Little Doll

by Melissa Jane

  The landscape passed, but I couldn’t see anything in the pitch blackness. Instead, I watched ahead from the back seat as moths fluttered around in the headlights seconds before getting smashed against the windscreen.

  “Laila,” Aiden began tentatively. He looked at me through the rear view mirror. “We are about to approach the border. I’m only going to tell you once. Keep your mouth shut. Do you understand?” He was an arrogant prick when he talked business, but I didn’t care for that either. I was now just excited we were crossing the US border.

  “This is important, Laila,” he said, growing frustrated at my silence. “Do you understand?”

  I heard a click from the passenger seat where Jorge was sitting. He turned to face me, his pistol pointing above the seat toward my body. I swallowed hard, my mouth dry as fear racked my body.

  “Don’t fuck this up,” Jorge warned. “I’m not prepared to go down for you.”

  Even in the dark of the cab I could see Aiden’s face reddening. “Put the fucking thing away.”

  Jorge’s unkind eyes lingered on mine, ensuring the warning had been made clear.

  “Laila, some of the men at the border work for Hector. We can only hope he thinks we are staying in Mexico and not crossing the border. If they have been informed, it will make our mission a lot more complicated. It will be in your best interests if you remained calm and didn’t draw attention to yourself.”

  He waited until I nodded.

  “Just so you know, the name on your new passport is Sarah Anderson. Don’t forget it.”

  Aiden eyed me expectantly in the mirror. Again, I gave a short nod of acknowledgment.

  Half an hour passed before lights ahead welcomed us with an ominous undertone.

  “Get the paperwork out,” Aiden instructed Jorge, “and let me do the talking."

  He paused.

  “Laila?”

  “I know,” I said, but somewhere inside my head a voice called me a liar.

  The car slowed to a crawl as we lined behind a few vehicles already being inspected by border officers. The tension within the cabin was palpable. Jorge was chewing his fingernails nervously while his foot tapped relentlessly on the floor. Aiden cleared his throat more than ten times within a one minute period, the muscles in his throat and jaw twitching with anticipation. I remained still in the back, observing my surroundings and trying to collect the million thoughts running through my head.

  The car edged forward, ours now the only one waiting under the bright lights. Two officers approached once we pulled to a complete stop, moving to either side of the car to peer inside. They looked American, but after Aiden’s warning earlier, I couldn’t be sure of their allegiance.

  “Evening,” the officer on Aiden’s side greeted us.

  “Evening, officer,” he replied calmly. The man on Jorge’s side remained stoic and unreadable as he looked around the front of the car.

  “Where you travelling to?”

  “San Diego,” Aiden replied with confidence.

  “Where’s your paperwork?”

  Jorge handed the paperwork to Aiden who then passed it to his officer. He made a show of reading and handing back the first two passports, until he got to the third. The officer paused; standing straight, he studied the document before reaching to his utility belt for his flashlight. Shining the torch past Aiden, I squinted against the glare.

  “What’s your name, sweetheart?” he asked. I knew immediately I was being baited.

  “Her name is on the passport.” Aiden butted in before I could reply.

  “If you want to cross the border you best keep your mouth shut.”

  His tone was harsh as he addressed Aiden. Turning his attention back to me, the man's scrutinous gaze caused my body to heat like a furnace from the inside out. “I believe I asked you a question, ma’am.”

  “Sarah.” I spat the name out so quickly I barely heard it myself.

  “No… you don’t look like a Sarah.” He was reeling me in further and I had no idea how to slip the line. “You know what she looks like, Pete?” The officer turned to his colleague who stood as still as a statue, the barest hint of an amused smile playing on his lips. “She looks like Mexico’s most wanted.”

  He smiled smugly while shining the flashlight back in my face. “Yeah, that suits you better, don’t it, sweetheart?”

  Both Aiden and Jorge sat straighter in their seats at the revelation these were Hector’s men.

  “A lot of fuss over one girl isn’t it?” the man mocked. “Though I can see why.”

  I felt sick at his leering. Aiden’s jaw once again went into twitch overdrive. It was fair to say he was mad.

  “I tell you what,” the officer began. “We have orders to shoot and kill if we see you, but quite frankly the paperwork for shooting to kill around here is a bit of a bitch, especially when the incentives are so low. So how’s about a blow job for each of us and we pretend we never crossed paths?”

  Both officers laughed at their proposal. I wanted to vomit.

  “Sorry bro, but I don’t do men,” Aiden mocked, his comeback quieting the officers.

  “Luckily I’m not talking about you, sweetheart,” he replied before shining the torch back at me.

  “But she will do. Get out of the car,” he ordered in a frighteningly authoritative tone.

  I wasn’t sure what my move should be. Aiden had warned me to keep quiet, but this was an entirely unplanned scenario that came with no instructions. The sudden thought chilled me to the bone. Aiden hadn’t thought this would be an issue which meant he didn’t even have a plan.

  “Are you deaf? I said get out of the car!”

  The officer walked to my door, throwing it open. Instinctively, I slid to the far side of the back seat, but he had already grabbed the inside of my thigh, his fingers digging painfully into my skin. Having dragged me over to the door, the officer set me on my feet. His hand grasped the back of my neck, turning me around before slamming me against the trunk of the car. He was handling me like a common criminal and I was torn between feeling embarrassed by the treatment and once again fearing for my life. My pained ribs screamed to life at the continual abuse they suffered, every inhale only adding to the agony.

  Aiden was out of his seat, rounding on the asshole restraining me. In the commotion, I could see the officer on Jorge’s side yelling and pointing his pistol over the roof of the car.

  “Sir, get back in the car,” he ordered in a no nonsense tone yet Aiden ignored him, his focus unwavering from the officer next to him.

  “Have this instead,” Aiden opened his jacket subtly to reveal a brown paper bag on the inside.

  “I’ve got what I want, sit the fuck down,” the officer barked.

  “Get back in the fucking car,” the other one yelled again.

  “Five hundred dollars, take it, but give me the girl back unharmed,” Aiden urged.

  The place was deserted except for a few other officers lurking around their stations cautiously minding their own business.

  “Fine, but I’m going to need that wrapped in something else other than a brown bag. Don’t want the camera’s picking up any sign of this shit, you know what I mean?” He now sounded like a dodgy drug dealer trying to seal a deal.

  “I understand,” Aiden agreed. “Here, take the jacket,” he shrugged the leather jacket off his shoulders being careful not to let the package fall and handed it to the officer who released me from his hold.

  “Get in the car,” Aiden ordered. I didn’t hesitate to put distance between me the offending officer.

  “Don’t let me see you cross this border again,” the officer announced, somewhat distracted as he studied the contents within the jacket without looking suspicious.

  “Don’t plan to,” Aiden replied under his breath.

  Content with what he saw within the jacket pocket, the officer put on a dazzling smile as Aiden lowered himself to his seat.

  “Pleasure doing business with you, sir. Enjoy your evening
.”

  Tapping the side of the car, the officer indicated for us to drive across the border. Only when the border lights disappeared behind us did we all breathe a desperate sigh of relief.

  Chapter Thirty

  Aiden

  The muffled sobs coming from the back seat only added to the rage consuming me. I knew crossing the border would potentially raise some issues, but it was a risk we had to take to get out of Mexico. It didn’t change the fact that I had once again put her in a situation where she was disadvantaged and at the same time taken advantage of. No wonder she hated me.

  “How much money do we have left?” Jorge spoke for the first time since the ordeal.

  “Check the glove compartment. There should be enough to maintain us in San Diego before Laila–” I cut myself off when I saw her flinch at my words.

  “It’s not much,” Jorge announced.

  “It’s enough,” I reassured him. “We won’t be staying long.”

  Saying the last part quietly had failed, Laila still heard and her bottom lip trembled uncontrollably. Tact had never been my strong suit, but the last forty eight hours had turned me into a real callous asshole.

  The rest of the trip only took another hour once we crossed the border. I willed time to stop flying past so quickly as it meant my time with Laila was drawing to a close and I would lose her forever. It seemed ridiculous to even think such a thing since she was never mine to lose in the first place.

  City lights soon came into view, but they did nothing to lighten the mood in the car. I drove through the streets wondering what gauntlet lay ahead if we were to be successful in dodging Hector’s minions this side of the border. He had men spread over the country like millions of fucking ants. The power of money and promise of material possession tended to lure people into a life of crime.

  Pulling into a side alley next to the hotel we would be staying in, I ensured the car was in shadow. Jorge busied himself with gathering our bags from the trunk while I opened the door for Laila. She looked up at me from the back seat and I once again felt a strange form of emotion. Somehow this damn girl had claimed a part of me. And in all honesty, a large part of me didn’t want to walk away.

  Laila tentatively took my out-stretched hand and I guided her to the front of the dingy hotel. She stopped dead in her tracks, a look of confusion playing on her face.

  “Why are we here?” She asked, instantly recognizing the dirty stucco building.

  “Because it will be the last place Juan will think to look at to find you. Nobody goes back to the same place they were abducted from.” I explained.

  I knew my theory was possibly flawed and I was taking a gamble, but it was worth a shot. With limited money and few allies on this side of the border, our options were limited.

  I watched Laila carefully as her eyes drifted off somewhere dark, as if she was recalling the entire nightmare from the last month. Gently pulling her hand, I awoke her from her thoughts and together we walked through the doors of the shit hole. Why she had even chosen to stay here to begin with defied me.

  The fat and particularly ugly lady behind the counter eyed the three of us suspiciously. Granted, two men, one woman, looking for a single room would look a bit seedy, but I didn’t have time for her nonsense. I threw some notes on the counter and she gave me a key after a few disgruntled words in exchange. The nosy bitch’s relentless attempts to look at Laila behind me was seriously grating on my nerves. Clearly the night’s events had not helped my temper.

  “Is there a problem? Because if there is we will go somewhere else,” I inquired, moving to retrieve the cash on the counter.

  The woman slammed her chubby hand on the notes and slid them possessively toward her.

  “No problem,” she said, averting her eyes from mine.

  The three of us made our move up three flights of stairs before entering the tiny, dimly lit room. The furniture was basic and needed serious upgrading. The small space smelled musty and I guessed it was due to the random patches of mold growing on the ancient wallpaper.

  There was very limited floor space and a small double bed dominating the room. No wonder the woman downstairs eyed us the way she did. Jorge made his makeshift bed on the ground using his rucksack and minus a blanket. It was late at night and we were all tired and weary from looking over our shoulders. It was decided I would keep watch while Jorge rested for later and Laila gained some strength from a good sleep. She would need it for the next day.

  Chapter Thirty- One

  Laila

  La Sans Inn was even more rank and disgusting than the last time I remembered being here, probably because I only spent less than an hour in the room. The look the woman downstairs gave me set my nerves on edge even though Aiden had done his best to shield me from her curious gaze. Perhaps she recognized my face from a month ago and wondered if I were back to complete my stay.

  Aiden had retreated within himself, remaining relatively quiet as we meandered awkwardly around the small space. Given the lack of room, the men had graciously insisted I have the bed to myself to rest before the events of tomorrow. If I wasn’t mistaken, I was sure I could see a deep set sadness in Aiden’s eyes when he smiled at me as I drifted off to sleep. He sat opposite the bed in an armchair watching me as my eyes begged to be closed. I hated knowing that when I awoke my world would once again change and in my new life I would have no control over it.

  ***

  The knock on the door came in the early morning. The bed jostled and rocked next to me only seconds after. I turned my head slightly and saw through sleepy eyes Aiden had yet again in the last twenty-four hours made himself at home next to me on the bed. I didn’t have time to voice my disapproval because he shot up from the mattress quicker than I could blink.

  Aiden looked from the door to me with a clenched jaw. “Go lie down in the bath tub and don’t come out until I say so,” he instructed quietly.

  “The bath tub?” I asked, confused.

  His face clouded with impatience. “It will shield you. Now go!”

  I watched for a few seconds as Aiden and Jorge were quick to retrieve their guns and position themselves either side of the door. They silently hand signaled to each other various movements I couldn’t interpret.

  Aiden turned to me. “Go,” he mouthed and I disappeared behind the bathroom door.

  Crawling into the grimy bath, I struggled to contain my body’s involuntary shaking. Aiden had looked alarmed at the unexpected knock at the door, which did nothing to settle the nerves. No matter which way I looked at it, whoever was at the door was not a friend of mine. Hector and Juan could have tracked us down or even sent their henchmen to take care of their dirty work. If it wasn’t them, it would be my buyer ready to take me away to live a life of sexual depravity whilst Aiden reaped all the rewards. Either way, my life was fucked.

  The knock came harder this time, but the men within the room kept quiet as they waited. A muffled voice from the other side broke the silence and I could hear a mix of sighs and muttered curses from Aiden and Jorge before the door opened.

  “You’re early.” Aiden said, his disapproval clear.

  “Who gives a fuck?”

  “I do, asshole. We had a plan!”

  “Where is she?”

  Listening to the conversation taking place my brain was sent into a spin. I knew that voice and I fought a sudden urge to be sick.

  That voice belonged to a ghost.

  Ethan!

  ###

  Crimson Desert (Bittersweet Duet, Book Two)

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  Acknowledgements

  I have been so fortunate to be surrounded by beautiful friends and family who have shown me an incredible amount of support and encouragement throughout this journey. For that I am truly thankful.

  There are however some who have been my backbone during this hair brained operation. My two besties who j
ust happen to share the same name. Thank you Angela # 1 (you know who you are) for your gentle calmness and unwavering belief that I could do anything (not literally ‘anything’, but that’s how you made me feel. To Angela # 2 (you know who you are) I will never forget your “they can go fuck themselves if they have a problem” attitude. You have given me the strength to venture forward with a smile on my dial.

  To Greg, for being an encouraging force and for kindly being the first person to look through my work without a moment’s hesitation.

  Thank you to my gorgeous husband who has been neglected, ignored and always supportive of my venture no matter how much of my time it has taken up.

  And last, but definitely not least, my beautiful mother. You are no longer with us, but your influence and inspiration never runs short.