long as he lived, he’d never be able to forgive his dad for taking the life of such a beautiful, loving, and vibrant woman. When he really wanted to drive himself crazy, he’d think about how his mother must have felt knowing that the man she loved and promised her future to, was stabbing the life out of her. “The fear must have been incredible, but it was the betrayal that must have hit you the hardest, Mom.”
He sighed as he put the photographs down, and his gaze landed on a pink envelope with blue writing—the Dear John letter. He took it out and skimmed it, remembering how his insides had turned to ice when he read her letter explaining how she no longer loved him. Her words had been a double whammy: not only had he felt abandoned, but he had also been replaced. Amid the stifling heat, the bombs, the boredom, and the awfulness of war, he’d been stuck with the harrowing and lonely feeling of knowing that the woman he loved was loving another.
Paco leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes, the ghosts of the past flitting through his brain. Since Cassie had smashed his heart, he’d been more than careful to let any feelings of love into his life. Over the years, he’d blamed her for his bitterness, but now he wasn’t so sure it was all her fault. When he’d been in Afghanistan, getting killed was a daily concern, and he didn’t want to bring the war to Cassie, so he’d made the decision not to share his “adventures” with her. She accused him many times of being lousy at communicating. She told him she wanted to hear about everything—the good and the bad, but the time he’d spent writing to her and thinking about her was his refuge amid the loss and destruction all around him. “You never understood that,” he said aloud. How the fuck could I explain to her that I’d just spent the night sitting in a bomb crater, ducking AK rounds, or that I just killed a pack of kids who had bombs strapped to them, courtesy of their fucking mothers? So he’d shut her out. He kept the day-to-day existence at bay, and in doing that, he’d put a distance between them. Because he wanted to spare her from worrying, he ended up losing her. If I’d been more open, maybe she wouldn’t have felt so disconnected. But if we stayed together, I never would’ve met Chelsea.
The love he had for Chelsea was off the fucking charts, and it made him realize that Cassie had never been the one. With Cassie, he’d never felt the deep connection he had with Chelsea. She was the person he lost track of time with, the one he confided in, and the one he missed after saying goodbye. She’d slipped into his life quietly on a rainy night, and a series of events kept bringing them together. Each moment he shared with her chipped away at the shield around his heart, letting new light in until he fell completely in love with her.
The tune on his phone rang out, echoing in the quiet room. He glanced at the screen and put his phone to his ear.
“Hey, Kendra. How’s the little man?”
A small giggle. “Tommy’s doing great. Vicky just left, so I’ll be flying solo.”
“I told you to move to Alina, then I could help you out and so could the old ladies. Besides, I know a lot of people with daughters who could also lend you a hand.”
“I’m seriously thinking about it. I spoke to Jesse yesterday by Skype and told him I missed having you around, so he suggested I move there. He also mentioned that once his contract is up in five years, he wasn’t going to reenlist. He wants to start a business in Alina or in one of the neighboring towns.”
Warmth spread through him. “Is this for real, or are you just talking out of your ass?”
“This is for real. I’ve really missed you. We’ve been apart for too long, and the boys adore you. Anyway, I want to meet the woman who’s captured your heart so I can give her a big hug.”
“What’re you talking about?”
“Don’t play dumb with me. The last few times we spoke, I knew something was different with you, but I never imagined it was a woman. When Goldie and Cueball stopped by over the weekend, Goldie let it slip out that you were interested in a woman.”
Paco shook his head. That fucking blabbermouth. “Chelsea’s cool. I met her when her life was in transition.”
“You’re talking like it’s over.”
“She’s back home… in Ohio. She’s got a lot going on. How much did Goldie tell you about her?”
“Nothing about her per se. He just said you had a woman in your life, and he never thought he’d see the day when you’d be hooked on someone. I have to agree with him. Is she coming back to Alina?”
“I don’t know. It’s kinda complicated. That’s great news about you moving here. When you’re ready, I’ll get some brothers to come with me to help you out. How much time do you have left on your lease?”
“You’re changing the subject, and I know when you don’t want to talk about something, it’s not going to happen. I just want to say one last thing about Chelsea. Don’t let her get away from you. When you find happiness and true love, you have to go after it at all costs. That’s all I’m going to say about it. I have two months left on the lease, so I was thinking to give notice at the end of the month.”
“That’s fucking awesome. It’ll rock to have you and the kids living here. If you want me to check out any places for you, say the word.”
“I will.”
“And if you want to come sooner, break the lease and I’ll pay for the two months you have left.”
“You’re too good to me.”
“You’re my sister. We only have each other.”
“You’re the best brother. I may take you up on that offer.” A loud cry in the background. “I have to run. Tommy just woke up. We’ll talk soon. Love you.”
“Later.”
He put
the phone down, a huge grin spreading over his face. Having Kendra and his nephews in Alina was something he’d wanted for a long time. Since Jesse was away so much, Paco didn’t feel comfortable with his sister living alone. Now, with her and the boys nearby, he’d be able to make sure they were safe, and he’d be able to spend more time with all of them.
The letters, notecards, birthday cards, and photographs were spread over his desk. He took out all pictures of his mom, his sister, and of him alone, then put all the photos of Cassie back into the envelope along with the letters and other writings. He picked up the envelope, shrugged on his leather jacket and left the room.
Pink, orange, and mauve streaks painted the sky as a few stars twinkled against the impending darkness to the east. His boots crunched under the frost covered ground as he made his way to the ash pit in the backyard. The chilled wind tugged at his open jacket and whipped loose hairs about his face. He threw the envelope into the pit then doused it with lighter fluid. Cupping his hand around a match, he struck it repeatedly until it lit then threw it on top of the envelope. A bluish-orange flame shot up, and he took a step back. Tiny black cinders danced above the flames as he watched his anger and bitterness burn away alongside the memories of Cassie.
After all this time, it’s finally over.
He turned away and sauntered back to the clubhouse.
Chapter Thirty
Six weeks later
Chelsea waited until the garage door closed all the way before she got out of the car. Since her ordeal, she hated being exposed to any open spaces where someone could sneak in and attack her, especially at night. Her therapist had told her that the nightmares and paranoid feelings would dissipate in time, and she already felt better since she’d started intensive therapy three times a week.