Worth The Fight (Worth It Series Book 1)

by Breanna Mansfield

  I put my sweater back on, and walk over to the door. I open my door quietly and listen for Doug. I can hear him in the living room -- sounds like he’s talking on the phone, spitting out answers and demands. I turn away from his voice and head down to the other end of the hall, where the second set of stairs are. I run down the stairs, hit the side door of the house, and I take off for the barn. The flames are high, there are horses running scared, and the heat from the flames rakes my body from this distance.

  I run faster, trying to get to the barn to help free more horses, and search for Hudson and Aaron. I jump the fence on this side of the barn, knowing that Doug has most likely seen me running at this point. My feet hit the dirt where the open stables start and my heart beats faster, and I will my legs to pump just as fast. Time is running out, we can’t lose these horses. And I can’t lose Huds or Aaron trying to save them, so I need to help them so we can get out of here. As I round the building I see Aaron leading a horse out of the flames while shielding his eyes. My heart does a flip flop at seeing him, but I’m sad for these circumstances.

  “Aaron!” I yell. As I run for him I see his relief at seeing me, but then I see his anger for coming out in this.

  “I thought I told you to stay put, stubborn girl. I could use your help. I still have not found Hudson, and there are still five horses inside. Help me get them out? All you have to do is unlock their gates. Their stables are not in flames. It’s mostly the west part of the building, but not for long. We don’t have too much more time!” he yells over the noise of the flames.

  “Say no more. Lead the way!” I yell back.

  We run into the side of the barn, and he points at the two stalls closest to the flames. I run to one and unlatch the door and swing it wide. Then I run to the other and my heart breaks. It’s Rapunzel and she looks so frightened.

  “Come on, baby. Let’s get you out of here.” I loop the halter around her head and lead her out, as I put the halter around the first horse as well. I pull on the halter and we run outside. Sweat is falling around my face as Aaron runs back in for the last horse. I decide to take these two over to where there is water, far enough from the barn where they won’t get hurt by the flames or falling debris. The other horses are all scattered around, running away from harm.

  As I let go of their halters, I hear someone cry out and my already fast beating heart, beats faster. I take off running through the tiny woods, and as I jump over logs as my gut is telling me to run faster. Just as I break through the other side of the woods, the sight I see halts me in my tracks.

  “You’re such a stupid son of a bitch. Move the fuck on, because she has,” Hudson spits out. She’s not backing down.

  She’s on the ground, on her knees, with blood running down her face. She has a defiant look to her stance, and pure hatred pours out of her eyes

  Leroy leans down with a sinister grin and ticks behind his teeth.

  “One of these times you’ll learn to shut the fuck up,” he says before he swings out and hits her in the side of her face with the butt of his gun. Hard enough to produce horrible pain, but not enough to knock her out.

  I scream out, “No!” as soon as the gun makes contact.

  Through her faces whips sideways, Hudson doesn’t even cry out from the bow. She spits blood at Leroy.

  “Well lookie lookie what we have here. She did come to save you,” he mocks.

  “Fuck you, Leroy!” I scream out. “Why won’t you just fucking leave me alone?”

  “Because you fucked everything up. You are the reason I am here. And I intend to fucking have you for myself again. And you will tell everyone what a lying little cunt you are!” He was red in the face and was breathing hard. His finger was hovering over the trigger, the barrel still pointing at Hudson’s face.

  “What are you talking about Leroy?” I ask while walking slowly towards him.

  “You. You told everyone you were divorcing me because I cheated on you,” he yells.

  “Because you did,” I yell back, getting angrier at him.

  He swings the gun in my direction and starts waving it around. He’s a loose cannon.

  “And that is your fault. You never satisfied me,” he throws in my face.

  “Okay, so how did I ruin anything for you then?” I ask, baffled.

  “He cut me off because I was unfaithful. Because you opened that trap of yours. I was fired because my father used his connections. Now I have only what I had to my name. But that is all going to change now,” he nods his head rapidly. “Yeah, it’s gonna change. Because you’re coming with me or else I will blow her fucking head off. Then you’ll tell everyone how you lied. And you’ll meet my new business partner. Because you’re going to be his newest item for sale,” he smiles at me with the most malicious grin I’ve ever seen.

  “Okay, but please let her go. She has nothing to do with this,” I try to bargain.

  “No, Bridget. Don’t let him win,” Hudson cries for me.

  “He will never win, but I won’t let him hurt you,” I whisper-cry.

  “I’m going to find you and murder you,” Hudson tells Leroy on my behalf. Her voice is detached, dead even.

  He laughs like he actually finds that funny. He grabs his midsection and doubles over while laughing to prove his humor.

  “You have no idea, do you? If you come finding me, you’ll meet your past before you can ever see your future. You know who told me where to find her,” he shouts while pointing at me. “Do you, Hudson?” he spits her name out like it’s poison coating his tongue.

  She shakes her head with a look of horror on her face. “No,” she whispers.

  “Oh yes. Pumpkin. I’m supposed to snatch you both, but you’re not number one on his list right now. She is. He already has someone lined up for her,” he tells Hudson, then looks at me. “But not before I have you myself again. Time’s running out for your precious Aaron,” he laughs.

  He walks over to me and grabs my arm before I can even think. My attention was distracted by the look of devastation on Hudson’s face. Leroy looks over at her while he walks me to the waiting RTV. He stops and yanks my arm, forcing me into a crouching position with him as he looks Hudson in the face.

  “Why don’t you ask that wonderful big brother of yours where Brandon got the cash to create his business? Because I know that you know what kind of business I’m talking about. Don’t you, Pumpkin?” he snickers.

  “Don’t call me that,” she says while lifting her chin. I’m so proud of the strength she is showing.

  “See, that’s the thing. You don’t get to tell me what to do. I will leave you with these last words for now. Your time is coming, so don’t get too comfortable. And,” he pauses to add his fucked-up version of suspense, “tell your brother that I will be fucking his ol’ lady before he even notices she’s gone,” and with that he hits her in the head with his gun once more and knocks her out.

  “No,” I scream. I jump up and knee him in the jaw before he can stand up himself. He falls back and I start to raise my hand to reach for my gun when I hear the click of the safety going off on his own gun. My breath comes franticly as I raise my hands slowly. He points his gun at Hudson again and he ticks behind his teeth. He slowly shakes his head and approaches me again.

  “Now, I really should fucking shoot her for that little stunt you just pulled. But my partner would be pretty upset. So rather than do that, and piss him off so soon, I’ll make you suffer in pain as well. I never really did like to hit you. But what has to be done will be done.”

  With that he raises his hand and pain blasts through my skull. I wobble on my feet as blackness takes over completely. My last thoughts are I hope Aaron knows how much I love him.

  Chapter Nineteen

  That’s the last horse, and I pat his ass as he runs over to where the water trough is. I reach down to grab the bottom of my shirt to wipe the sweat off my face. I look up to the sky and take a deep breath. I can hear sirens in the distance, so someone already called
the police. Great. This fire is in full blaze now. Nothing will be saved from the stables. As I am about to look around for Bridget, I see Doug come running up.

  “Hey man, I’m so fucking sorry. She said she was going up to her room and she pulled a slip on me. But I just saw her leading a horse that way,” he points to the far end where they pull the horses to groom them.

  “Yeah, Hudson keeps snacks in there. So she probably went to get some to calm the horses. It’s okay,” I say just as the first police car pulls up, followed by three fire engines. “Let’s get this over with. Little evidence goes to these guys. Your boss will make up for the money lost on this barn,” I tell Doug.

  “Gotcha,” he says.

  “Howdy,” the sheriff says as he walks over to us. “My name is Sheriff Cliff. This is officer Bob.” With a rise to my eyebrows he puts a hand up and nods. “Yeah. I know it’s a weird name, but he doesn’t want people to call him by his last name,” he rolls his eyes while the officer laughs. “What’s your name son?” he asks.

  “My name is Aaron Harrison. This is a guest. A doctor from out of town looking for some horse riding lessons to impress his lady,” I tell him.

  He looks at Doug with a suspicious eye. I don’t blame him. Doug is decked out in leather, has long blonde hair on top, and arms that are close to the same size as mine; he doesn’t look like any doctor I’ve ever seen. Or like he wants to ride a horse either. I almost laugh at myself.

  “A neighbor reported an explosion, and on our way out here we noticed the black. smoke. What’s going on?” he asks.

  “Not too sure, sir. We were inside discussing tours, and cost of boarding a possible future horse, when we heard the explosion ourselves. We ran out to see what it was and noticed the barn up in flames.”

  “No idea what started the fire?” he asks.

  “No sir, I did notice some exposed wires while I was trying to get the horses out, but didn’t stop to investigate. I was busy trying to save the horses,” I tell him.

  “Well alright, if you have any more information let me know.”

  “Will do, sir,” I say with a nod.

  They start to walk back to the car when he stops and looks back.

  “Is it just you two here?” he asks.

  “Yes sir, my parents live in the home, but I own the property. They are out of town for a couple of days,” I tell him.

  “Have a nice night gentlemen,” he says as he walks to his car.

  His car pulls down the gravel road and I let a breath out. He still has one uniform here with the fire department, but he was far enough away, and didn’t hear me say no one else was here.

  “Who is that,” Doug asks nodding to the dirt lane that brings you to the barn from the east side of the property. We used to take that lane when we snuck in and out as kids.

  “That’s my brother Troy,” I answer.

  “Aah,” he says with humor in his voice. What the fuck is that about? Before I can ask I see Adam running up to meet us.

  “I heard you tell the cop no one else was here, so I hung back until they left,” he explains.

  “Thanks man,” I say as I watch my brother get out of his car. His face is murderous and I am taken back a little. I knew he loved the ranch, but damn. I start to ask him what is up, but I stop when I see him lift Hudson up out of his back seat.

  “What the fuck,” I roar out when I see her face. Black and blue marks are forming along the side of her face, her eye is swollen shut, and her lip is split in two spots. Her clothes are dirty, covered in black soot, and the ends of her jeans are burned.

  I take her from Troy and lay her on the ground. She has a pulse still and I shake her shoulders while calling out her name.

  “Someone get me some water!”

  Adam comes up and hands me a bucket he’s gotten from the horses watering station. I don’t know if it will work or not, but I splash the water on her face. When nothing happens, I dump the whole fucking bucket on her face while yelling her name.

  Doug runs up and pushes me aside, rubbing his knuckle into her chest.

  “Where the fuck is Bridget? Adam, go get her from the snack shack, please!” I ask just as Hudson’s eyes fly open.

  She sucks in a deep breath and screams for Bridget. The terror in her voice turns the blood in my veins to ice. She sits up and looks around frantically. She looks at me when her eyes come into focus and she shakes her head. I shake mine in return. Please, no.

  “He has her,” she sobs. “I tried to get him to just take me,” she sobs harder.

  I reach over and hug her to my chest as I rock her back and forth. “Shhh. You did all you could. I will find her,” I say.

  “I’m so sorry,” she croaks in a ragged breath.

  “No sis. You did good. Thank you for trying to protect her. I’ll kick your ass for putting yourself in danger later.” I say to try and lighten the mood a bit.

  I kiss her on the cheek and look over at Doug. “Stay with her. Troy, come with me.”

  “Where we going?” he asks as I pull my phone out and call Chris.

  “To get my girl, and then kill this son of a bitch,” I say in a voice so dead I don’t even recognize it.

  Troy guns the car out of the ranch as a red murderous haze falls over my vision. I’m fucking tired of Bridget being scared, it ends now. To-fucking-day.

  “Aaron, I heard. What do you need from me?” Chris says as he answers my call.

  Chapter Twenty

  When I come to, I’m in what looks like a bedroom. It has concrete floors and a shitty mattress and a wood dresser that has seen better days. My face is pounding and I dart my tongue out to lick my dry lips, only to notice my lip is also split. My ribs hurt, but I don’t recall them getting hit. I reach my hand up my shirt and see that my gun is still in the holster. I let out a heavy sigh of relief and thank the lord no one searched me. Or even better, no one touched me.

  I hear a rasping in the heater vent on the floor, so I crawl as quietly as I can over to it. I put my ear on it to hear what the sound is. It’s a tapping noise with someone humming in the background. I listen harder, and realize it’s a woman humming, humming a sad melody. I turn my face and whisper into the vent.

  “Hello?” I say. The humming stops and at first I don’t know if she heard me.

  “You’re the new girl they brought in today, ain’t you?” she whispers back.

  “I don’t know. I think so. Well, I’m here, so I suppose I am,” I shake my head at myself.

  “I’m sorry, but let me be the first to welcome you to hell,” she rasps out.

  “Where are we?” I ask.

  “This is a human trafficking ring, hun.”

  My heart beats faster. Leroy’s words come back to me. You’re gonna be his newest item for sale. No.

  “So someone’s going to. . . buy us?”

  “That is the best thing that could happen. He allows them to come in and test us out for a fee. And if we behave badly, he takes us to the game room. So don’t be bad. It’s worse in there,” she whispers back.

  “What’s the game room?” I ask. My mind is racing.

  “Short version, he beats you. Just be a good girl, okay?” she pleads.

  “What do you mean they test us out?” I ask.

  “We are being sold as sex slaves. What do you think?” she responds, her voice dead.

  Before I can say anything, she says, “shhh,” and I hear male voices in her room. And just as fast as they came, they are gone.

  “You still there?” I whisper.

  She doesn’t respond, so I sit back against the wall as my mind races at a hundred miles an hour. I take a deep breath and let it out. I need to focus. I’m a lot stronger than they think. Appear weak, they expect less. The door swings open and I jump from the surprise. Leroy laughs as I jump and I’m pissed off that I gave him the satisfaction of being alarmed. However, it will play into my hands. He walks over and puts his finger under my chin to lift my face to his. I jerk my face out of his hol
d and glare at him.

  “What do you want? To kick me some more while I’m unconscious? Too bad. I’m awake now, so you’ll have to look at me this time,” I bite out.

  “Oh dear girl. What I plan on doing -- you’ll wish it was just kicking you.” he leans forward and smells my hair. “You’ve changed your shampoo. Too bad. I like this one well enough, though. You’ll do. Come on, up you go.”

  “Where are you taking me?”

  “Quit asking questions,” he snaps as he pulls me down a hallway. We are upstairs and it is horse shoe shaped with the stairs in the middle of it. The thought of a horse shoe puts a load of sorrow in my gut. Tears prick my eyes, and Leroy looks over at the right time, mistaking them for him.

  “If you be a good girl, no harm will come to you. But first things first. You have to be shown off to our potential buyers. So what you have to do is go in that bedroom, and strip down. Then you will walk down these stairs, do a cat walk down in front of the buyers, and then walk that nice ass back up these stairs and back into that bedroom, where you will wait, naked, to see if any of the buyers want a closer look,” he explains while resting his hand on the door knob.

  Could this be any more degrading? Good thing I am a nurse. I can try to think like I’m getting a physical. Something. Maybe I’m going into the military. Brent said he had to walk around naked for that. Something about a duck walk. That’s what I will think of.

  I walk into the bedroom and see one other girl. I see that there is a bathroom, and I am filled with so much relief. I can get changed in there and hide my gun somewhere. Hopefully.

  “Do I really have to get completely naked?” I ask Leroy.

  “Yes. Don’t ask again. I’m already being pretty fucking soft with you. Now go,” he shoves me into the room and shuts the door.