never seen us? Why is she only speaking Spanish?
I jerk my head toward him. He doesn't look surprised it's Julieta. Bernadette stands next to him, giving no indication she knows anything. It's the same look of sympathy all the bought women give the others. But she nervously glances between Julieta and Emilia.
Does Bernadette know it's Julieta?
Gustave said he saw her go into the house with Millie.
I glance at Gustave. Chills dig into all my bones. Have I been trusting my brother all this time when I shouldn't have been?
Gustave's poker face never changes. He gives me no indication of anything. His face stays neutral, watching the scene, not saying anything.
I step in front of Emilia, intentionally keeping my body in front of hers.
Julieta's tears don't stop flowing down her face. Her heart-shaped lips quiver harder. She gasps in tiny breaths for air, and her body trembles so much, I think she might be having a panic attack.
Roger takes her hand and shoves it in his pants.
Julieta looks away, closing her eyes.
"Look at me," he screams in her face, and ma belle jumps behind me. Bernadette's hand trembles at her side.
I glance at Gustave again, but there's no reaction. We lock eyes, but there is nothing in his expression.
Who have I been putting my trust in?
My stomach twists, and I swallow down bile.
The President steps behind Julieta so she's sandwiched between him and Roger. He puts his hand around her chin and yanks her face up so he's staring down at it.
She wails.
The President smiles. In Spanish, he says, "You will kneel. You will submit fully. If you do not, the child dies."
She cries harder.
Emilia gasps behind me and grabs my arm to steady herself.
They have Millie?
My heart drops, and my chest tightens. I look at Gustave again, but his expression never changes.
Did we trust him to take Millie to safety, but he only brought her back into the Global Leaders' hands?
I reach around my body and put my hand on ma belle's back.
I have to get her out of here. Did Gustave set us up?
How could I have been such a fool?
"Kneel," the President yells in Spanish, and Julieta obeys.
Roger's arrogance reappears. He turns to me. "I will break your wife tonight and every night after."
"You will never touch my wife."
"You're wrong. You'll see. Now move away from her."
I don't move.
Gustave barks, "Move away from Emilia."
Bernadette jumps and closes her eyes briefly.
I glare at him. "What is going on here?"
The President steps in front of me. "We had a deal. It's time to make good on your deal."
"Get out of my face," I seethe.
"Or what? I'm the most powerful man on the planet. You're in my room. These are my rules now. Move so she can kneel."
"Malin, step out of the way," Gustave repeats.
I scan the room. I have no gun. No knife. Nothing anywhere near me to use as a weapon. The only thing I have to protect Emilia with is my bare hands.
I push her several inches away from me. "If you come any closer to my wife, I will—"
"If anyone moves, your blood will be shed. Hands up, everyone," a man's voice snarls. His voice comes across distorted, like a voice synthesizer. Everyone puts their hands slowly in the air. I stand in front of ma belle, but I'm not sure where this man is.
Six men wearing black bodysuits, with their faces completely covered, step into the room. They all have Glocks with silencers on them. One of the men leads them and has a ring over his forehead. The front of it is a camera lens. A four-inch speaker hangs on his chest, like a necklace. None of the men speak.
"You will all follow my directions, or you will get shot. There will be no second chances," the distorted voice threatens.
"I'm the God damn President of the United States. Explain who you are right now," the President barks.
"If you don't shut up, my guy is going to put a bullet in your head. You get no other warning."
The President scowls. He always has his secret service at embassy events, but never in the embassy in D.C. Since he's on his turf, he leaves them at the door when he comes into the building, too arrogant to think anything could happen to him.
The voice continues to talk, and one of the men steps forward. "Take the women first."
The unidentified man grabs Julieta by the arm, and she begins to scream.
"Stop yelling," the voice demands.
Julieta only gets louder,